# EDGAR Filing Document

**Accession Number:** 0000895430
**File Stem:** 0001193125-26-070582
**Filing Date:** 2026-2
**Character Count:** 3136047
**Document Hash:** 546edc76158904e360e370cd926f3375
**Contains OCR:** False
**Source Format:** 

## Filing Content

## Filing Summary
**0001193125-26-070582.hdr.sgml**: 20260225

**ACCESSION NUMBER**: 0001193125-26-070582

**CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE**: 485BPOS

**PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT**: 227

**FILED AS OF DATE**: 20260225

**DATE AS OF CHANGE**: 20260225

**EFFECTIVENESS DATE**: 20260227

**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Voya MUTUAL FUNDS
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000895430

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

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1940 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 811-07428
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26677130

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 7337 E DOUBLETREE RANCH ROAD, STE 100
- **CITY:** SCOTTSDALE
- **STATE:** AZ
- **ZIP:** 85258
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 18009920180

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 7337 E DOUBLETREE RANCH ROAD, STE 100
- **CITY:** SCOTTSDALE
- **STATE:** AZ
- **ZIP:** 85258

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** ING MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20020205

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** PILGRIM MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19990526

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** NICHOLAS APPLEGATE MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19930328
**FILER**: 

**COMPANY DATA:**
- **COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:** Voya MUTUAL FUNDS
- **CENTRAL INDEX KEY:** 0000895430

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

**FILING VALUES:**
- **FORM TYPE:** 485BPOS
- **SEC ACT:** 1933 Act
- **SEC FILE NUMBER:** 033-56094
- **FILM NUMBER:** 26677129

**BUSINESS ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 7337 E DOUBLETREE RANCH ROAD, STE 100
- **CITY:** SCOTTSDALE
- **STATE:** AZ
- **ZIP:** 85258
- **BUSINESS PHONE:** 18009920180

**MAIL ADDRESS:**
- **STREET 1:** 7337 E DOUBLETREE RANCH ROAD, STE 100
- **CITY:** SCOTTSDALE
- **STATE:** AZ
- **ZIP:** 85258

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** ING MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 20020205

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** PILGRIM MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19990526

**FORMER COMPANY:**
- **FORMER CONFORMED NAME:** NICHOLAS APPLEGATE MUTUAL FUNDS
- **DATE OF NAME CHANGE:** 19930328

## Series and Classes Contracts Data

### Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund (Series ID: S000008527)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000023406 | Class A      | NAWGX           |
| C000023408 | Class C      | NAWCX           |
| C000023409 | Class I      | NAWIX           |
| C000079029 | Class W      | IGVWX           |
| C000218334 | Class R6     | VGHRX           |

### Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund (Series ID: S000008531)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000023423 | Class A      | NTKLX           |
| C000023425 | Class C      | NARCX           |
| C000023426 | Class I      | NAPIX           |
| C000059862 | Class W      | ISCWX           |
| C000241253 | Class R6     | VVJFX           |

### Voya Global Bond Fund (Series ID: S000012534)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000034078 | Class A      | INGBX           |
| C000034080 | Class C      | IGBCX           |
| C000034081 | Class I      | IGBIX           |
| C000079030 | Class W      | IGBWX           |
| C000105408 | Class R      | IGBRX           |
| C000122013 | Class R6     | IGBZX           |

### Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund (Series ID: S000030601)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000094856 | Class I      | IIGIX           |

### Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund (Series ID: S000034101)

| Class ID   | Class Name   | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000105125 | Class I      | IEMGX           |
| C000107874 | Class A      | IEMHX           |
| C000107875 | Class C      | IEMJX           |
| C000107876 | Class R      | IEMKX           |
| C000107877 | Class W      | IEMLX           |

### Voya VACS Series EME Fund (Series ID: S000079628)

| Class ID   | Class Name                | Ticker Symbol   |
|:---|:---|:---|
| C000240818 | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | VVIFX           |

?xml version='1.0' encoding='ASCII'? 485BPOS

**As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2026**

**Securities Act File No. 033-56094**

**Investment Company Act File No. 811-07428**

------

**U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION**

**Washington, D.C. 20549**

------

**FORM N-1A**

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT**

**UNDER** 

**THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933** 

☒

**Pre-Effective Amendment No. ___** 

☐

**Post-Effective Amendment No. 232** 

☒

**And/or**

**REGISTRATION STATEMENT** 

**UNDER** 

**THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940** 

☒

**Amendment No. 240** 

☒

**(Check appropriate box or boxes)**

**VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

**(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)**

------

**7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100**

**Scottsdale, Arizona 85258**

**(Address of Principal Executive Offices)**

**Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (800) 992-0180**

**Joanne F. Osberg, Esq.**

**Voya Investments, LLC**

**7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100**

**Scottsdale, Arizona 85258**

**(Name and Address of Agent for Service)** 

**With copies to:**

**Elizabeth J. Reza, Esq.**

**Ropes & Gray LLP**

**Prudential Tower**

**800 Boylston Street**

**Boston, Massachusetts 02199-3600** 

**APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING**

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

☐

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

☒

on February 28, 2026, pursuant to paragraph (b)

☐

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

☐

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

☐

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

☐

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

If appropriate, check the following box:

☐

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

Title of Securities Being Registered: Shares of Beneficial Interest, without par value.

------

**EXPLANATORY NOTE**

This Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 033-56094) of Voya Mutual Funds (the "Registrant") is being filed pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the purpose of finalizing the disclosure in compliance with annual updating requirements to the Registrant's Prospectuses and related Statements of Additional Information, each dated February 28, 2026, for the following funds: Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund, and Voya VACS Series EME Fund.

------

**February 28, 2026**

**Prospectus**![](imge8c0a6ca1.gif)

**Global Equity Fund** 

**•** **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** 

Class/Ticker: **A**/NAWGX; **C**/NAWCX; **I**/NAWIX; **R6**/VGHRX; **W**/IGVWX

**Global/International Fixed-Income Fund** 

**•** **Voya Global Bond Fund** 

Class/Ticker: **A**/INGBX; **C**/IGBCX; **I**/IGBIX; **R**/IGBRX; **R6**/IGBZX; **W**/IGBWX

**International Equity Funds** 

**•** **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** 

Class/Ticker: **A**/IEMHX;**C**/IEMJX; **I**/IEMGX; **R**/IEMKX; **W**/IEMLX

**•** **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** 

Class/Ticker: **I**/IIGIX

**•** **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** 

Class/Ticker: **A**/NTKLX; **C**/NARCX; **I**/NAPIX; **R6**/VVJFX; **W**/ISCWX

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![](edelivery_1.jpg)<br>| E-Delivery Sign-up – details on back cover |

---

![](imgd53c491c2.gif)

------

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

------

**Table of Contents**

------

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **SUMMARY SECTION** <br>|  |
| **[Voya Global Bond Fund](#xx_823b4387-2fb7-4e47-97f0-5b1452f74a6a_1)** | 1 |
| **[Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund](#xx_7a603b1e-6642-4897-926c-aad124a71990_1)** | 11 |
| **[Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund](#xx_36035905-438f-4a91-a071-98ad2241e7c0_1)** | 18 |
| **[Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund](#xx_5523f265-1e34-4ece-a5e0-3d3f8db36b3f_1)** | 28 |
| **[Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund](#xx_fc609a68-1f9d-40ab-9733-fb157193c1d4_1)** | 37 |
| **[KEY FUND INFORMATION](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1)** | 46 |
| [Conflicts of Interest - Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1)<br> [International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1)<br>| 46 |
| [Fundamental Investment Policies](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1) | 46 |
| [Fund Diversification](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1) | 46 |
| [Investor Diversification](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_1) | 46 |
| [Temporary Defensive Positions](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_2) | 47 |
| [Percentage and Rating Limitations](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_2) | 47 |
| [Investment Not Guaranteed](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_2) | 47 |
| [Shareholder Reports](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_2) | 47 |
| [Escheatment](#xx_f04c125e-0c05-4d8f-bd54-c0285a283255_2) | 47 |
| **[MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_1)** | 48 |
| [Additional Information About the Investment Objective](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_1) | 48 |
| [Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_1) | 48 |
| [Additional Information About 80% Investment Policies Related to Fund Names](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_1) | 48 |
| [Additional Information About the Principal Risks](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_2) | 49 |
| [Further Information About Principal Risks](#xx_19d6bc3e-bf0a-4da1-bf5d-8b5b96cadcec_14) | 61 |
| **[PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION](#xx_a8ee99a4-c1e4-4f97-9f34-1c841a7fcbab_1)** | 63 |
| **[MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_1)** | 64 |
| [Investment Adviser](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_1) | 64 |
| [Sub-Advisers](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_1) | 64 |
| [Portfolio Management](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_3) | 66 |
| [Distributor](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_8) | 71 |
| [Contractual Arrangements](#xx_c9d8adce-a215-4203-9355-0ec8bdbf4c17_8) | 71 |
| **[CLASSES OF SHARES](#xx_ff08b45c-518e-47d5-92a2-b89d8919483e_1)** | 73 |
| [Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees](#xx_ff08b45c-518e-47d5-92a2-b89d8919483e_3) | 75 |
| **[SALES CHARGES](#xx_afac8d23-8d56-484f-9c8b-a5267e485781_1)** | 76 |
| **[HOW SHARES ARE PRICED](#xx_b9086822-09b5-4fa5-a195-5c1a30263cc4_1)** | 79 |
| **[HOW TO BUY SHARES](#xx_9a02c6ba-f148-499c-9152-e80f310afed9_1)** | 80 |
| **[HOW TO SELL SHARES](#xx_51d08d47-f43e-4657-8e29-160a88108467_1)** | 84 |
| **[HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES](#xx_4cbe2a9c-4d07-41e9-afb5-dedadb4a54d2_1)** | 87 |
| **[FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING](#xx_72393b82-2f76-4a62-9440-92c79b0971c9_1)** | 89 |
| **[PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES](#xx_2e00dffd-548b-4756-b9dc-5c457290d5dc_1)** | 91 |
| **[DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES](#xx_76f5d4a9-9865-40d0-89b9-168741d891b1_1)** | 93 |
| **[ACCOUNT POLICIES](#xx_f185ff98-1507-4e6d-bec3-d50ea7f57e1f_1)** | 96 |
| [Account Access](#xx_f185ff98-1507-4e6d-bec3-d50ea7f57e1f_1) | 96 |
| [Privacy Policy](#xx_f185ff98-1507-4e6d-bec3-d50ea7f57e1f_1) | 96 |
| [Householding](#xx_f185ff98-1507-4e6d-bec3-d50ea7f57e1f_1) | 96 |
| **[INDEX DESCRIPTIONS](#xx_74c86368-1bd9-4dff-945c-c428aa9d81cb_1)** | 97 |
| **[FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS](#xx_5b8bf11d-38df-4cfa-b01f-4b008bf4687d_1)** | 99 |
| **[ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS](#xx_5b8bf11d-38df-4cfa-b01f-4b008bf4687d_6)** | 104 |
| **[APPENDIX A](#xx_89de704b-393d-4c3a-b9dd-a2f451fae602_1)** | 105 |
| **[Financial Intermediary Specific Sales Charge Waiver and Related Discount Policy Information](#xx_89de704b-393d-4c3a-b9dd-a2f451fae602_1)** | 105 |
| **[TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION](#xx_102d8089-227d-48e8-ad12-d39498e1605b_2)** | Back Cover |

---

------

**Table of Contents**

------

Voya Global Bond Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks to maximize total return through a combination of current income and capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Voya mutual funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the discussion in the Sales Charges section of the Prospectus (page 77), in Appendix A to the Prospectus, or the Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares section of the Statement of Additional Information (page 97).

**Shareholder Fees** 

Fees paid directly from your investment

------

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

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**offering price imposed on purchases**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**purchase or sales price, whichever is less**<br>|
| **A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.50 | None<sup>1</sup> <br>|
| **C** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| **I** |  |  |
| **R** |  |  |
| **R6** |  |  |
| **W** |  |  |

---

**Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<sup>2</sup> 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

------

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

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A** | **C** | **I** | **R** | **R6** | **W** |
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 |  |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.46 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.46 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.30 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.46 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.46 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.21 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.96 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.80 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.46 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.69 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.96 |
| Waivers and Reimbursements<sup>3</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.31) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.31) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.15) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.31) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.04) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.31) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers and <br> Reimbursements<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.90 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.65 |

---

A contingent deferred sales charge applies to shares purchased without an initial sales charge, as part of an investment of $500,000 or more, and redeemed within 12 months of purchase.

Expense information has been restated to reflect current contractual rates.

Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.90%, 1.65%, 0.65%, 1.15%, 0.65%, and 0.65% for Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6, and Class W shares, respectively, through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees. Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the " Board ") . The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the "Company"), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

------

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example shows costs if you sold (redeemed) your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Voya Global Bond Fund

------

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

---

| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** |  | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** |
|  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |
|  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 340 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 595 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 869 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1653 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 340 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 595 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 869 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1653 |
| **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 268 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 585 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1029 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2260 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 168 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 585 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1029 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2260 |
| **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 240 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 429 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 976 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 240 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 429 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 976 |
| **R** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 117 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 431 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 768 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1720 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **R** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 117 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 431 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 768 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1720 |
| **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 217 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 380 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 855 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 217 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 380 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 855 |
| **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 275 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 501 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1150 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 66 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 275 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 501 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1150 |

---

The Example does not reflect sales charges (loads) on reinvested dividends (and other distributions). If these sales charges (loads) were included, your costs would be higher.

**Portfolio Turnover**

------

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 128% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in bonds of issuers in a number of different countries, which may include the United States. For purposes of this 80% policy, bonds include, without limitation, bonds, debt instruments, and other fixed income and income-producing debt instruments, of any kind, issued or guaranteed by governmental or private-sector entities.

The Fund may invest in securities of issuers located in developed and emerging market countries. Countries with emerging markets include most countries in the world except Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most of the countries of western Europe. Securities may be denominated in foreign currencies or in U.S. dollars. The Fund may hedge its exposure to securities denominated in foreign currencies. The Fund may also borrow money from banks and invest the proceeds of such loans in portfolio securities to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder (the "1940 Act"). This investment technique is known as "leveraging."

The Fund invests primarily in securities, which, at the time of investment, are rated investment grade. Investment grade refers to ratings given by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations ("NRSROs") (*e.g*., rated Baa3 or above by Moody's Ratings ("Moody's"), or BBB- or above by S&P Global Ratings ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings, Inc. ("Fitch")) or, if unrated, determined by the Fund to be of comparable quality. The Fund may also invest in preferred stocks, money market instruments, municipal bonds, commercial and residential mortgage-related securities, asset-backed securities, other securitized and structured debt instruments, private placements, and sovereign debt.

The Fund may also invest its assets in bank loans and in floating rate secured loans ("Senior Loans"). Although the Fund may invest a portion of its assets in debt instruments rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as "high-yield securities", "high-yield bonds", or "junk bonds"), the Fund will seek to maintain a minimum weighted average portfolio quality rating of at least investment grade. Below investment grade refers to ratings given by NRSROs (*e.g*., rated Ba1 or below by Moody's, or BB+ or below by S&P or Fitch) or, if unrated, determined by the Fund to be of comparable quality, are regarded as having more speculative characteristics with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal. Split rated debt instruments (debt instruments that receive different ratings from two or more NRSROs) are valued as follows: if three NRSROs rate a debt instrument, the debt instrument will be considered to have the median credit rating; if two of the three NRSROs rate a debt instrument, the debt instrument will be considered to have the lower credit rating of the two provided.

The dollar-weighted average duration of the Fund will generally range between two and nine years. Duration is a commonly used measure of risk in debt instruments as it incorporates multiple features of debt instruments (*e.g.*, yield, coupon, maturity, etc.) into one number. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rates. Duration is a weighted average of the times that interest payments and the final return of principal are received. The weights are the amounts of the payments discounted by the yield-to-maturity of the debt instrument. Duration is expressed as a number of years. The bigger the duration number, the greater the interest rate risk or reward for the debt instrument prices. For example,

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the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if market interest rates rose by 1%. Conversely, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to rise approximately 5% if market interest rates dropped by 1%.

The Fund may use derivatives, including futures, swaps (including interest rate swaps, total return swaps, and credit default swaps), and options, among others, to seek to enhance return, to hedge some of the risks of its investments in debt instruments, or as a substitute for a position in an underlying asset. The Fund may, without limitation, seek to obtain market exposure to the instruments in which it primarily invests by entering into a series of purchase and sale contracts or by using other investment techniques (such as buy backs or dollar rolls and reverse repurchase agreements).

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act.

The investment process focuses on allocating assets among various sectors of the global bond markets and buying bonds at a discount to their intrinsic value. The sub-adviser (the "Sub-Adviser") utilizes proprietary quantitative techniques to identify bonds or sectors that it considers to be cheap relative to other bonds or sectors based on their historical price relationships. Teams of asset specialists use this relative value analysis to guide them in the security selection process.

In evaluating investments for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations to determine whether any or all of those factors or considerations might have a material effect on the value, risks, or prospects of an investment. Among the factors considered, the Sub-Adviser expects typically to take into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors to determine whether one or more factors may have a material effect. In considering ESG factors, the Sub-Adviser intends to rely primarily on factors identified through its proprietary empirical research and on third-party evaluations of an issuer's ESG standing, when available. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Sub-Adviser's evaluation of any potential investment; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Sub-Adviser's decision to invest in an issuer, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser may sell assets for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, in response to a change in the Sub-Adviser's original investment considerations, to limit losses, to adjust the characteristics of the Fund's overall portfolio, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising.

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of its total assets.

**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**Bank Instruments:** Bank instruments include certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits, bankers' acceptances, and other debt and deposit-type obligations issued by banks. Changes in economic, regulatory, or political conditions, or other events that affect the banking industry may have an adverse effect on bank instruments or banking institutions that serve as counterparties in transactions with the Fund. In the event of a bank insolvency or failure, the Fund may be considered a general creditor of the bank, and it might lose some or all of the funds deposited with the bank. Even where it is recognized that a bank might be in danger of insolvency or failure, the Fund might not be able to withdraw or transfer its money from the bank in time to avoid any adverse effects of the insolvency or failure. Volatility in the banking system may impact the viability of banking and financial services institutions. In the event of failure of any of the financial institutions where the Fund maintains its cash and cash equivalents, there can be no assurance that the Fund would be able to access uninsured funds in a timely manner or at all and the Fund may incur losses. Any such event could adversely affect the business, liquidity, financial position and performance of the Fund.

**Borrowing:** Borrowing creates leverage, which may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks. Borrowing may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the Fund's net asset value causing the Fund to be more volatile than a fund that does not borrow. Borrowing for investment purposes is considered to be speculative and may result in losses to the Fund.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign

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government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

• **Investing through Bond Connect:** Chinese debt instruments trade on the China Interbank Bond Market (the "CIBM") and may be purchased through a market access program, known as "Bond Connect," that is designed to, among other things, enable foreign (non-U.S.) investment in the People's Republic of China. There are significant risks inherent in investing in Chinese debt instruments, similar to the risks of investing in debt instruments in other emerging markets. The prices of debt instruments traded on the CIBM may fluctuate significantly due to low trading volume and potential lack of liquidity. The rules to access debt instruments that trade on the CIBM through Bond Connect are relatively new and subject to change, which may adversely affect the Fund's ability to invest in these instruments and to enforce its rights as a beneficial owner of these instruments. Trading through Bond Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund's investments and returns.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations. Asset-backed (including mortgage-backed) securities that are not issued by U.S. government agencies may have a greater risk of default because they are not guaranteed by either the U.S. government or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government. The credit quality of typical asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the underlying assets and the structural support (if any) provided to the securities.

**Credit Default Swaps:** The Fund may enter into credit default swaps, either as a buyer or a seller of the swap. A buyer of a credit default swap is generally obligated to pay the seller an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. As a seller of a credit default swap, the Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the full notional value of the swap. Credit default swaps are particularly subject to counterparty, credit, valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks, and the risk that the swap may not correlate with its reference obligation as expected. Certain standardized credit default swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing. Central clearing is expected to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity; however, there is no assurance that it will achieve that result, and in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements expose the Fund to different kinds of costs and risks. In addition, credit default swaps expose the Fund to the risk of improper valuation.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Fixed Income):** The Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. The Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of obligations of an issuer may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in obligations of issuers that the Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in obligations of issuers that compare favorably to obligations of other issuers on the basis of ESG

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factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to obligations of certain issuers due to the Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by the Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Floating Rate Loans:** In the event a borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal payments on a floating rate loan (which can include certain bank loans), the Fund will experience a reduction in its income and a decline in the market value of such floating rate loan. If a floating rate loan is held by the Fund through another financial institution, or the Fund relies upon another financial institution to administer the loan, the receipt of scheduled interest or principal payments may be subject to the credit risk of such financial institution. Investors in floating rate loans may not be afforded the protections of the anti-fraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, because loans may not be considered "securities" under such laws. Additionally, the value of collateral, if any, securing a floating rate loan can decline or may be insufficient to meet the borrower's obligations under the loan, and such collateral may be difficult to liquidate. No active trading market may exist for many floating rate loans and many floating rate loans are subject to restrictions on resale. Transactions in loans typically settle on a delayed basis and may take longer than 7 days to settle. As a result, the Fund may not receive the proceeds from a sale of a floating rate loan for a significant period of time. Delay in the receipts of settlement proceeds may impair the ability of the Fund to meet its redemption obligations, and may limit the ability of the Fund to repay debt, pay dividends, or to take advantage of new investment opportunities.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

**High-Yield Securities:** Lower-quality securities including securities that are or have fallen below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") have greater credit risk and liquidity risk than higher-quality (investment grade) securities, and their issuers' long-term ability to make payments is considered speculative. Prices of lower-quality bonds or other debt instruments are also more volatile, are more sensitive to negative news about the economy or the issuer, and have greater liquidity risk and price volatility.

**Interest in Loans:** The value and the income streams of interests in loans (including participation interests in lease financings and assignments in secured variable or floating rate loans) will decline if borrowers delay payments or fail to pay altogether. A significant rise in market interest rates could increase this risk. Although loans may be fully collateralized when purchased, such collateral may become illiquid or decline in value.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are

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indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** The Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.* , stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues , coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions

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or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Mortgage- and/or Asset-Backed Securities:** Defaults on, or low credit quality or liquidity of, the underlying assets of the asset-backed (including mortgage-backed) securities may impair the value of these securities and result in losses. There may be limitations on the enforceability of any security interest or collateral granted with respect to those underlying assets, and the value of collateral may not satisfy the obligation upon default. These securities also present a higher degree of prepayment and extension risk and interest rate risk than do other types of debt instruments.

**Municipal Obligations:** The municipal securities market is volatile and can be affected significantly by adverse tax, legislative, or political changes and the financial condition of the issuers of municipal securities. Among other risks, investments in municipal securities are subject to the risk that an issuer may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its debt.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Portfolio Turnover:** A high portfolio turnover rate may increase transaction costs, which may lower the Fund's performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gains distributions.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock generally has preference over common stock but is generally subordinate to debt instruments with respect to dividends and liquidation. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks associated with other types of equity securities, as well as greater credit or other risks than senior debt instruments. In addition, preferred stocks are subject to other risks, such as risks related to deferred and omitted distributions, limited voting rights, liquidity, interest rate, regulatory changes and special redemption rights.

**Prepayment and Extension:** Many types of debt instruments are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal earlier than expected. This risk is heightened in a falling market interest rate environment. Prepayment may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a debt instrument subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal later than expected. This risk is heightened in a rising market interest rate environment. This may negatively affect performance, as the value of the debt instrument decreases when principal payments are made later than expected. Additionally, the Fund may be prevented from investing proceeds it would have received at a given time at the higher prevailing interest rates.

**Restricted Securities:** Securities that are legally restricted as to resale (such as those issued in private placements), including securities governed by Rule 144A and Regulation S, and securities that are offered in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, are referred to as "restricted securities." Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. Due to the absence of a public trading market, restricted securities may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to value than publicly-traded securities. The price realized from the sale of these securities could be less

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than the amount originally paid or less than their fair value if they are resold in privately negotiated transactions. In addition, these securities may not be subject to disclosure and other investment protection requirements that are afforded to publicly-traded securities. Certain restricted securities represent investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risk.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

**Sovereign Debt:** Sovereign debt is issued or guaranteed by foreign (non-U.S.) government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt due to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, social changes, the relative size of its debt position to its economy, or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting amounts owed on sovereign debt, such as bankruptcy proceedings, that a government does not pay.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class A shares. Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and sales charges. Performance for other share classes would differ to the extent they have differences in their fees and expenses. *The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent performance figures, go to https://individuals.voya.com/literature or call 1-800-992-0180.*

**Calendar Year Total Returns** Class A 

(as of December 31 of each year)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 8.74% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 2<sup>nd</sup> Quarter 2022 | -9.61% |

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| **Class A** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.74 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.75 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.40 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/30/2006 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -3.78 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.23 | N/A |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.37 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.58 | N/A |  |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |
| **Class C** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.96 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.06 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/30/2006 |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |
| **Class I** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.72 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.93 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/30/2006 |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |
| **Class R** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.16 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.51 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.42 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 8/5/2011 |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |
| **Class R6** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.90 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -1.98 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.94 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 5/31/2013 |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |
| **Class W** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.77 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.94 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/1/2009 |
| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; -2.15 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.26 | N/A |  |

---

The index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses, or taxes.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other classes will vary.

**Portfolio Management**

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

---

| |
|:---|
| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC |

---

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Sean Banai, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2019)<br>| Rajen Jadav, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2026)<br>|
| Anuranjan Sharma <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2026)<br>| Vinay Viralam, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2026)<br>|

---

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4480; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

**Minimum Initial Investment** $ by share class

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A, C** | **I** | **R** | **R6** | **W** |
| Non-retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Certain omnibus accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 |  |  |  |  |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |

---

There are no minimums for additional investments except that the pre-authorized investment plan requires a monthly investment of at least $100. For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; or (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts.

Voya Global Bond Fund

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**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

Voya Global Bond Fund

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Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks long-term capital growth and current income.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Voya mutual funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the discussion in the Sales Charges section of the Prospectus (page 77), in Appendix A to the Prospectus, or the Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares section of the Statement of Additional Information (page 97).

**Shareholder Fees** 

Fees paid directly from your investment

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

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**offering price imposed on purchases**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**purchase or sales price, whichever is less**<br>|
| **A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.75 | None<sup>1</sup> <br>|
| **C** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| **I** |  |  |
| **R6** |  |  |
| **W** |  |  |

---

**Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<sup>2</sup> 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

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

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A** | **C** | **I** | **R6** | **W** |
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |  |  |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.23 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.23 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.13 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.23 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.98 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.73 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.69 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.63 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.73 |
| Waivers and Reimbursements<sup>3</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.10) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.10) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.06) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.03) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.10) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers and <br> Reimbursements<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.63 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.63 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.60 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.63 |

---

A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more.

Expense information has been restated to reflect current contractual rates.

Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") and distributor are contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.88%, 1.63%, 0.63%, 0.60%, and 0.63% for Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R6, and Class W shares, respectively, through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees. Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the " Board "). The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the "Company"), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

------

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example shows costs if you sold (redeemed) your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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

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| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** |  | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** |
|  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |
|  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 660 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 860 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1076 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1699 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 660 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 860 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1076 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1699 |
| **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 266 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 535 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 929 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2033 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 166 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 535 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 929 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2033 |
| **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 64 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 215 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 378 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 853 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 64 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 215 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 378 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 853 |
| **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 61 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 199 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 348 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 783 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 61 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 199 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 348 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 783 |
| **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 64 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 223 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 396 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 897 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 64 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 223 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 396 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 897 |

---

The Example does not reflect sales charges (loads) on reinvested dividends (and other distributions). If these sales charges (loads) were included, your costs would be higher.

**Portfolio Turnover**

------

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 71% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in a portfolio of equity securities.

The Fund invests primarily in equity securities included in the MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup> (the "Index"). The Fund invests in securities of issuers in a number of different countries, including the United States.

The sub-adviser (the "Sub-Adviser") seeks to maximize total return to the extent consistent with maintaining lower volatility than the Index. Volatility generally measures how much a fund's returns have varied over a specified time frame.

The Fund may invest in derivative instruments, including, but not limited to, index futures. The Fund typically uses derivatives as a substitute for purchasing securities included in the Index or for the purpose of maintaining equity market exposure on its cash balance.

The Fund may invest in real estate-related securities, including real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.

The Sub-Adviser creates a target universe that consists of dividend paying securities by screening for companies that exhibit stable dividend yields within each industry sector. Once the Sub-Adviser creates this target universe, the Sub-Adviser seeks to identify the most attractive securities within various geographic regions and sectors by ranking each security relative to other securities within its region or sector, as applicable, using proprietary fundamental sector-specific quantitative investment models. The Sub-Adviser then uses optimization techniques to seek to achieve the Fund's target dividend yield, which is expected to be higher than the Index in aggregate, manage target beta, determine active weights, and neutralize region and sector exposures in order to create a portfolio that the Sub-Adviser believes will provide the potential for maximum total return consistent with maintaining lower volatility than the Index. Under certain circumstances, the Fund will likely earn a lower level of total return than it would in the absence of its strategy of maintaining a relatively low level of volatility.

In evaluating investments for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser, through its quantitative methods and models, takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations to determine whether any or all of those factors or considerations might have a material effect on the value, risks, or prospects of a company. Among the factors considered, the Sub-Adviser expects that its quantitative methods and models will typically take into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors. In considering ESG factors, the Sub-Adviser's quantitative methods and models will rely primarily on factors identified through the Sub-Adviser's proprietary empirical research and on third-party evaluations of a company's ESG standing, when available. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the evaluation of any potential investment; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Sub-Adviser's decision to invest in a company, if at all, will depend on the operation of the Sub-Adviser's quantitative processes and the judgment of the Sub-Adviser.

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 30% of its total assets.

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Dividend:** Companies that issue dividend yielding equity securities are not required to continue to pay dividends on such securities. Therefore, there is a possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. As a result, the Fund's ability to execute its investment strategy may be limited.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Quantitative):** The Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund depends on the operation of quantitative methods and models whose design reflects qualitative and subjective judgments of the Sub-Adviser, including reliance on, or incorporation of, data in respect of ESG factors that may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that the Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may not invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to the Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by the Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region.

**Investment Model:** The Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Volatility management techniques may not always be successful in reducing volatility, may not protect against market declines, and may limit the Fund's participation in market gains, negatively impacting performance even during periods when the market is rising. During sudden or significant market rallies, such underperformance may be significant. Moreover, volatility management strategies may increase portfolio transaction costs, which may increase losses or reduce gains. The Fund's volatility may not be lower than that of the Fund's Index during all market cycles due to market factors. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development,

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

------

implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.*, stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues, coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index and an additional index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. In 2024, the Investment Adviser changed the Fund's primary benchmark from the MSCI World Value Index to the MSCI All Country World Index in accordance with changes to regulatory disclosure requirements. The Fund continues to use the MSCI World Value Index as an additional benchmark that the Investment Adviser believes more closely reflects the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class A shares. Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and sales charges. Performance for other share classes would differ to the extent they have differences in their fees and expenses. The Class R6 shares performance shown for the period prior to their inception date is the performance of Class I shares without adjustment for any differences in expenses between the two classes. If adjusted for such differences, returns would be different.

The Fund's performance prior to December 31, 2020 reflects returns achieved pursuant to different principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance prior to May 1, 2018 reflects returns achieved pursuant to different principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance prior to May 1, 2016 reflects returns achieved pursuant to different principal investment strategies. If the Fund's current sub-adviser and strategies had been in place for the prior periods, the performance information shown would have been different. *The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent performance figures, go to https://individuals.voya.com/literature or call 1-800-992-0180.* 

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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**Calendar Year Total Returns** Class A 

(as of December 31 of each year)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 14.09% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 1<sup>st</sup> Quarter 2020 | -23.44% |

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| **Class A** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.85 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.12 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.18 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4/19/1993 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.54 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.31 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.48 | N/A |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.92 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.08 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.49 | N/A |  |
| MSCI ACWI<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.34 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.72 | N/A |  |
| MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.23 | N/A |  |
| **Class C** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.59 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.17 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4/19/1993 |
| MSCI ACWI<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.34 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.72 | N/A |  |
| MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.23 | N/A |  |
| **Class I** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.95 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.69 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.09 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 9/6/2006 |
| MSCI ACWI<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.34 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.72 | N/A |  |
| MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.23 | N/A |  |
| **Class R6** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.97 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.73 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.11 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2/28/2020 |
| MSCI ACWI<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.34 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.72 | N/A |  |
| MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.23 | N/A |  |
| **Class W** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.96 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.69 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.09 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/1/2009 |
| MSCI ACWI<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.34 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.19 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.72 | N/A |  |
| MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.79 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.23 | N/A |  |

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The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other classes will vary.

**Portfolio Management**

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|:---|
| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Steve Gao, PhD, CFA, FRM <br>Portfolio Manager (since 10/2025)<br>| Russell Shtern, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 10/2025)<br>|
| Kai Yee Wong <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2018)<br>|  |

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Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4480; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

**Minimum Initial Investment** $ by share class

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A, C** | **I** | **R6** | **W** |
| Non-retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Certain omnibus accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 |  |  |  |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |

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There are no minimums for additional investments except that the pre-authorized investment plan requires a monthly investment of at least $100. For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; or (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund

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Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Voya mutual funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the discussion in the Sales Charges section of the Prospectus (page 77), in Appendix A to the Prospectus, or the Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares section of the Statement of Additional Information (page 97).

**Shareholder Fees** 

Fees paid directly from your investment

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**offering price imposed on purchases**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**purchase or sales price, whichever is less**<br>|
| **A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.75 | None<sup>1</sup> <br>|
| **C** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| **I** |  |  |
| **R** |  |  |
| **W** |  |  |

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**Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<sup>2</sup> 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A** | **C** | **I** | **R** | **W** |
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.50 |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.40 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.40 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.21 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.40 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.40 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.40 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.21 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.90 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.40 |
| Waivers and Reimbursements<sup>3</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.18) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.18) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.09) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.18) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.18) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers and <br> Reimbursements<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.47 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.22 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.12 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.72 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.22 |

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A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more.

Expense information has been restated to reflect current contractual rates.

Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.46%, 2.21%, 1.11%, 1.71%, and 1.21% for Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, and Class W shares, respectively, through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees. Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the "Company"), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

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This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example shows costs if you sold (redeemed) your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund

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| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** |  | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** |
|  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |
|  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 716 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1049 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1404 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2403 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 716 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1049 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1404 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2403 |
| **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 325 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 731 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1264 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2723 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 225 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 731 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1264 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2723 |
| **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 114 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 375 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 656 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1458 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 114 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 375 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 656 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1458 |
| **R** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 175 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 580 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1010 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2208 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **R** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 175 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 580 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1010 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2208 |
| **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 124 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 425 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 749 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1664 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 124 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 425 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 749 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1664 |

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The Example does not reflect sales charges (loads) on reinvested dividends (and other distributions). If these sales charges (loads) were included, your costs would be higher.

**Portfolio Turnover**

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The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 51% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of issuers in emerging markets. For purposes of this 80% policy, emerging markets means most countries in the world except Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most of the countries of Western Europe. For purposes of this 80% policy, equity securities include, without limitation, common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, depositary receipts, participatory notes and other structured notes, real estate-related securities (including real estate investment trusts ("REITs")), trust or partnership interests, rights and warrants to buy common stock, privately placed securities, and initial public offerings ("IPOs").

An emerging market issuer is one (i) that is organized under the laws of, or has a principal place of business in, an emerging market; (ii) for which the principal securities market is in an emerging market; (iii) that derives at least 50% of its total revenues or profits from goods that are produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market; or (iv) at least 50% of the assets of which are located in an emerging market. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.

The Fund may invest in bonds rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as "high-yield securities", "high-yield bonds", or "junk bonds").

The Fund may invest in derivatives, including but not limited to, futures, options, swaps, and forward foreign currency exchange contracts as a substitute for securities in which the Fund can invest; to hedge various investments; to seek to reduce currency deviations, where practicable, for the purpose of risk management; to seek to increase the Fund's gains; and for the efficient management of cash flows.

The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. dollars, other major reserve currencies, such as the euro, yen and pound sterling, and currencies of other countries in which it can invest. The Fund typically maintains full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests. However, the Fund may, from time to time, hedge a portion of its foreign currency exposure into the U.S. dollar.

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.

The Investment Adviser allocates the Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. When selecting sub-advisers, the Investment Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations, including among other things the investment strategy of a potential sub-adviser, its personnel, and its fit with other sub-advisers to the Fund. Among those, the Investment Adviser will typically consider the extent to which a potential sub-adviser takes into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors as part of its investment process. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Investment Adviser's evaluation of any potential sub-adviser; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Investment Adviser's decision to retain a sub-adviser, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Investment Adviser.

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund

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Nomura Investments Fund Advisers ("NIFA"), Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP ("SGA"), and Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") (each, a "Sub-Adviser" and collectively, the "Sub-Advisers") provide the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers act independently of each other and use their own methodology for selecting investments. The Investment Adviser will determine the amount of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser.

Each Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising. In addition, Voya IM may sell securities to rebalance and reconstitute its investments in connection with such changes in the Index (as defined below).

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of its total assets.

**NIFA** 

NIFA believes that, although market price and intrinsic business value are positively correlated in the long run, short-term divergences can emerge. NIFA seeks to take advantage of these divergences through a disciplined, fundamental, bottom-up approach. NIFA seeks to invest in companies with sustainable franchises when they are trading at a significant discount to NIFA's conservative intrinsic value estimate. NIFA also prefers companies that have large market opportunities in which to deploy capital, ensuring that they grow faster than the overall economy.

Fundamental bottom-up research is the core of the investment process. NIFA's fundamental research process can be broken down into two main components: analyzing a company's sustainability and assessing its intrinsic value. Sustainability analysis involves identification of a company's source of competitive advantage and the ability of its management to maximize its return potential. Intrinsic value assessment is typically quantitatively driven by a number of valuation methods including discounted cash flow, replacement cost, private market transaction, and multiples analysis. This bottom-up approach considers current and historical macro drivers that impact a firm's ability to generate returns over the long-term.

**SGA** 

SGA is focused on identifying and owning the rare businesses which generate predictable, sustainable earnings and cash flow growth over time with lower variability. SGA's objective is to translate earnings growth into portfolio returns. The companies in which SGA invests have unique characteristics that lead to a high degree of predictability, strong profitability, and well above average earnings and cash flow growth. These characteristics include pricing power, recurring revenues, and secular growth opportunity, as well as financial and management strength. SGA's emerging markets growth strategy focuses solely on the companies they believe will also benefit in a sustained way from rising incomes and increasing consumption within developing economies.

**Voya IM** 

Voya IM seeks to replicate the performance of the Index, meaning it generally will invest in all of the securities in the Index in weightings, consistent with that of the Index. The Fund's portfolio may not always hold all of the same securities as the Index. Voya IM may also invest in ETFs, stock index futures, and other derivatives as a substitute for the sale or purchase of securities in the Index and to provide equity exposure to the Fund's cash position. Although Voya IM attempts to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index, the Fund's portfolio does not always perform exactly like the Index. Unlike the Index, the Fund has operating expenses and transaction costs and therefore has a performance disadvantage versus the Index.

**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events,

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and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not

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consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

**Focused Investing (Index Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a "passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the "Index Sleeve"). To the extent that the Index Sleeve's benchmark or other index is substantially composed of securities in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area, the Index Sleeve may allocate its investments to approximately the same extent as the index as part of its investment strategy. As a result, the Index Sleeve may be more sensitive to financial, economic, business, political, regulatory, and other developments and conditions, including natural or other disasters, affecting issuers in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area in which the Index Sleeve focuses its investments, and if securities of such industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area fall out of favor, the Index Sleeve could underperform, or be more volatile than, a fund that has greater diversification.

• **Technology Sector:** Investments in companies involved in the technology sector are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing of products or services, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments, evolving industry standards, changing customer demands, and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. The failure of a company to adapt to such changes could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, results of operations, and financial condition. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment, or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the values of their securities. Many companies involved in the technology sector have limited operating histories, and prices of these companies' securities historically have been more volatile than those of many other companies' securities, especially over the short term.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period.

**High-Yield Securities:** Lower-quality securities including securities that are or have fallen below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") have greater credit risk and liquidity risk than higher-quality (investment grade) securities, and their issuers' long-term ability to make payments is considered speculative. Prices of lower-quality bonds or other debt instruments are also more volatile, are more sensitive to negative news about the economy or the issuer, and have greater liquidity risk and price volatility.

**Index Strategy (Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a " passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the " Index Sleeve ") . The index selected may underperform the overall market. The Index Sleeve will not use defensive positions or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities in the index. The Index Sleeve may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Index Sleeve. The correlation between the Index Sleeve's performance and index performance may be affected by the Fund's expenses and the timing of purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares. In addition, the Index Sleeve's actual holdings might not match the index and the Index Sleeve's effective exposure to index securities at any given time may not precisely correlate.

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**Initial Public Offerings:** Investments in IPOs and companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs or that the IPOs in which the Fund invests will rise in value. Furthermore, the value of securities of newly public companies may decline in value shortly after the IPO. When the Fund's asset base is small, the impact of such investments on the Fund's return will be magnified. If the Fund's assets grow, it is likely that the effect of the Fund's investment in IPOs on the Fund's return will decline.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.* , stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues , coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial

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resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock generally has preference over common stock but is generally subordinate to debt instruments with respect to dividends and liquidation. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks associated with other types of equity securities, as well as greater credit or other risks than senior debt instruments. In addition, preferred stocks are subject to other risks, such as risks related to deferred and omitted distributions, limited voting rights, liquidity, interest rate, regulatory changes and special redemption rights.

**Prepayment and Extension:** Many types of debt instruments are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal earlier than expected. This risk is heightened in a falling market interest rate environment. Prepayment may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a debt instrument subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would

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be lost in the event of prepayment. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal later than expected. This risk is heightened in a rising market interest rate environment. This may negatively affect performance, as the value of the debt instrument decreases when principal payments are made later than expected. Additionally, the Fund may be prevented from investing proceeds it would have received at a given time at the higher prevailing interest rates.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities the Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index and an additional index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. In 2024, the Investment Adviser changed the Fund's primary benchmark from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> to the MSCI ACWI ex-U.S. Index<sup>SM</sup> in accordance with changes to regulatory disclosure requirements. The Fund continues to use the MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> as an additional benchmark that the Investment Adviser believes more closely reflects the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class A shares. Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and sales charges. Performance for other share classes would differ to the extent they have differences in their fees and expenses.

On July 14, 2023, SGA was added as an additional sub-adviser and Van Eck Associates Corporation (which served as a sub-adviser from August 24, 2015 to June 30, 2023) was removed as a sub-adviser. On August 9, 2019, Voya IM was added as a sub-adviser and J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (which served as a sub-adviser from October 11, 2011 to August 9, 2019) was removed as a sub-adviser. Each change to the sub-advisers resulted in changes to the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information for these periods reflects returns achieved by the different sub-advisers and pursuant to different principal investment strategies. If the Fund's current sub-advisers and strategies had been in place for the prior periods, the performance information shown would have been different. *The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent performance figures, go to https://individuals.voya.com/literature or call 1-800-992-0180.*

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**Calendar Year Total Returns** Class A 

(as of December 31 of each year)

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 24.02% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 1<sup>st</sup> Quarter 2020 | -26.91% |

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| **Class A** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;37.33 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.97 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.57 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10/11/2011 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.72 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.37 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.58 | N/A |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22.56 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.97 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.98 | N/A |  |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.42 | N/A |  |
| **Class C** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;43.63 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.42 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.56 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10/11/2011 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.42 | N/A |  |
| **Class I** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;46.21 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.60 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10/11/2011 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.42 | N/A |  |
| **Class R** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;45.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.95 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.95 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10/11/2011 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.42 | N/A |  |
| **Class W** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;46.05 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.48 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.48 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 10/11/2011 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.42 | N/A |  |

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The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund

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**Portfolio Management**

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>| Barbara Reinhard, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>|

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

---

| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Nomura Investments Fund Advisers |

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** |
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 10/2011)<br>|

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

---

| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| HK Gupta <br>Portfolio Manager (since 7/2023)<br>| Kishore Rao <br>Portfolio Manager (since 7/2023<br>|
| Alexandra Lee <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2025)<br>|  |

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Mark Buccigross <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2025)<br>| Kai Yee Wong <br>Portfolio Manager (since 8/2019)<br>|

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**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4480; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

**Minimum Initial Investment** $ by share class

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A, C** | **I** | **R** | **W** |
| Non-retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Certain omnibus accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 |  |  |  |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |

---

There are no minimums for additional investments except that the pre-authorized investment plan requires a monthly investment of at least $100. For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; or (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund

------

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.**

**Shareholder Fees** 

Fees paid directly from your investment

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**offering price imposed on purchases**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**purchase or sales price, whichever is less**<br>|
| **I** |  |  |

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**Annual Fund Operating Expenses** 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

------

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **I** |
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.85 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.08 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.93 |
| Waivers, Reimbursements and Recoupments<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.05) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers, <br> Reimbursements and Recoupments<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.88 |

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Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.88% for Class I shares through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees . Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the " Board ") . The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the "Company"), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

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This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example shows costs if you sold (redeemed) your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **Share Status** | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| **I** | Sold or Held | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 90 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 291 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 510 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1138 |

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**Portfolio Turnover**

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The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 96% of the average value of its portfolio.

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

------

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities. For purposes of this 80% policy, equity securities include, without limitation, common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, depositary receipts, participatory notes and other structured notes, real estate-related securities (including real estate investment trusts ("REITs")), trust or partnership interests, rights and warrants to buy common stock, privately placed securities, and initial public offerings ("IPOs").

The Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in equity securities of companies organized under the laws of, or with principal offices located in, a number of different countries outside of the United States, including companies in countries in emerging markets. The Fund does not seek to focus its investments in a particular industry or country. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization. The Fund may invest in derivative instruments including options, futures, and forward foreign currency exchange contracts. The Fund typically uses derivatives to seek to reduce exposure to other risks, such as interest rate or currency risk, to substitute for taking a position in the underlying assets, for cash management, and/or to seek to enhance returns in the Fund.

The Fund invests its assets in foreign investments which are denominated in U.S. dollars, major reserve currencies and currencies of other countries and can be affected by fluctuations in exchange rates. To attempt to protect against adverse changes in currency exchange rates, the Fund may, but will not necessarily, use special techniques such as forward foreign currency exchange contracts.

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.

The Investment Adviser allocates the Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. When selecting sub-advisers, the Investment Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations, including among other things the investment strategy of a potential sub-adviser, its personnel, and its fit with other sub-advisers to the Fund. Among those, the Investment Adviser will typically consider the extent to which a potential sub-adviser takes into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors as part of its investment process. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Investment Adviser's evaluation of any potential sub-adviser; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Investment Adviser's decision to retain a sub-adviser, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Investment Adviser.

Acadian Asset Management LLC ("Acadian"), Lazard Asset Management LLC ("Lazard"), Voya Investment Management Co. LLC and Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited (together, "Voya IM"), and Wellington Management Company LLP ("Wellington Management") (each, a "Sub-Adviser" and collectively, the "Sub-Advisers") provide day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers act independently of each other and use their own methodologies for selecting investments. The Investment Adviser will determine the amount of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser.

Each Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising.

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of its total assets.

**Acadian** 

Acadian's systematic investment process seeks to capture alpha by leveraging advanced technology and data analytics to exploit security mispricings arising from behavioral biases and/or informational insufficiency within and across global equity markets. The process starts with a rigorous systematic assessment of all stocks in the allowable universe on a variety of factors, simultaneously from a bottom-up perspective to attempt to predict how each stock will perform relative to its region-industry peers; from a stock-specific peer group perspective to attempt to gain additional insight via non-obvious peer similarities; and from a top-down macro perspective to attempt to predict how each stock's country, industry group, and local country-industry intersection will perform relative to their market peers. At the bottom-up level, a wide range of signals focused on, among other factors, valuation, earnings, quality, and price movements are applied. At the stock-specific peer group level, the signals focus on peer fundamentals (value and quality), peer growth, and peer momentum. At the top-down level, valuation, quality, risk, growth, technical, and economic indicators are applied. The final step in the forecasting framework is to combine the bottom-up, peer group, and top-down macro forecasts to arrive at a single, unified excess return forecast for each stock. These views are updated continuously, enabling periodic updates to portfolio construction from Acadian's updated and objective views on global equities. During portfolio construction and rebalancing, this return forecast, along with Acadian's proprietary risk and transaction cost forecasts, is used to maximize a portfolio's expected return net of costs, with all final portfolio allocations determined in the optimization process subject to Acadian's risk controls.

**Lazard** 

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

------

Lazard seeks to realize the Fund's investment objective primarily by investing in companies that Lazard considers to be quality growth businesses. By "quality" Lazard means businesses that it believes can generate, and sustain, high levels of financial productivity (*i.e.,* return on equity, return on capital and cash flow return on investment). Lazard considers, among other factors deemed appropriate and relevant to a particular company, whether the company has a competitive advantage in its industry and if Lazard believes the company can sustain its competitive advantage. Lazard also looks for "growth" businesses that it believes can grow profits and cash flows by investing back into their business at similarly high rates of financial productivity.

**Voya IM** 

Voya IM invests in a portfolio of stocks that it believes have the potential to outperform the MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Index over the long term. Voya IM uses quantitative methods, including artificial intelligence ("AI") models, to select securities and to support portfolio trading.

To select securities, the AI model analyzes a variety of inputs, including among other things, financial, fundamental, macro, and technical characteristics. The data may include structured data (*e.g*., financial information) and unstructured data (*e.g*., press releases and news articles). The AI model seeks to identify companies whose perceived value is not reflected in the stock price by identifying persistent patterns in company data that have historically led to outperformance. Voya IM may also use other quantitative techniques or inputs to implement its investment strategy. Portfolio managers and analysts oversee the operation of all quantitative models to mitigate a number of risks the models might pose, including any biases or operational deficiencies in the models.

**Wellington Management** 

Wellington Management conducts fundamental research on individual companies to identify securities for purchase or sale. Fundamental analysis of a company involves the assessment of such factors as its business environment, management quality, balance sheet, income statement, anticipated earnings, revenues and dividends, and other related measures and indicators of value, including the evaluation of financially material ESG factors based on Wellington Management's proprietary ESG research. Wellington Management believes assessing financially material ESG factors as part of its investment process allows it to better evaluate a company on its ability to improve or sustain its future returns over time. The factors that Wellington Management considers as part of its fundamental analysis, including the assessment of financially material ESG factors, contribute to its overall evaluation of a company's risk and return potential. Wellington Management may not assess ESG factors for every stock prior to investment. Wellington Management seeks to invest in companies with underappreciated assets, improving and/or sustainable return on capital, and/or stocks that it believes are mispriced by the market due to short-term issues. This proprietary research takes into account each company's long-term history as well as Wellington Management's analysts' forward-looking estimates, and allows for a comparison of the intrinsic value of stocks on a global basis focusing on return on invested capital in conjunction with other valuation metrics. Portfolio construction is driven primarily by bottom-up stock selection, with region, country, and sector weightings being secondary factors.

**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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

• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period.

**Initial Public Offerings:** Investments in IPOs and companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs or that the IPOs in which the Fund invests will rise in value. Furthermore, the value of securities of newly public companies may decline in value shortly after the IPO. When the Fund's asset base is small, the impact of such investments on the Fund's return will be magnified. If the Fund's assets grow, it is likely that the effect of the Fund's investment in IPOs on the Fund's return will decline.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.* , stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues , coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock generally has preference over common stock but is generally subordinate to debt instruments with respect to dividends and liquidation. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks associated with other types of equity securities, as well as greater credit or other risks than senior debt instruments. In addition, preferred stocks are subject to other risks, such as risks related to deferred and omitted distributions, limited voting rights, liquidity, interest rate, regulatory changes and special redemption rights.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities the Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index and an additional index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. In 2024, the Investment Adviser changed the Fund's primary benchmark from the MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Index to the MSCI ACWI ex-U.S. Index<sup>SM</sup> in accordance with changes to regulatory disclosure requirements. The Fund continues to use the MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Index as an additional benchmark that the Investment Adviser believes more closely reflects the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower.

On February 28, 2025, Acadian was added as additional sub-adviser and Polaris Capital Management, LLC ("Polaris") (which served as a sub-adviser from January 20, 2017 to February 28, 2025) was removed as a sub-adviser. On May 7, 2024, Lazard and Voya IM were added as additional sub-advisers. On May 6, 2024 Baillie Gifford Overseas Limited (which served as a sub-adviser from January 6, 2011 to May 6, 2024) was removed as a sub-adviser. On July 27, 2020, Lazard (which served as a sub-adviser from July 1, 2013 to July 27, 2020) was removed as a sub-adviser. On January 20, 2017, Polaris and Wellington Management were added as additional sub-advisers and J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (which served as a sub-adviser from July 1, 2013 to January 20, 2017) and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (which served as a sub-adviser

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from December 15, 2010 to January 20, 2017) were removed as sub-advisers. These changes to the sub-advisers resulted in a change to the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information for these periods reflects returns achieved by the different sub-advisers and pursuant to different principal investment strategies. If the Fund's current sub-advisers and strategies had been in place for the prior period, the performance information shown would have been different. *The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent performance figures, go to https://individuals.voya.com/literature or call 1-800-992-0180.*

**Calendar Year Total Returns** Class I

(as of December 31 of each year)

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![](v472499i_38.jpg)

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 20.00% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 1<sup>st</sup> Quarter 2020 | -25.76% |

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| **Class I** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.66 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1/6/2011 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23.81 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.01 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.30 | N/A |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.35 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.48 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.10 | N/A |  |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.22 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.92 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.18 | N/A |  |

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The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.

**Portfolio Management**

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

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|:---|
| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>| Barbara Reinhard, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>|

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Acadian Asset Management LLC |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D. <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2025)<br>| Fanesca Young, Ph.D., CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2025)<br>|

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Lazard Asset Management LLC |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Robert Failla, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2024)<br>| Louis Florentin-Lee, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2024)<br>|
| Barnaby Wilson, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2024)<br>|  |

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC |

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Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Russell Shtern, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2024)<br>| Kai Yee Wong <br>Portfolio Manager (since 8/2025)<br>|

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited |

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| |
|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** |
| Sanne V. De Boer, Ph.D, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 8/2025)<br>|

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Wellington Management Company LLP |

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** |
| Tara Connolly Stilwell, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 1/2017)<br>|

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**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4480; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

**Minimum Initial Investment** $ by share class

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **I** |
| Non-retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |
| Retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |
| Certain omnibus accounts | $None |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |

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There are no minimums for additional investments except that the pre-authorized investment plan requires a monthly investment of at least $100. For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts; or (iv) members of the Investment Adviser's Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions team.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

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Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks maximum long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.** You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in Voya mutual funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial intermediary and in the discussion in the Sales Charges section of the Prospectus (page 77), in Appendix A to the Prospectus, or the Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares section of the Statement of Additional Information (page 97).

**Shareholder Fees** 

Fees paid directly from your investment

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**offering price imposed on purchases**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of** <br>**purchase or sales price, whichever is less**<br>|
| **A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.75 | None<sup>1</sup> <br>|
| **C** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| **I** |  |  |
| **R6** |  |  |
| **W** |  |  |

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**Annual Fund Operating Expenses**<sup>2</sup> 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A** | **C** | **I** | **R6** | **W** |
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 |  |  |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.30 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.30 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.29 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.30 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.55 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.30 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.29 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.30 |
| Waivers and Reimbursements<sup>3</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.02) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.02) | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.09) |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.02) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers and <br> Reimbursements<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.53 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.28 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.20 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.17 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.28 |

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A contingent deferred sales charge of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Class A shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more.

Expense information has been restated to reflect current contractual rates.

Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 1.53%, 2.28%, 1.20%, 1.20%, and 1.28% for Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R6, and Class W shares, respectively, through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees. Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the "Company"), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

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This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated. The Example shows costs if you sold (redeemed) your shares at the end of the period or continued to hold them. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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| | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** | **If you sold your shares** |  | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** | **If you held your shares** |
|  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |  | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** | **Number of years you own your shares** |
|  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |  | **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 722 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1035 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1369 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2313 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **A** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 722 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1035 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1369 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2313 |
| **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 331 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 716 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1228 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2634 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **C** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 231 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 716 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1228 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2634 |
| **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 400 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 699 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1549 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **I** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 400 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 699 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1549 |
| **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 119 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 372 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 644 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1420 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **R6** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 119 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 372 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 644 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1420 |
| **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 130 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 410 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 711 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1566 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **W** | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 130 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 410 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 711 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1566 |

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The Example does not reflect sales charges (loads) on reinvested dividends (and other distributions). If these sales charges (loads) were included, your costs would be higher.

**Portfolio Turnover**

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The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 77% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in investments tied to small-capitalization companies. For purposes of this 80% policy, small-capitalization companies means companies with market capitalizations that fall within the capitalization range of companies within the S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index (the "Index").

The market capitalization of companies within the Index will change with market conditions. As of December 31, 2025, the market capitalization of companies within the Index ranged from $19.6 million to $30.8 billion. At least 65% of the Fund's assets will normally be invested in companies located outside the United States, including companies located in countries with emerging securities markets. The Fund may invest up to 35% of its assets in U.S. issuers.

The Fund invests primarily in common stock or securities convertible into common stock of international issuers, but may invest from time to time in such instruments as forward foreign currency exchange contracts, futures contracts, rights, and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts or futures contracts to hedge currency and for implementation of a currency model within the portfolio. The Fund may invest in futures contracts to allow market exposure in a cost efficient way, maintain exposure to an asset class in the case of large cash flows, and to have access to a particular market in which the Fund wishes to invest.

The Fund may invest in real estate-related securities, including real estate investment trusts ("REITs").

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.

The Investment Adviser allocates the Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. When selecting sub-advisers, the Investment Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations, including among other things the investment strategy of a potential sub-adviser, its personnel, and its fit with other sub-advisers to the Fund. Among those, the Investment Adviser will typically consider the extent to which a potential sub-adviser takes into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors as part of its investment process. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Investment Adviser's evaluation of any potential sub-adviser; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Investment Adviser's decision to retain a sub-adviser, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Investment Adviser.

Acadian Asset Management LLC ("Acadian") and Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Victory Capital") (each, a "Sub-Adviser" and together, the "Sub-Advisers") provide the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers act independently of each other and use their own methodology for selecting investments. The Investment Adviser will determine the amount of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser.

Each Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising.

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 30% of its total assets.

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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**Acadian** 

Acadian's systematic investment process seeks to capture alpha by leveraging advanced technology and data analytics to exploit security mispricings arising from behavioral biases and/or informational insufficiency within and across global equity markets. The process starts with a rigorous systematic assessment of all stocks in the allowable universe on a variety of factors, simultaneously from a bottom-up perspective to attempt to predict how each stock will perform relative to its region-industry peers; from a stock-specific peer group perspective to attempt to gain additional insight via non-obvious peer similarities; and from a top-down macro perspective to attempt to predict how each stock's country, industry group, and local country-industry intersection will perform relative to their market peers. At the bottom-up level, a wide range of signals focused on, among other factors, valuation, earnings, quality, and price movements are applied. At the stock-specific peer group level, the signals focus on peer fundamentals (value and quality), peer growth, and peer momentum. At the top-down level, valuation, quality, risk, growth, technical, and economic indicators are applied. The final step in the forecasting framework is to combine the bottom-up, peer group, and top-down macro forecasts to arrive at a single, unified excess return forecast for each stock. These views are updated continuously, enabling periodic updates to portfolio construction from Acadian's updated and objective views on global equities. During portfolio construction and rebalancing, this return forecast, along with Acadian's proprietary risk and transaction cost forecasts, is used to maximize a portfolio's expected return net of costs, with all final portfolio allocations determined in the optimization process subject to Acadian's risk controls.

**Victory Capital** 

Victory Capital employs a bottom-up investment approach that emphasizes individual stock selection. The investment process uses a combination of quantitative and traditional qualitative, fundamental analysis to identify stocks with low relative price multiples, positive trends in earnings forecasts, high profitability and companies with a strong or positively trending ESG profile. The stock selection process is designed to produce a diversified portfolio that, relative to the Index, tends to have a below-average price-to-earnings ratio, an above-average earnings growth trend, and an above-average return on invested capital. ESG investing considerations are not a primary or exclusive factor, but rather an additional inclusive consideration to Victory Capital's process.

**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Quantitative):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund depends on the operation of quantitative methods and models whose design reflects qualitative and subjective judgments of the Sub-Adviser, including reliance on, or incorporation of, data in respect of ESG factors that may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may not invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement; potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.* , stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues , coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies),

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

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**Small-Capitalization Company:** Investments in small-capitalization companies may involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of a limited operating history, small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines, less management depth and more reliance on key personnel. The securities of small-capitalization companies are subject to liquidity risk as they are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volumes typically seen on national securities exchanges.

**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities the Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index and additional indices with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. In 2024, the Investment Adviser changed the Fund's primary benchmark from the S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index to the MSCI ACWI ex-U.S. Index<sup>SM</sup> in accordance with changes to regulatory disclosure requirements. The Fund continues to use the S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index as an additional benchmark that the Investment Adviser believes more closely reflects the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class A shares. Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. However, the table includes all applicable fees and sales charges. Performance for other share classes would differ to the extent they have differences in their fees and expenses. The Class R6 shares performance shown for the period prior to their inception date is the performance of Class I shares without adjustment for any differences in expenses between the two classes. If adjusted for such differences, returns would be different.

On November 15, 2019, Wellington Management Company LLP (which served as a sub-adviser from April 30, 2013 to November 15, 2019) was removed. The change to the sub-adviser resulted in a change to the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information for these periods reflects returns achieved by the different sub-advisers and pursuant to different principal investment strategies. If the Fund's current sub-advisers and strategies had been in place for the prior periods, the performance information shown would have been different. *The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. For the most recent performance figures, go to https://individuals.voya.com/literature or call 1-800-992-0180.*

**Calendar Year Total Returns** Class A 

(as of December 31 of each year)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 24.37% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 1<sup>st</sup> Quarter 2020 | -27.45% |

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Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| **Class A** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;30.73 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.12 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.25 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 8/31/1994 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28.33 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.82 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.27 | N/A |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19.92 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.18 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.52 | N/A |  |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.94 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.83 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.83 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.62 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.49 | N/A |  |
| **Class C** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;36.67 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.59 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.28 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 8/31/1994 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.94 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.83 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.83 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.62 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.49 | N/A |  |
| **Class I** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;39.14 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.76 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.28 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 12/21/2005 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.94 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.83 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.83 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.62 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.49 | N/A |  |
| **Class R6** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;39.16 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.77 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.29 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2/28/2023 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.94 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.83 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.83 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.62 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.49 | N/A |  |
| **Class W** before taxes<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;39.06 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.68 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.20 | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2/12/2008 |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.91 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.41 | N/A |  |
| S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;34.94 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.88 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.83 | N/A |  |
| MSCI EAFE® Small Cap Index<sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;31.83 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.62 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.49 | N/A |  |

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The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period. After-tax returns are shown for Class A shares only. After-tax returns for other classes will vary.

**Portfolio Management**

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>| Barbara Reinhard, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>|

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

---

| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Acadian Asset Management LLC |

---

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D. <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2015)<br>| Fanesca Young, Ph.D., CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2024)<br>|

---

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

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| |
|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Victory Capital Management Inc. |

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| John W. Evers, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2015)<br>| Daniel B. LeVan, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2015)<br>|

---

**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4480; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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**Minimum Initial Investment** $ by share class

------

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Class** | **A, C** | **I** | **R6** | **W** |
| Non-retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Retirement accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |
| Certain omnibus accounts | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250 |  |  |  |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 250000 |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1000 |

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There are no minimums for additional investments except that the pre-authorized investment plan requires a monthly investment of at least $100. For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; or (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund

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**KEY FUND INFORMATION**

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This Prospectus contains information about each Fund and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

Each Fund's Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works, and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from each Fund.

Neither this Prospectus, nor the related SAI, nor other communications to shareholders, such as proxy statements, is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between Voya Mutual Funds (the "Trust"), the Board of Trustees (the "Board"), or each Fund and any investor, or to give rise to any rights to any shareholder or other person other than any rights under U.S. federal or state law.

Other Voya mutual funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives, and principal investment strategies as those of a Fund. You should be aware that each Fund is likely to differ from these other Voya mutual funds in size and cash flow pattern, as well as other factors. Accordingly, the performance of each Fund can be expected to vary from the performance of other Voya mutual funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in a Fund. So long as a Fund accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder (the "1940 Act").

Each Fund is a series of the Trust, a Delaware statutory trust. Each Fund is managed by Voya Investments, LLC ("Voya Investments" or the "Investment Adviser").

Fund shares may be classified into different classes of shares. The classes of shares of a Fund would be substantially the same except for different expenses, certain related rights, and certain shareholder services. All share classes of a Fund have a common investment objective and investment portfolio.

**Conflicts of Interest - Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** 

The Investment Adviser allocates each Fund's assets to different sub-advisers, including an affiliated sub-adviser. In addition, the Investment Adviser may, from time to time, manage a portion of a Fund's assets to seek to manage the Fund's overall exposure to achieve the desired risk/return profile and to effect the Fund's investment strategies. The Investment Adviser is subject to conflicts of interest when it allocates assets to itself or to an affiliated sub-adviser because the Investment Adviser would earn higher net advisory fees (the advisory fee received less any sub-advisory fee paid and fee waivers and expense subsidies) since the entire advisory fee is retained by a Voya company.

The Investment Adviser has a fiduciary duty to each Fund and is legally obligated to act in each Fund's best interest when allocating a Fund's assets to a sub-adviser. The Investment Adviser has developed an investment process that it believes will ensure each Fund is managed in the best interests of the shareholders of each Fund.

**Fundamental Investment Policies** 

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. Other policies and investment strategies may be changed without a shareholder vote.

**Fund Diversification** 

Each Fund is diversified, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act . A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or other investment companies). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the percentage of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

**Investor Diversification** 

Although each Fund is designed to serve as a component of a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate a Fund in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives, and other investments.

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**KEY FUND INFORMATION *(continued)***

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**Temporary Defensive Positions** 

When the Investment Adviser or a sub-adviser (each, a "Sub-Adviser") anticipates adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions, a Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, a Fund may make investments believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, higher quality debt instruments, more liquid securities, or others. While a Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Fund's defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such defensive position may be utilized.

**Percentage and Rating Limitations** 

Unless otherwise indicated or as required by applicable law or regulation, the percentage and rating limitations on Fund investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment. If such a limitation is complied with at the time of an investment, any subsequent change in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets or a change in market capitalization of a company, or any subsequent change in rating, will generally not constitute a violation of that limitation.

**Investment Not Guaranteed** 

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other government agency.

**Shareholder Reports** 

Each Fund's fiscal year ends October 31. Shareholders are provided with annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that highlight key information to shareholders. Other information, including financial statements, is available on the Voya funds' website (https://individuals.voya.com/literature), delivered free of charge upon request, and filed with the SEC on a semi-annual basis on Form N-CSR. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from a fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by sending an e-mail request to Voyaim_literature@voya.com.

**Escheatment** 

Many states have unclaimed property rules that provide for transfer to the state (also known as "escheatment") of unclaimed property under various circumstances. These circumstances include inactivity (*e.g*., no owner-initiated contact for a certain period), returned mail (*e.g*., when mail sent to a shareholder is returned by the post office as undeliverable), or a combination of both inactivity and returned mail. Unclaimed or inactive accounts may be subject to escheatment laws, and the Funds, the transfer agent and the distributor will not be liable to shareholders or their representatives for good faith compliance with state unclaimed property laws.

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**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS**

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**Additional Information About the Investment Objective** 

Each Fund's investment objective, with the exception of Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund, is non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of the Board, without shareholder approval. A Fund will provide 60 days' prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

The investment objective for Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund is fundamental. Any change in the fundamental investment objective requires shareholder approval.

**Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies** 

For a complete description of each Fund's principal investment strategies, please see the Fund's summary prospectus or the Fund's summary section in this Prospectus.

**Voya Global Bond Fund**

**Additional Information About the Weighted Average Portfolio Quality Rating** 

To calculate the Fund's weighted average portfolio quality rating, the Sub-Adviser assigns a value to each security held by the Fund based on ratings obtained from two independent rating agencies. In the case of unrated securities, the Sub-Adviser assigns the lowest value to those securities. If independent rating agencies assign different ratings to the same security, the Sub-Adviser will use the lowest rating received from the independent rating agencies for purposes of determining the security's credit quality.

Reference to a weighted average quality portfolio rating for the Fund does not mean that all securities held by the Fund will be rated in that category or higher. The Fund's investments may range in quality from securities rated in the lowest category in which the Fund is permitted to invest to securities rated in the highest category. The percentage of the Fund's assets invested in securities in a particular rating category will vary.

**Additional Information About 80% Investment Policies Related to Fund Names** 

Each Fund listed in the table below has adopted a policy to invest in accordance with the investment focus that the Fund's name suggests (the "80% Investment Policy"). A Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days' prior notice of any change in its 80% Investment Policy.

For purposes of satisfying its 80% Investment Policy, each Fund listed below may also invest in derivatives and other synthetic instruments and other investment companies, including ETFs, as applicable, that provide investment exposure to, or exposure to risk factors associated with, the investment focus that the Fund's name suggests.

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **80% Investment Policy** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Additional Information About the 80%** <br> **Investment Policy**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Under normal circumstances, the Fund <br> invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus <br> the amount of any borrowings for <br> investment purposes) in bonds of issuers <br> in a number of different countries, which <br> may include the United States.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For purposes of this 80% policy, bonds <br> include, without limitation, bonds, debt <br> instruments, and other fixed income and <br> income-producing debt instruments, of <br> any kind, issued or guaranteed by <br> governmental or private-sector entities. <br>|

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**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **80% Investment Policy** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Additional Information About the 80%** <br> **Investment Policy**<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets <br> Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Under normal circumstances, the Fund <br> invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus <br> the amount of any borrowings for <br> investment purposes) in equity securities <br> of issuers in emerging markets.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For purposes of this 80% policy, emerging <br> markets means most countries in the <br> world except Australia, Canada, Japan, <br> New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the <br> United Kingdom, the United States, and <br> most of the countries of Western Europe. <br> For purposes of this 80% policy, equity <br> securities include, without limitation, <br> common stock, preferred stock, <br> convertible securities, depositary receipts, <br> participatory notes and other structured <br> notes, real estate-related securities <br> (including REITs), trust or partnership <br> interests, rights and warrants to buy <br> common stock, privately placed securities, <br> and IPOs.<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Under normal circumstances, the Fund <br> invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus <br> the amount of any borrowings for <br> investment purposes) in equity securities.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For purposes of this 80% policy, equity <br> securities include, without limitation, <br> common stock, preferred stock, <br> convertible securities, depositary receipts, <br> participatory notes and other structured <br> notes, real estate-related securities <br> (including REITs), trust or partnership <br> interests, rights and warrants to buy <br> common stock, privately placed securities, <br> and IPOs.<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small <br> Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Under normal circumstances, the Fund <br> invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus <br> the amount of any borrowings for <br> investment purposes) in investments tied <br> to small-capitalization companies.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For purposes of this 80% policy, <br> small-capitalization companies means <br> companies with market capitalizations <br> that fall within the capitalization range of <br> companies within the S&P Developed <br> ex-U.S. Small Cap Index.<br>|

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**Additional Information About the Principal Risks** 

All mutual funds involve risk—some more than others—and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. Each Fund's risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the principal risks associated with certain types of the investments in which a Fund may invest and certain of the investment practices that a Fund may use. The discussion below expands on the risks included in each Fund's summary section of the Prospectus. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary, which means that the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as the case may be, can decide whether to use them. A Fund may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of its principal investment strategies. However, the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of a Fund's principal investment strategies.

For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by each Fund, see the SAI.

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**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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**Bank Instruments:** Bank instruments include certificates of deposit, fixed time deposits, bankers' acceptances, and other debt and deposit-type obligations issued by banks. Changes in economic, regulatory, or political conditions, or other events that affect the banking industry may have an adverse effect on bank instruments or banking institutions that serve as counterparties in transactions with a Fund. In the event of a bank insolvency or failure, a Fund may be considered a general creditor of the bank, and it might lose some or all of the funds deposited with the bank. Even where it is recognized that a bank might be in danger of insolvency or failure, a Fund might not be able to withdraw or transfer its money from the bank in time to avoid any adverse effects of the insolvency or failure. Volatility in the banking system may impact the viability of banking and financial services institutions. In the event of failure of any of the financial institutions where a Fund maintains its cash and cash equivalents, there can be no assurance that the Fund would be able to access uninsured funds in a timely manner or at all and the Fund may incur losses. Any such event could adversely affect the business, liquidity, financial position and performance of the Fund.

**Borrowing:** Borrowing creates leverage, which may increase expenses and increase the impact of a Fund's other risks. Borrowing may exaggerate any increase or decrease in a Fund's net asset value causing a Fund to be more volatile than a fund that does not borrow. Borrowing for investment purposes is considered to be speculative and may result in losses to a Fund.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of a Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Investing through Bond Connect:** Chinese debt instruments trade on the China Interbank Bond Market (the "CIBM") and may be purchased through a market access program, known as "Bond Connect," that is designed to, among other things, enable foreign (non-U.S.) investment in the People's Republic of China. There are significant risks inherent in investing in Chinese debt instruments, similar to the risks of investing in debt instruments in other emerging markets. The prices of debt instruments traded on the CIBM may fluctuate significantly due to low trading volume and potential lack of liquidity. The rules to access debt instruments that trade on the CIBM through Bond Connect are relatively new and subject to change, which may adversely affect a Fund's ability to invest in these instruments and to enforce its rights as a beneficial owner of these instruments. Trading through Bond Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect a Fund's investments and returns.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, a Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Variable Interest Entities:** Many Chinese companies use a structure known as a variable interest entity (a "VIE") to address Chinese restrictions on direct foreign investment in Chinese companies operating in certain sectors. A Fund's investment exposure to VIEs may pose additional risks because the Fund's investment is not made directly in the VIE (the actual Chinese operating company), but rather in a holding company domiciled outside of China (a "Holding Company") whose interests in the business of the underlying Chinese operating company (the VIE) are established through contracts rather than through equity ownership. The VIE (which a Fund is restricted from owning under Chinese law) is generally owned by Chinese nationals, and the Holding Company (in which

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**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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a Fund invests) holds only contractual rights (rather than equity ownership) relating to the VIE, typically including a contractual claim on the VIE's profits. Shares of the Holding Company, in turn, are traded on exchanges outside of China and are available to non-Chinese investors such as a Fund. While the VIE structure is a longstanding practice in China, until recently, such arrangements had not been formally recognized under Chinese law. However, in late 2021, the Chinese government signaled its interest in implementing filing requirement rules that would both affirm the legality of VIE structures and regulate them. How these filing requirements will operate in practice, and what will be required for approval, remains unclear. While there is optimism that these actions will reduce uncertainty over Chinese actions on VIEs, there is also caution given how unresolved the process is. Until these rules are finalized, and potentially afterwards depending on how they are implemented, there remains significant uncertainty associated with VIE investments.

There is a risk that the Chinese government may cease to tolerate VIE structures at any time or impose new restrictions on the structure, in each case either generally or with respect to specific issuers. In such a scenario, the Chinese operating company could be subject to penalties, including revocation of its business and operating license, or the Holding Company could forfeit its interest in the business of the Chinese operating company. Further, in case of a dispute between the Holding Company investors and the Chinese owners of the VIE, the Holding Company's contractual claims with respect to the VIE may be unenforceable in China, thus limiting the remedies and rights of Holding Company investors such as a Fund. Control over a VIE may also be jeopardized if a natural person who holds the equity interest in the VIE breaches the terms of the contractual arrangements, is subject to legal proceedings, or if any physical instruments or property of the VIE, such as seals, business registration certificates, financial data and licensing arrangements (sometimes referred to as "chops"), are used without authorization. In the event of such an occurrence, a Fund, as a foreign investor, may have little or no legal recourse. Such legal uncertainty may be exploited against the interests of the Holding Company investors such as a Fund.

A Fund will typically have little or no ability to influence the VIE through proxy voting or other means because it is not a VIE owner/shareholder. Foreign (non-U.S.) companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, including companies using the VIE structure, could also face delisting or other ramifications for failure to meet the expectations and/or requirements of the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or other U.S. regulators. Any of these risks could reduce the liquidity and value of a Fund's investments in Holding Companies or render them valueless.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk. The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying stock because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying stock. Convertible securities may be rated below investment grade and therefore may be subject to greater levels of credit risk and liquidity risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, a Fund could lose money; such events may also have the effect of reducing a Fund's distributable income. There is a risk that a Fund may convert a convertible security at an inopportune time, which may decrease the Fund's returns.

**Credit:** A Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations. Asset-backed (including mortgage-backed) securities that are not issued by U.S. government agencies may have a greater risk of default because they are not guaranteed by either the U.S. government or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government. The credit quality of typical asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the underlying assets and the structural support (if any) provided to the securities.

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**Credit Default Swaps:** A Fund may enter into credit default swaps, either as a buyer or a seller of the swap. A buyer of a credit default swap is generally obligated to pay the seller an upfront or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract until a credit event, such as a default, on a reference obligation has occurred. If a credit event occurs, the seller generally must pay the buyer the "par value" (full notional value) of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity described in the swap, or the seller may be required to deliver the related net cash amount if the swap is cash settled. As a seller of a credit default swap, a Fund would effectively add leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to its total net assets, the Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the full notional value of the swap. Credit default swaps are particularly subject to counterparty, credit, valuation, liquidity and leveraging risks, and the risk that the swap may not correlate with its reference obligation as expected. Certain standardized credit default swaps are subject to mandatory central clearing. Central clearing is expected to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity; however, there is no assurance that it will achieve that result, and in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements expose a Fund to different kinds of costs and risks. In addition, credit default swaps expose a Fund to the risk of improper valuation.

**Currency:** To the extent that a Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in market interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the U.S. or abroad.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by a Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on a Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so a Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forward foreign currency exchange contracts, and futures. Certain derivatives in which a Fund may invest may be negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty's ability or willingness to perform its obligations; any deterioration in the counterparty's creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying instruments may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause a Fund to hold a position it might otherwise sell, or to sell a position it otherwise might hold at an inopportune time or price. A manager might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market's movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains. The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The European Union (and other jurisdictions outside of the European Union, including the United Kingdom) has implemented or is in the process of implementing similar requirements, which may affect a Fund when it enters into a derivatives transaction with a counterparty organized in that jurisdiction or otherwise subject to that jurisdiction's derivatives regulations. Because these requirements continue to evolve, their ultimate impact remains unclear. Central clearing is expected to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity; however, there is no assurance that it will achieve that result, and, in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements expose a Fund to different kinds of costs and risks.

**Dividend:** Companies that issue dividend yielding equity securities are not required to continue to pay dividends on such securities. Therefore, there is a possibility that such companies could reduce or eliminate the payment of dividends in the future. As a result, a Fund's ability to execute its investment strategy may be limited.

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**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for a Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of a Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that a Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Fixed Income):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for a Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of obligations of an issuer may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of a Fund's assets that will be invested in obligations of issuers that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in obligations of issuers that compare favorably to obligations of other issuers on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that a Fund will have less exposure to obligations of certain issuers due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for a Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of a Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that a Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Quantitative):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for a Fund depends on the operation of quantitative methods and models whose design reflects qualitative and subjective judgments of the Sub-Adviser, including reliance on, or incorporation of, data in respect of ESG factors that may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of a Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may not invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that a Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Floating Rate Loans:** In the event a borrower fails to pay scheduled interest or principal payments on a floating rate loan (which can include certain bank loans), a Fund will experience a reduction in its income and a decline in the market value of such floating rate loan. If a floating rate loan is held by a Fund through another financial institution, or the Fund relies upon another financial institution to administer the loan, the receipt of scheduled interest or principal payments may be subject to the credit risk of such financial institution. Investors in floating rate loans may not be afforded the protections of the anti-fraud provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, because loans may not be considered "securities" under such laws. Additionally, the value of collateral, if any, securing a floating rate loan can decline or may be insufficient to meet the borrower's obligations under the loan, and such collateral may be difficult to liquidate. No active trading market may exist for many floating rate loans and many floating rate loans are subject to restrictions on resale. Transactions in loans typically settle on a delayed basis and may take longer than 7 days to settle. As a result, a Fund may not receive the proceeds

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from a sale of a floating rate loan for a significant period of time. Delay in the receipts of settlement proceeds may impair the ability of a Fund to meet its redemption obligations, and may limit the ability of the Fund to repay debt, pay dividends, or to take advantage of new investment opportunities.

**Focused Investing (Index Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a "passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the "Index Sleeve"). To the extent that a Index Sleeve's benchmark or other index is substantially composed of securities in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area, the Index Sleeve may allocate its investments to approximately the same extent as the index as part of its investment strategy. As a result, a Index Sleeve may be more sensitive to financial, economic, business, political, regulatory, and other developments and conditions, including natural or other disasters, affecting issuers in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area in which the Index Sleeve focuses its investments, and if securities of such industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area fall out of favor, the Index Sleeve could underperform, or be more volatile than, a fund that has greater diversification.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Technology Sector:** Investments in companies involved in the technology sector are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing of products or services, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments, evolving industry standards, changing customer demands, and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. The failure of a company to adapt to such changes could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, results of operations, and financial condition. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment, or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the values of their securities. Many companies involved in the technology sector have limited operating histories, and prices of these companies' securities historically have been more volatile than those of many other companies' securities, especially over the short term.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** To the extent a Fund invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the U.S., its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social, and economic conditions and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; wars; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, replacement of currency, potential for default on sovereign debt, trade or diplomatic disputes, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations, creation of monopolies, and seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses.

Economic or other sanctions imposed on a foreign (non-U.S.) country or issuer by the U.S. or on the U.S. by a foreign (non-U.S.) country, could impair a Fund's ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain securities. In addition, foreign withholding or other taxes could reduce the income available for distribution to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign (non-U.S.) investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign (non-U.S.) investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign (non-U.S.) security. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

The United Kingdom (the "UK") left the European Union (the "EU") on January 31, 2020 (commonly known as "Brexit"). The UK and the EU entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement that sets out the agreement for certain parts of the future relationship from January 1, 2021, but uncertainty remains in certain areas regarding the future UK-EU relationship.

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From January 1, 2021, EU laws ceased to apply in the UK, with many being assimilated into UK law. The UK government has enacted legislation to repeal, replace or make substantial amendments to these laws, with a view to them being replaced by purely domestic legislation. The process of revoking EU laws and replacing them with bespoke UK laws has already begun, creating unpredictable consequences for financial markets and investments. Brexit could significantly impact the UK, European, and global macroeconomic conditions, leading to prolonged political, legal, regulatory, tax, and economic uncertainty. This uncertainty may affect opportunities, pricing, availability, and cost of financing, regulation, values, or exit opportunities of companies or assets based in, doing business with, or having significant relationships in the UK or EU.

Additionally, certain European countries have developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect European issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. Moreover, the national politics of countries in Europe have been unpredictable and subject to influence by disruptive political groups and ideologies, including for example, secessionist movements. The governments of European countries may be subject to change and such countries may experience social and political unrest.

Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on international aid, agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures and legal systems, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, volatile currency exchange rates, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, business practices that depart from norms for developed countries, and generally less developed or liquid markets. In certain emerging market countries, governments participate to a significant degree, through ownership or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant adverse effect on market prices of securities and payments of dividends. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign (non-U.S.) countries. Investors in foreign (non-U.S.) countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign (non-U.S.) issuers or persons is limited. Settlement and asset custody practices for transactions in emerging markets may differ from those in developed markets. Such differences may include possible delays in settlement and certain settlement practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increases the likelihood of a "failed settlement." Failed settlements can result in losses.

In addition, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the "HFCAA") could cause securities of a foreign (non-U.S.) company, including American Depositary Receipts, to be delisted from U.S. stock exchanges if the company does not allow the U.S. government to oversee the auditing of its financial information. Although the requirements of the HFCAA apply to securities of all foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, the SEC has thus far limited its enforcement efforts to securities of Chinese companies. If securities are delisted, a Fund's ability to transact in such securities will be impaired, and the liquidity and market price of the securities may decline. A Fund may also need to seek other markets in which to transact in such securities, which could increase the Fund's costs.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period. Growth-oriented stocks typically sell at relatively high valuations as compared to other types of securities. Securities of growth companies may be more volatile than other stocks because they usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value-oriented stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. The market may not favor growth-oriented stocks or may not favor equities at all. In addition, earnings disappointments may lead to sharply falling prices because investors buy growth-oriented stocks in anticipation of superior earnings growth. Historically, growth-oriented stocks have been more volatile than value-oriented stocks.

**High-Yield Securities:** Lower-quality securities including securities that are or have fallen below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") have greater credit risk and liquidity risk than higher-quality (investment grade) securities, and their issuers' long-term ability to make payments is considered speculative. Prices of lower-quality bonds or other debt instruments are also more volatile, are more sensitive to negative news about the economy or the issuer, and have greater liquidity risk and price volatility.

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**Index Strategy (Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a "passive management " approach designed to track the performance of an index (the " Index Sleeve ") . The index selected may underperform the overall market. The Index Sleeve will not use defensive positions or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities in the index. The Index Sleeve may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Index Sleeve. The correlation between the Index Sleeve's performance and index performance may be affected by the Fund's expenses and the timing of purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares. In addition, the Index Sleeve's actual holdings might not match the index and the Index Sleeve's effective exposure to index securities at any given time may not precisely correlate.

**Initial Public Offerings:** Investments in IPOs and companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for a Fund. However, there is no assurance that a Fund will have access to profitable IPOs or that the IPOs in which the Fund invests will rise in value. Furthermore, the value of securities of newly public companies may decline in value shortly after the IPO. When a Fund's asset base is small, the impact of such investments on the Fund's return will be magnified. If a Fund's assets grow, it is likely that the effect of the Fund's investment in IPOs on the Fund's return will decline.

**Interest in Loans:** The value and the income streams of interests in loans (including participation interests in lease financings and assignments in secured variable or floating rate loans) will decline if borrowers delay payments or fail to pay altogether. A significant rise in market interest rates could increase this risk. Although loans may be fully collateralized when purchased, such collateral may become illiquid or decline in value.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that a Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact a Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for a Fund. Proprietary investment models used by a Sub-Adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the Sub-Adviser's understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in the construction of the proprietary investment models. Volatility management techniques may not always be successful in reducing volatility, may not protect against market declines, and may limit a Fund's participation in market gains, negatively impacting performance even during periods when the market is rising. During sudden or significant market rallies, such underperformance may be significant. Moreover, volatility management strategies may increase portfolio transaction costs, which may

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increase losses or reduce gains. A Fund's volatility may not be lower than that of the Fund's Index during all market cycles due to market factors. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.*, stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues, coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, a Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing a Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by a Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly. The liquidity of certain assets, particularly of privately-issued and non-investment grade mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations, may be difficult to ascertain and may change over time.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of a Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** A Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of a Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks

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and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of a Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to a Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of a Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Mortgage- and/or Asset-Backed Securities:** Defaults on, or low credit quality or liquidity of, the underlying assets of the asset-backed (including mortgage-backed) securities may impair the value of these securities and result in losses. There may be limitations on the enforceability of any security interest or collateral granted with respect to those underlying assets, and the value of collateral may not satisfy the obligation upon default. These securities also present a higher degree of prepayment and extension risk and interest rate risk than do other types of debt instruments. Small movements in interest rates (both increases and decreases) may quickly and significantly reduce the value of certain asset-backed securities. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in market interest rates than shorter-term securities.

These securities may be affected significantly by government regulation, market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of an issuer servicer, and loan-to-value ratio of the underlying assets. During an economic downturn, the mortgages, commercial or consumer loans, trade or credit card receivables, installment purchase obligations, leases, or other debt obligations underlying an asset-backed security may experience an increase in defaults as borrowers experience difficulties in repaying their loans which may cause the valuation of such securities to be more volatile and may reduce the value of such securities. These risks are particularly heightened for investments in asset-backed securities that contain sub-prime loans, which are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories and often have higher default rates. In addition, certain types of real estate may be adversely affected by changing usage trends, such as office buildings as a result of work-from-home practices and commercial facilities as a result of an increase in online shopping, which could in turn result in defaults and declines in value of mortgage-backed securities secured by such properties.

**Municipal Obligations:** The municipal securities market is volatile and can be affected significantly by adverse tax, legislative, or political changes and the financial condition of the issuers of municipal securities. Among other risks, investments in municipal securities are subject to the risk that an issuer may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its debt. Municipal revenue obligations may be backed by the revenues generated from a specific project or facility and include industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Private activity and industrial development bonds are dependent on the ability of the facility's user to meet its financial obligations and the value of any real or personal property pledged as security for such payment. Many municipal securities are issued to finance projects relating to education, health care, transportation, and utilities. Conditions in those sectors may affect the overall municipal securities market. In addition, municipal securities backed by current or anticipated revenues from a specific project or specific asset may be adversely affected by the discontinuance of the taxation supporting the project or asset or the inability to collect revenues from the project or asset. If an issuer of a municipal security does not comply with applicable tax requirements for tax-exempt status, interest from the security may become taxable, and the security could decline in value.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and

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custodial fees) in addition to a Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of a Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which a Fund is typically subject.

ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an index. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include that: (i) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; or (ii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges' officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from an exchange, or the activation of market-wide "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading of an ETF's shares. Other investment companies include Holding Company Depositary Receipts ("HOLDRs"). Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stocks of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Portfolio Turnover:** A high portfolio turnover rate may increase transaction costs, which may lower a Fund's performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gains distributions.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stocks represent an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other securities such as common stocks, dividends, and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company's common stock, and thus also represent an ownership interest in that company.

Preferred stock may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company's preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company's financial condition or prospects.

Preferred stock of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger companies.

Preferred stock includes certain hybrid securities and other types of preferred stock with different features from those of traditional preferred stock described above. Preferred stocks that are hybrid securities possess various features of both debt and traditional preferred stock and as such, they may constitute senior debt, junior debt, or preferred shares in an issuer's capital structure. Therefore, unlike traditional preferred stock, hybrid securities may not be subordinate to a company's debt instruments.

Preferred stock may include features permitting or requiring the issuer to defer or omit distributions. Among other things, such deferral or omission may result in adverse tax consequences for a Fund. Preferred stock generally does not have voting rights with respect to the issuer unless dividends have been in arrears for certain specified periods of time. Preferred stock may be less liquid than other securities. As a result, preferred stock is subject to the risk that they may be unable to be sold at the time desired by a Fund or at prices approximating the values at which the Fund is carrying the stock on its books. In addition, over longer periods of time, certain types of preferred stock may become more scarce or less liquid as a result of legislative changes. Such events may negatively affect the prices of stock held by a Fund, which may result in losses to the Fund. In addition, an issuer of preferred stock may redeem the stock prior to a specified date, which may occur due to changes in tax or securities laws or corporate actions. A redemption by the issuer may negatively impact the return of the preferred stock.

**Prepayment and Extension:** Many types of debt instruments are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal earlier than expected. This risk is heightened in a falling market interest rate environment. Prepayment may expose a Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a debt instrument subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal later than expected. This risk is heightened in a rising market interest rate environment. This

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may negatively affect performance, as the value of the debt instrument decreases when principal payments are made later than expected. Additionally, a Fund may be prevented from investing proceeds it would have received at a given time at the higher prevailing interest rates.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject a Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. Some REITs may invest in a limited number of properties, in a narrow geographic area or in a single property type, which increases the risk that a Fund could be unfavorably affected by the poor performance of a single investment or investment type. These companies are also sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values and property taxes, market interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, supply and demand, and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Borrowers could default on or sell investments the REIT holds, which could reduce the cash flow needed to make distributions to investors. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. A Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Restricted Securities:** Securities that are legally restricted as to resale (such as those issued in private placements), including securities governed by Rule 144A and Regulation S, and securities that are offered in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, are referred to as "restricted securities." Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. Due to the absence of a public trading market, restricted securities may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to value than publicly-traded securities. The price realized from the sale of these securities could be less than the amount originally paid or less than their fair value if they are resold in privately negotiated transactions. In addition, these securities may not be subject to disclosure and other investment protection requirements that are afforded to publicly-traded securities. Certain restricted securities represent investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risk.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, a Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that a Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that a Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing a Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of a Fund's other risks.

A Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity. In the event of a borrower default, a Fund will be protected to the extent the Fund is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. A Fund is protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the Fund from losses resulting from borrower default.

**Small-Capitalization Company:** Investments in small-capitalization companies may involve greater risk than is customarily associated with larger, more established companies due to the greater business risks of a limited operating history, small size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines, less management depth and more reliance on key personnel. The securities of small-capitalization companies are subject to liquidity risk as they are often traded over-the-counter and may not be traded in volumes typically seen on national securities exchanges.

**Sovereign Debt:** Sovereign debt is issued or guaranteed by foreign (non-U.S.) government entities. Investments in sovereign debt are subject to the risk that a government entity may delay payment, restructure its debt, or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt due to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, social changes, the relative size of its debt position to its economy, or its failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a government entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting amounts owed on sovereign debt, such as bankruptcy proceedings, that a government does not pay.

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**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities a Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, a Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

**Further Information About Principal Risks** 

The following provides additional information about certain aspects of the principal risks described above.

**Counterparty:** The entity with which a Fund conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the Fund owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, a Fund may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. A Fund may obtain no or limited recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganizational proceedings, and any recovery may be significantly delayed. Transactions that a Fund enters into may involve counterparties in the financials sector and, as a result, events affecting the financials sector may cause a Fund's NAV to fluctuate. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions or when a Fund conducts business with a limited number of counterparties.

**Duration:** One measure of risk for debt instruments is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond's price to market interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selecting debt instruments. Duration measures the average life of a bond on a present value basis by incorporating into one measure a bond's yield, coupons, final maturity and call features. As a point of reference, the duration of a non-callable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a non-callable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in market interest rates may impact the duration calculation. For example, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if market interest rates rose by 1%. Conversely, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to rise approximately 5% if market interest rates dropped by 1%.

**Inflation:** Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from a Fund's investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of payments at future dates. As inflation increases, the value of a Fund could decline. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors and a Fund's investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to the Fund's investors or adversely affect the value of shareholders' investments in the Fund.

**Investment by Other Funds:** Certain funds-of-funds, including some Voya funds, may invest in a Fund. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from a Fund, a Fund could be required to sell securities or invest cash at times, or in ways, that could, among other things, negatively impact its performance, speed the realization of capital gains, increase its portfolio turnover, affect the liquidity of its portfolio, or increase transaction costs. The manager will monitor transactions by such funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects these transactions may have on a Fund. If shares of a Fund are purchased by another fund in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act or Rule 12d1-4 thereunder and the Fund purchases shares of other investment companies in reliance on Rule 12d1-4, the Fund will not be able to make new investments in other funds, including private funds, if, as a result of such investment, more than 10% of the Fund's assets would be invested in other funds or private funds, subject to certain exceptions.

**Leverage:** Certain transactions and investment strategies may give rise to leverage. Such transactions and investment strategies include, but are not limited to: borrowing, dollar rolls, reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, short sales, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions. The use of certain derivatives may also increase leveraging risk and, in some cases, adverse changes in the value or level of a derivative's underlying asset, rate, or index may result in potentially unlimited losses. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing a Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of a Fund's other risks. The use of

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leverage may cause a Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet regulatory requirements resulting in increased volatility of returns. There can be no guarantee that a leveraging strategy will be successful.

**Manager:** A Fund is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Investment Adviser, a Sub-Adviser, or each individual portfolio manager will make judgments and apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. A Fund's portfolio may fail to produce the intended results, and a Fund's portfolio may underperform other comparable funds because of portfolio management decisions related to, among other things, the selection of investments, portfolio construction, risk assessments, and/or the outlook on market trends and opportunities. Many managers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as "value" or "growth." However, these terms can have different applications by different managers. One manager's value approach may be different from that of another, and one manager's growth approach may be different from that of another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or "deeper discount" to a company's net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

**Operational:** A Fund, its service providers, and other market participants increasingly depend on complex information technology and communications systems to conduct business functions. These systems are subject to a number of different threats, including operational and information security risks that could adversely affect a Fund and its shareholders, despite the efforts of a Fund and its service providers to adopt technologies, processes, and practices intended to mitigate these risks. The use of artificial intelligence ("AI") and machine learning could exacerbate operational and information security risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect a Fund's service providers, counterparties, market participants, or issuers of securities held by a Fund may adversely affect a Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses or impairing the Fund's operations. Information relating to a Fund's investments is delivered electronically, which can give rise to a number of risks, including, but not limited to, the risks that such communications may not be secure and may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with, without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient.

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**PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION**

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A description of each Fund's policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the SAI. Portfolio holdings information can be reviewed online at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS**

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**Investment Adviser**

Voya Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya Investments serves as the investment adviser to, and has overall responsibility for the management of, each Fund. Voya Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services and assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of each Fund, including, but not limited to, the following: custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services.

Voya Investments began business as an investment adviser in 1994 and currently serves as investment adviser to certain registered investment companies, consisting of open- and closed-end registered investment companies and collateralized loan obligations. Voya Investments is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. Voya Financial, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial institution whose subsidiaries operate in the retirement, investment, and insurance industries.

Voya Investments' principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

**Management Fee** 

The Investment Adviser receives an annual fee for its services to each Fund. The fee is payable in monthly installments based on the average daily net assets of each Fund.

The Investment Adviser is responsible for all of its own costs, including costs of the personnel required to carry out its duties.

The following table shows the aggregate annual management fee paid by each Fund for the most recent fiscal year as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets.

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Management Fees** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.50% |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.50% |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.85% |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% |

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A discussion regarding the basis of the Board's approval of the Funds' investment advisory and investment sub-advisory contracts is available in the Funds' Form N-CSRS for the period which will cover the six-month period ended April 30, 2026.

**Sub-Advisers**

The Investment Adviser has engaged one or more sub-advisers to provide the day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio. One of these sub-advisers is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser.

The Investment Adviser acts as a "manager-of-managers" for each Fund. The Investment Adviser has ultimate responsibility, subject to the oversight of each Fund's Board, to oversee any sub-advisers and to recommend the hiring, termination, or replacement of sub-advisers. Each Fund and the Investment Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC which permits the Investment Adviser, with the approval of the Board but without obtaining shareholder approval, to enter into or materially amend a sub-advisory agreement with sub-advisers that are not affiliated with the Investment Adviser ("non-affiliated sub-advisers") as well as sub-advisers that are indirect or direct, wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Investment Adviser or of another company that indirectly or directly wholly owns the Investment Adviser ("wholly-owned sub-advisers").

Consistent with the "manager-of-managers" structure, the Investment Adviser delegates to the Sub-Adviser(s) of each Fund the responsibility for day-to-day investment management, subject to the Investment Adviser's oversight. The Investment Adviser is responsible for, among other things, monitoring the investment program and performance of the Sub-Adviser(s). Pursuant to the exemptive relief, the Investment Adviser, with the approval of the Board, has the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser (including terminating a non-affiliated sub-adviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned sub-adviser), and to allocate and reallocate a Fund's assets among other sub-advisers.

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The Investment Adviser's selection of sub-advisers presents conflicts of interest. The Investment Adviser will have an economic incentive to select sub-advisers that charge the lowest sub-advisory fees, to select sub-advisers affiliated with it, or to manage a portion of a Fund itself. The Investment Adviser may retain an affiliated sub-adviser (or delay terminating an affiliated sub-adviser) in order to help that sub-adviser achieve or maintain scale in an investment strategy or increase its assets under management. The Investment Adviser may select or retain an affiliated sub-adviser even in cases where another potential sub-adviser or an existing sub-adviser might charge a lower fee or have more favorable historical investment performance.

In the event that the Investment Adviser exercises its discretion to replace a sub-adviser or appoint a new sub-adviser, a Fund will provide shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser and the new sub-advisory agreement within 90 days. The replacement of an existing sub-adviser or appointment of a new sub-adviser may be accompanied by a change to a Fund's name and/or investment strategies.

A sub-advisory agreement can be terminated by the Investment Adviser, a Fund's Board, or a Sub-Adviser, provided that the conditions of such termination, as set forth in the agreement, are met. In addition, a sub-advisory agreement may be terminated by a Fund's shareholders. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the Sub-Adviser(s) may be replaced, subject to any regulatory requirements, or the Investment Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of a Fund.

The "manager-of-managers" structure and reliance on the exemptive relief has been approved by each Fund's shareholders.

**Voya Global Bond Fund and Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund**

**Voya Investment Management Co. LLC** 

Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM" or the "Sub-Adviser"), a Delaware limited liability company, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya IM has acted as an investment adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. Voya IM is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. Voya IM's principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.

**Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund**

**The Multi-Manager Approach** 

Voya Investments allocates each respective Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. Voya Investments may, from time to time, directly manage a portion of a Fund's assets to seek to manage the Fund's overall risk exposure, to achieve the Fund's desired risk/return profile, and to effect the Fund's investment strategies.

Nomura Investments Fund Advisers, Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP, and Voya IM are the sub-advisers of Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund. Acadian Asset Management LLC, Lazard Asset Management LLC, Voya Investment Management Co. LLC and Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited (together, "Voya IM"), and Wellington Management Company LLP are the sub-advisers of Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund. Acadian Asset Management LLC and Victory Capital Management Inc. are the sub-advisers of Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund. Each sub-adviser makes investment decisions for the assets it has been allocated to manage. The Investment Adviser may change the allocation of a Fund's assets between the sub-advisers as it determines necessary to pursue each Fund's investment objective.

For each Fund, the Investment Adviser will determine what it believes to be the optimal allocation of the assets under management among the Fund's sub-advisers. Subsequent inflows and outflows will be allocated between a Fund's sub-advisers to maintain the Investment Adviser's determined allocation.

**Acadian Asset Management LLC** 

Acadian Asset Management LLC ("Acadian" or the "Sub-Adviser") is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and is a subsidiary of Acadian Affiliate Holdings LLC, which is an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of Acadian Asset Management Inc., a publicly traded Delaware corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Acadian, along with its wholly-owned Australia, Singapore, and UK affiliates, specializes in the active investment management of global and international equity strategies. Acadian's principal business address is 260 Franklin Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110.

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**Lazard Asset Management LLC** 

Lazard Asset Management LLC ("Lazard" or "Sub-Adviser") is a Delaware limited liability company. It is an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of Lazard Inc., a Delaware corporation with shares that are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "LAZ." Lazard's principal address is 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York 10112.

**Nomura Investments Fund Advisers** 

Nomura Investments Fund Advisers ("NIFA") is a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust ("NIMBT"), a Delaware statutory trust, which is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group, providing integrated public and private market asset management services across equities, fixed income, private credit and multi-asset solutions to intermediary and institutional clients. Nomura Asset Management primarily operated through several distinct investment managers, which include NIMBT and its NIFA series. NIFA's principal business address is 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106.

**Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP** 

Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP ("SGA" or the "Sub-Adviser") is a Delaware limited partnership. SGA is a registered investment adviser and provides investment advice to institutional and individual clients, private investment companies, and mutual funds. SGA's principal business address is 301 Tresser Boulevard, Suite 1310, Stamford, Connecticut 06901.

**Victory Capital Management Inc.** 

Victory Capital Management Inc. ("Victory Capital" or the "Sub-Adviser"), a New York corporation, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Victory Capital's principal business address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256. Victory Capital manages its portion of Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund through its investment franchise, Trivalent Investments.

**Voya Investment Management Co. LLC** 

Voya IM, a Delaware limited liability company, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya IM has acted as an investment adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. Voya IM is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. Voya IM's principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.

For Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, Voya IM has entered into a sub-sub-advisory agreement whereby Voya IM may delegate certain of its investment advisory services to Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited ("Voya UK" or, together with Voya IM, the "Sub-Adviser") as sub-sub-adviser to the Fund. Voya UK is an affiliate of Voya IM and a subsidiary of Voya Holdings, Inc., which is an indirect parent of Voya IM. Voya UK's principal business address is in the United Kingdom.

**Wellington Management Company LLP** 

Wellington Management Company LLP ("Wellington Management" or the "Sub-Adviser") is a Delaware limited liability partnership. Wellington Management is a professional investment counseling firm which provides services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 90 years. Wellington Management is owned by the partners of Wellington Management Group LLP, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership. Wellington Management's principal business address is 280 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

**Portfolio Management**

The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the noted Funds.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| Sean Banai, CFA | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund | Mr. Banai, Portfolio Manager and head of portfolio <br> management for the fixed-income platform, joined <br> Voya IM in 1999. Previously, he was a senior <br> portfolio manager and head of quantitative research <br> for proprietary fixed-income. Prior to that, Mr. Banai <br> was a partner in a private sector company.<br>|
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA | Voya <br> Investments <br> (Investment <br> Adviser)<br>| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Mr. Blair, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in 2015 <br> and is Head of Manager Research and Selection for <br> Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions ("MASS"). He <br> is responsible for manager research and selection <br> activities across all asset classes for the MASS <br> group's multi-manager products. Prior to joining Voya <br> IM, Mr. Blair was an analyst at Wells Fargo, focusing <br> on research and due diligence of equity, real estate, <br> and multi-asset managers. Prior to that, he was an <br> analyst with Fidelity Investments, covering equity <br> and real estate managers. Mr. Blair began his career <br> as a consultant with FactSet Research Systems <br> where he worked closely with equity, fixed income, <br> and real estate research teams.<br>|
| Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D. | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Dr. Bradley, Executive Vice President and Chief <br> Investment Officer, joined Acadian in 2004. He has <br> served as the firm's Director of Portfolio <br> Management, overseeing portfolio management <br> policy, and was previously the Director of Acadian's <br> Managed Volatility strategies. Dr. Bradley is a <br> member of several oversight committees at Acadian, <br> including the Board of Managers, Executive <br> Management Team, Executive Committee, and <br> Responsible Investing Committee.<br>|
| Mark Buccigross | Voya IM | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Buccigross, Portfolio Manager, is on the <br> quantitative equity team at Voya IM. Prior to joining <br> Voya IM, he worked as an equity trader at State <br> Street Global Advisors, where he was responsible for <br> supporting U.S., Canada, and emerging market <br> portfolio managers across fundamental active, <br> active quantitative, and passive strategies. Prior to <br> that, Mr. Buccigross held a similar position at GE <br> Asset Management.<br>|
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA | NIFA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Chen, Managing Director and Chief Investment <br> Officer-Emerging Markets and Healthcare, heads <br> Nomura's global emerging markets team. Prior to <br> joining a predecessor entity of Nomura's in 2006, <br> he spent nearly 11 years at Evergreen Investment <br> Management Company. <br>|

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Sanne V. De Boer, Ph.D, <br> CFA<br>| Voya UK | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Mr. de Boer, Portfolio Manager, managing director <br> and head of systematic equities at Voya UK, joined <br> Voya UK in 2019 and is responsible for overseeing <br> the firm's quantitative equity research agenda. <br> Previously at Voya IM (2019-2023), he was director <br> of quantitative equity. Prior to joining Voya IM, he <br> was a senior research analyst for quantitative <br> strategies for Invesco (2017-2019). Prior to that, he <br> was a research analyst for global quantitative <br> equities at QS and before that he was with ING <br> Investment Management, Voya's predecessor firm.<br>|
| John W. Evers, CFA | Victory <br> Capital<br>| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Mr. Evers, Senior Portfolio Manager, has been with <br> Victory Capital's Trivalent Investments since 2014. <br> Prior to that, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager of <br> Munder Capital Management (2007-2014), which <br> was acquired by Victory Capital in 2014.<br>|
| Robert Failla, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Failla, Managing Director and Portfolio <br> Manager/Analyst on the International and Global <br> Equity platforms and a member of the International <br> Quality Growth portfolio management team, began <br> working in the investment field in 1993. Prior to <br> joining Lazard in 2003, he was a Portfolio Manager <br> with AllianceBernstein. Mr. Failla is a member of the <br> Board of Trustees of Link Education Partners and <br> previously served on the Board of Trustees at <br> Delbarton School in Morristown NJ (2007-2019).<br>|
| Louis Florentin-Lee, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Florentin-Lee, Managing Director and Portfolio <br> Manager/Analyst on various global equity teams, <br> International Quality Growth, and US Equity Select, <br> was formerly the co-Portfolio Manager/Analyst for <br> the Lazard European Explorer Fund (2004- 2010). <br> He began working in the investment industry in <br> 1996. Prior to joining Lazard in 2004, Mr. <br> Florentin-Lee was an equity research analyst at <br> Soros Funds Limited and Schroder Investment <br> Management. He currently serves as a Governor for <br> The Hall School, Hampstead, London.<br>|
| Steve Gao, PhD, CFA, FRM | Voya IM | Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund<br>| Mr. Gao, Portfolio Manager, vice president and <br> quantitative analyst on the quantitative equity team <br> at Voya Investment Management. Prior to joining <br> Voya, Mr. Gao was a research analyst on the US <br> equity strategy team at Barclays, with a focus on <br> quantitative analysis of US equities. Prior to that, Mr. <br> Gao worked at Macquarie as a quantitative equity <br> researcher. While at Macquarie, Mr. Gao conducted <br> in-depth factor related research for asset <br> managers. <br>|

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| HK Gupta | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Gupta, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager <br> on the SGA Investment Committee also sits on the <br> SGA Executive Committee. He has been with SGA <br> since 2014. He is a portfolio manager of SGA's US <br> Large Cap Growth, Global Growth, and Emerging <br> Markets Growth Portfolios. Prior to joining SGA, Mr. <br> Gupta was a Senior Analyst at MDR Capital <br> Management and an Associate Managing Director at <br> Iridian Asset Management. Prior to that, he worked <br> as an Investment Banking Associate at Bank of <br> America Merrill Lynch and advised industrials and <br> financials clients on private placements and M&A. <br> Prior to that, Mr. Gupta spent three years in the <br> industry as a Product and Program Manager at <br> Amazon.com and led the launch of Amazon's <br> Japanese and German merchant platforms.<br>|
| Rajen Jadav, CFA  | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund | Mr. Jadav, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in <br> 2019. Prior to joining Voya IM, he was a senior <br> product specialist at Allianz Global Investors where <br> he was responsible for covering and supporting <br> sales and distribution of the global fixed income <br> team's product offering in North America. Prior to <br> that, Mr. Jadav was a portfolio manager at <br> AllianceBernstein where he held various positions <br> managing US multi-sector, US TIPS, stable value, <br> global multi-sector and municipal money market <br> portfolios.<br>|
| Alexandra Lee | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Ms. Lee, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager on <br> the SGA Investment Committee also sits on the SGA <br> Executive Committee. She has been with SGA since <br> 2004. She is a portfolio manager of SGA's Global <br> Growth, International Growth and Emerging Markets <br> Growth Portfolios. Prior to joining SGA, Ms. Lee was <br> an Associate Director and an equity analyst at Bear <br> Stearns. Prior to that, she was employed at JP <br> Morgan as an equity research analyst.<br>|
| Daniel B. LeVan, CFA | Victory <br> Capital<br>| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Mr. LeVan, Lead Portfolio Manager and Chief <br> Investment Officer of Victory Capital's Trivalent <br> Investments, has been with Victory Capital since <br> 2014. Prior to that, he was a Senior Portfolio <br> Manager of Munder Capital Management <br> (2007-2014), which was acquired by Victory Capital <br> in 2014. <br>|

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA | Voya <br> Investments <br> (Investment <br> Adviser)<br>| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Ms. Reinhard, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in <br> 2016 and is the head of asset allocation for <br> Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions ("MASS"). She <br> is responsible for strategic and tactical asset <br> allocation decisions for the MASS team's <br> multi-asset strategies. Prior to joining Voya IM, Ms. <br> Reinhard was the chief investment officer for Credit <br> Suisse Private Bank in the Americas (2011-2016) <br> where she managed discretionary multi-asset <br> portfolios, was a member of the global asset <br> allocation committee, and the pension investment <br> committee. Prior to that, she spent 20 years at <br> Morgan Stanley.<br>|
| Kishore Rao | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Rao, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager on <br> the SGA Investment Committee also sits on the SGA <br> Executive Committee. He has been with SGA since <br> 2004. He is a portfolio manager of SGA's US Large <br> Cap Growth, Global Growth, International Growth, <br> and Emerging Markets Growth Portfolios. Prior to <br> joining SGA, Mr. Rao was a member of the <br> investment team at Trident Capital and was a <br> Founder and General Manager of the Street Events <br> division of CCBN. Prior to that, he was an Investment <br> Analyst at Tiger Management following healthcare <br> services and software companies and an analyst at <br> Wellington Management following semiconductor <br> equipment.<br>|
| Anuranjan Sharma | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund | Mr. Sharma, Portfolio Manager and macro strategist <br> at Voya IM, previously was a senior research analyst <br> at Oppenheimer Funds, where he was responsible <br> for emerging markets and macro overlay for their <br> multisector fund and worked on international debt <br> and emerging local funds. Prior to that, Mr. Sharma <br> held roles at Voya IM in asset allocation and fixed <br> income where he focused on global rates, foreign <br> exchange, and business cycle analysis for <br> developed and emerging markets.<br>|
| Russell Shtern, CFA | Voya IM | Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Shtern, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in <br> 2022. Prior to joining Voya IM, he served as a senior <br> portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton's <br> Investment Solutions group (2020-2022) where he <br> was responsible for managing smart beta and active <br> multi-factor equity strategies. Prior to that, Mr. <br> Shtern was head of equity portfolio management <br> and trading and a member of the global equity <br> management team for QS Investors (a Legg Mason <br> affiliate), a quantitative multi-asset and equity <br> manager (2014-2020). <br>|

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| Tara Connolly Stilwell, CFA | Wellington <br> Management<br>| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Ms. Stilwell, Senior Managing Director and Equity <br> Portfolio Manager, joined Wellington Management in <br> 2008 and is involved in portfolio management and <br> securities analysis.<br>|
| Vinay Viralam, CFA  | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund | Mr. Viralam, Portfolio Manager, is a senior vice <br> president and portfolio manager for the fixed <br> income team at Voya IM. Prior to joining Voya IM, he <br> worked at Goldman Sachs Asset Management for <br> 11 years, focused on cross-sector research and <br> portfolio management.<br>|
| Barnaby Wilson, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Mr. Wilson, Managing Director and Portfolio <br> Manager/Analyst on various global equity teams <br> and International Quality Growth, began working in <br> the investment field in 1998. Prior to joining Lazard <br> in 1999, he worked for Orbitex Investments as a <br> Research Analyst.<br>|
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Ms. Wong, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in 2012 <br> and is responsible for the portfolio management of <br> the index, active quantitative, and smart beta <br> strategies. Prior to that, she worked as a senior <br> equity portfolio manager at Northern Trust <br> (2003-2009) where she was responsible for <br> managing various global indices, including <br> developed, emerging, real estate, Topix, and socially <br> responsible benchmarks.<br>|
| Fanesca Young, Ph.D., CFA | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| Dr. Young, Portfolio Manager, joined Acadian in <br> 2023 and serves as Director, Equity Portfolio <br> Management. Prior to joining Acadian, she was head <br> of global systematic equities at GIC Private Ltd. Prior <br> to that, she was managing director and director of <br> quantitative research at Los Angeles Capital <br> Management.<br>|

---

**Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers** 

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager, and the securities each portfolio manager owns in the Fund(s) the portfolio manager manages.

**Distributor** 

Voya Investments Distributor, LLC (the "Distributor"), a Delaware limited liability company, is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Fund. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. The Distributor's principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. See "Principal Underwriter" in the SAI.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA"). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

**Contractual Arrangements** 

Each Fund has contractual arrangements with various service providers, which may include, among others, investment advisers, distributors, custodians and fund accounting agents, shareholder service providers, and transfer agents, who provide services to each Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended ("third-party") beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS *(continued)***

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shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of a Fund. This paragraph is not intended to limit any rights granted to shareholders under federal or state securities laws.

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**CLASSES OF SHARES**

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**Choosing a Share Class**

When choosing between classes, you should carefully consider: (1) how long you plan to hold shares of a Fund; (2) the amount of your investment; (3) the expenses you will pay for each class, including ongoing annual expenses along with the initial sales charge or the contingent deferred sales charges ("CDSC"); and (4) whether you qualify for any sales charge discounts. Please review the disclosure about all of the available share classes carefully. Before investing, you should discuss with your financial intermediary which share class may be right for you.

The table below summarizes the features of the classes of shares available through this Prospectus. Fund charges may vary so you should review each Fund's fee table included in the summary section of this Prospectus as well as the section entitled "Sales Charges" in this Prospectus.

**Summary of primary differences among share classes:**

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class A** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Up to 2.50% (reduced for purchases of $100,000 or more and <br> eliminated for purchases of $500,000 or more) for Voya Global <br> Bond Fund <br>Up to 5.75% (reduced for purchases of $50,000 or more and <br> eliminated for purchases of $1,000,000 or more) for all other <br> Funds<br>|
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; None (except that with respect to purchases of $1,000,000 or <br> more ($500,000 or more for Voya Global Bond Fund) for which <br> the initial sales charge was waived, a charge of 1.00% applies to <br> redemptions made within 18 months (12 months for Voya Global <br> Bond Fund))<sup>1</sup> <br>|
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees | 0.25% annually |
| Purchase Maximum |  |
| Minimum Initial Purchase/Minimum Account Size | $1,000 ($250 for IRAs)/$1,000 ($250 for IRAs) |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases | None (At least $100/month for pre-authorized investment plan) |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>| $5000 |
| Conversion |  |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class C** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge |  |
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% if the shares are sold within one year from the date of <br> purchase<br>|
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees | 1.00% annually |
| Purchase Maximum | $1000000 |
| Minimum Initial Purchase/Minimum Account Size | $1,000 ($250 for IRAs)/$1,000 ($250 for IRAs) |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases | None (At least $100/month for pre-authorized investment plan) |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>| $5000 |
| Conversion | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Automatic conversion to Class A shares at net asset value <br> (without the imposition of a sales charge) after 8 years<br>|

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**CLASSES OF SHARES *(continued)***

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class I** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge |  |
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge |  |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees |  |
| Purchase Maximum |  |
| Minimum Initial Purchase<sup>2</sup>/Minimum Account Size | $250,000/$250,000 |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases | None (At least $100/month for pre-authorized investment plan) |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>|  |
| Conversion |  |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class R** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge |  |
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge |  |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees | 0.50% annually |
| Purchase Maximum |  |
| Minimum Initial Purchase/Minimum Account Size | None/None |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases |  |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>|  |
| Conversion |  |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class R6** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge |  |
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge |  |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees |  |
| Purchase Maximum |  |
| Minimum Initial Purchase<sup>3</sup>/Minimum Account Size | $1,000,000/$1,000,000 |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases |  |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>|  |
| Conversion |  |

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Class W** |  |
| Initial Sales Charge |  |
| Contingent Deferred Sales Charge |  |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees |  |
| Purchase Maximum |  |
| Minimum Initial Purchase/Minimum Account Size | $1,000/$1,000 |
| Minimum Subsequent Purchases | None (At least $100/month for pre-authorized investment plan) |
| Minimum Initial Account Balance for Systematic Exchange <br> Privilege<br>|  |
| Conversion |  |

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A contingent deferred sales charge applies to shares purchased without an initial sales charge, as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more ($500,000 or more for Voya Global Bond Fund), and redeemed within 18 months of purchase (12 months of purchase for Voya Global Bond Fund).

For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya IM who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; (iii) (a)

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**CLASSES OF SHARES *(continued)***

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investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the Distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts; or (iv) members of the Investment Adviser's Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions team purchasing shares of Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund.

For Class R6 shares, the minimum initial investment requirement is $1,000,000 for non-retirement accounts. There is no minimum initial investment requirement for retirement accounts, certain omnibus accounts, and pre-authorized investment plans.

Please refer to the "Minimum Investments" table on page <u>83</u> for additional information.

The relative impact of the initial sales charge, if applicable, and ongoing annual expenses will depend on the length of time a share is held. Higher distribution fees mean a higher expense ratio, so Class C shares and Class R shares pay correspondingly lower dividends and may have a lower net asset value ("NAV") than Class A shares.

Because a Fund may not be able to identify an individual investor's trading activities when investing through omnibus account arrangements, you and/or your financial intermediary are responsible for ensuring that your investment in Class C shares does not exceed $1,000,000. A Fund cannot ensure that it will identify purchase orders that would cause your investment in Class C shares to exceed the maximum allowed amount. When investing through such arrangements, you and/or your financial intermediary should be diligent in determining that you have selected the appropriate share class for you.

You and/or your financial intermediary should also take care to assure that you are receiving any sales charge reductions or other benefits to which you may be entitled. As an example, as is discussed below, you may be able to reduce a Class A sales charge payable by aggregating purchases to achieve breakpoint discounts. Each Fund uses the net amount invested when determining whether a shareholder has reached the required investment amount in order to be eligible for a breakpoint discount. In order to ensure that you are receiving any applicable sales charge reduction, it may be necessary for you to inform the Fund or your financial intermediary of the existence of other accounts that may be eligible to be aggregated. The SAI discusses specific classes of investors who may be eligible for a reduced sales charge. In addition, investors investing in a Fund through an intermediary should consult Appendix A to this Prospectus, which includes information regarding financial intermediary specific sales charges and related discount policies that apply to purchases through certain specified intermediaries. Before investing you should discuss which share class may be right for you with your financial intermediary.

**Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees** 

Certain Funds may pay a fee to the Distributor on an ongoing basis as compensation for the services the Distributor provides and the expenses it bears in connection with the sale and distribution of Fund shares ("distribution fee") and/or in connection with personal services rendered to Fund shareholders and the maintenance of shareholder accounts ("shareholder service fee"). These payments are made pursuant to distribution and/or shareholder service plans adopted by a Fund pursuant to Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act (each, a "Rule 12b-1 Plan"). Because these distribution and shareholder service fees are paid on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

The table below reflects the maximum annual rates at which the distribution and/or shareholder service fees may be paid under a Rule 12b-1 Plan (calculated as a percentage of each applicable Fund's average daily net assets attributable to the particular class of shares). "N/A" in the table below means the Fund and/or share class does not pay distribution and/or shareholder service fees or the Fund does not currently offer that share class.

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

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Class A** | **Class C** | **Class I** | **Class R** | **Class R6** | **Class W** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.50% | N/A | N/A |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.50% | N/A | N/A |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International Small <br> Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |

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**SALES CHARGES**

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Each Fund makes available in a clear and prominent format, free of charge, on its website, (https://individuals.voya.com/product/share-classes-and-expenses), information regarding applicable sales loads, reduced sales charges (*i.e*., breakpoint discounts), sales load waivers, eligibility minimums and purchases of a Fund's shares. The website includes hyperlinks that facilitate access to the information.

**Class A Shares** 

This section includes important information about sales charges and sales charge reduction programs available to investors in a Fund's Class A shares and describes the information or records you may need to provide to the Distributor or your financial intermediary in order to be eligible for sales charge reduction programs.

Unless you are eligible for a waiver, the public offering price you pay when you buy Class A shares is the NAV of the shares at the time of purchase, plus an initial sales charge. The initial sales charge varies depending on the size of your purchase, as set forth in the following tables. No sales charge is imposed when Class A shares are issued to you pursuant to the automatic reinvestment of income dividends or capital gains distributions. For investors investing in Class A shares through a financial intermediary, it is the responsibility of the financial intermediary to ensure that the investor obtains the proper breakpoint discount, if any.

Because the offering price is calculated to two decimal places, the dollar amount of the sales charge as a percentage of the offering price and your net amount invested for any particular purchase of Fund shares may be higher or lower depending on whether downward or upward rounding was required during the calculation process.

Class A shares (except Voya Global Bond Fund) are sold subject to the following sales charge:

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Your Investment** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **As a % of** <br>**the offering price**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **As a % of net** <br>**asset value**<br>|
| Less than $50,000 | 5.75 | 6.10 |
| $50000 - $99999 | 4.50 | 4.71 |
| $100000 - $249999 | 3.50 | 3.63 |
| $250000 - $499999 | 2.50 | 2.56 |
| $500000 - $999999 | 2.00 | 2.04 |
| $1,000,000 and over<sup>1</sup> <br>| N/A | N/A |

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Class A shares of Voya Global Bond Fund are sold subject to the following sales charge:

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Your Investment** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **As a % of the** <br>**offering** <br>**price**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **As a % of net** <br>**asset value**<br>|
| Less than $100,000 | 2.50 | 2.56 |
| $100000 - $499999 | 2.00 | 2.04 |
| $500,000 and over<sup>1</sup> <br>| N/A | N/A |

---

See "CDSC - Class A Shares" below.

Former Class C shareholders that were converted to Class A shares are not subject to a sales charge for the life of their account on purchases made directly with a Fund.

Shareholders that exchanged Class O shares for Class A shares of a Fund are not subject to sales charges for additional purchases of Class A shares of that Fund for the life of their account.

**CDSC - Class A Shares** 

**Investments of $1,000,000 or More.** There is no front-end sales charge if you purchase Class A shares in an amount of $1,000,000 or more ($500,000 or more for Voya Global Bond Fund). However, these shares will be subject to a 1.00% CDSC if they are redeemed within 18 months of purchase (12 months of purchase for Voya Global Bond Fund).

**Class C Shares** 

Unless you are eligible for a waiver, if you sell your Class C shares within the time periods specified below, you will pay a CDSC according to the following schedules. It is the responsibility of your financial intermediary to ensure that you are credited with the proper holding period for the shares redeemed.

------

**SALES CHARGES *(continued)***

------

Class C shares are offered at their NAV per share without any initial sales charge. However, you may be charged a CDSC on shares that you sell within a certain period of time after you bought them. The amount of the CDSC is based on the lesser of the NAV of the shares at the time of purchase or redemption. The CDSCs are as follows:

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Years after purchase** | **CDSC on shares being sold** |
| 1st year | 1.00% |
| After 1st year |  |

---

To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you place a request to redeem shares, a Fund will first redeem shares in your account that are not subject to a CDSC and then will redeem shares that have the lowest CDSC.

There is no CDSC on shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.

**CDSC on Exchange into Voya Credit Income Fund** 

You are not required to pay an applicable CDSC upon an exchange from a Fund described in this Prospectus into Voya Credit Income Fund. However, if you exchange into Voya Credit Income Fund and subsequently offer your common shares for repurchase by Voya Credit Income Fund, a Fund's CDSC will apply. After an exchange into Voya Credit Income Fund, the time period for application of the CDSC will be calculated based on the first date you acquired your shares.

**Reduced or Waived Front-End Sales Charges or CDSC** 

The sales charge and CDSC waiver categories described in this section do not apply to customers purchasing shares of a Fund through any of the financial intermediaries specified in Appendix A to this Prospectus (each a "Specified Intermediary"). In all instances, it is the investor's responsibility to notify a Fund or the investor's financial intermediary at the time of purchase of any relationship or other facts qualifying the purchaser for sales charge waivers or discounts.

**Different financial intermediaries may apply different sales charge or CDSC waivers. Please refer to Appendix A for the sales charge or CDSC waivers that are applicable to each Specified Intermediary.** 

Investors in a Fund could reduce or eliminate sales charges applicable to the purchase of Class A shares through utilization of the Letter of Intent, Rights of Accumulation, or Combination Privilege. These programs are summarized below and are described in greater detail in the SAI.

You may reduce the initial sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares of a Fund by combining multiple purchases to take advantage of the breakpoints in the sales charge schedules. You may do this by:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Letter of Intent**—Lets you purchase shares over a 13-month period and pay the same sales charge as if the shares had all been purchased at once;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Rights of Accumulation**—Lets you add the value of shares of any open-end Voya mutual fund (excluding Voya Government Money Market Fund) you already own to the amount of your next purchase for purposes of calculating the sales charge; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Combination Privilege**—Shares held by investors in the Voya mutual funds which impose a CDSC may be combined with Class A shares for a reduced sales charge.

In addition, certain investors may be eligible for special purchases of Class A shares at NAV. This may be done by:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Reinstatement Privilege**—If you sell Class A shares of a Fund (or shares of other Voya mutual funds managed by the Investment Adviser) and reinvest any of the proceeds in Class A shares of another Voya mutual fund within 90 days. For additional information regarding the reinstatement privilege, contact a Shareholder Services Representative or see the SAI; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Purchases by Certain Accounts**—Class A shares may be purchased at NAV by certain fee-based programs offered through selected registered investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other financial intermediaries. Class A shares may also be purchased at NAV by shareholders that purchase a Fund through a financial intermediary that offers our Class A shares uniformly on a "no load" (or reduced load) basis to you and all similarly situated customers of the intermediary in accordance with the intermediary's prescribed fee schedule for purchases of fund shares, including by shareholders that purchase shares through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee to its customers.

------

**SALES CHARGES *(continued)***

------

See the Account Application or the SAI for additional information regarding the reduction of Class A shares' charges, or contact your financial intermediary or a Shareholder Services Representative for more information.

**Required Shareholder Information and Records.** In order for investors in Class A shares of a Fund to take advantage of sales charge reductions, an investor or his/her financial intermediary must notify the Distributor that the investor qualifies for such reduction. If the Distributor is not notified that the investor is eligible for these reductions, the Distributor will be unable to ensure that the reduction is applied to the investor's account. An investor may have to provide certain information or records, including account statements, to his/her financial intermediary or to the Distributor to verify the investor's eligibility for breakpoint privileges or other sales charge waivers.

**CDSC Waivers.** If you notify a Fund's transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), at the time of redemption, the CDSC for Class A and Class C shares will be waived in the following cases:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions following the death or permanent disability of a shareholder if made within one year of death or the initial determination of permanent disability. The waiver is available only for shares held at the time of death or initial determination of permanent disability.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions for Class C shares, pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, up to a maximum of 12% per year of a shareholder's account value based on the value of the account at the time the plan is established and annually thereafter.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Mandatory distributions from "employee benefit plans" or an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.

In addition, the CDSC will be waived on the redemption of shares held through an intermediary if the intermediary has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to waive the CDSC. If you think you may be eligible for a CDSC waiver, contact your financial intermediary or a Shareholder Services Representative.

**Reinstatement Privilege.** If you sell Class A or Class C shares of a Fund you may be eligible for a full or prorated credit of the CDSC paid on the sale when you make an investment up to the amount redeemed in the same share class within 90 days of the eligible sale. Reinstated Class C shares will retain their original cost and purchase date for purposes of the CDSC. This privilege can be used only once per calendar year. If you want to use the Reinstatement Privilege, contact your financial intermediary or a Shareholder Services Representative, or see the SAI for more information. An investor may be asked to provide information or records, including account statements, regarding shares of a Fund held in all of the investor's accounts held directly with the Trust or through a financial intermediary; any account of the investor at another financial intermediary; and accounts of related parties of the investor, such as members of the same family or household, at any financial intermediary.

------

**HOW SHARES ARE PRICED**

------

Each Fund is open for business every day the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") opens for regular trading (each such day, a "Business Day"). The net asset value (the "NAV") per share for each class of each Fund is determined each Business Day as of the close of the regular trading session ("Market Close"), as determined by the Consolidated Tape Association (the "CTA"), the central distributor of transaction prices for exchange-traded securities (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time unless otherwise designated by the CTA). The NAV per share of each class of each Fund is calculated by taking the value of the Fund's assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Fund's liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. On days when a Fund is closed for business, Fund shares will not be priced, and the Fund will not process purchase or redemption orders. To the extent a Fund's assets are traded in other markets on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the Fund's assets will likely change and you will not be able to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.

Portfolio holdings for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value. Investments in open-end registered investment companies that do not trade on an exchange are valued at the end-of-day NAV per share. The prospectuses of the open-end registered investment companies in which each Fund may invest explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing. Foreign (non-U.S.) securities' prices are converted into U.S. dollar amounts using the applicable exchange rates as of Market Close.

When a market quotation for a portfolio security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable (for example, when trading has been halted or there are unexpected market closures or other material events that would suggest that the market quotation is unreliable) and for purposes of determining the value of other portfolio holdings, the portfolio holding is priced at its fair value. The Board has designated the Investment Adviser, as the valuation designee, to make fair value determinations in good faith. In determining the fair value of a Fund's portfolio holdings, the Investment Adviser, pursuant to its fair valuation policy, may consider inputs from pricing service providers, broker-dealers, or a Fund's Sub-Adviser(s). Issuer specific events, transaction price, position size, nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the security, market trends, bid/ask quotes of brokers, and other market data may be reviewed in the course of making a good faith determination of the fair value of a portfolio holding. Because trading hours for certain foreign (non-U.S.) securities end before Market Close, closing market quotations may become unreliable. The prices of foreign (non-U.S.) securities will generally be adjusted based on inputs from a third-party pricing service that are intended to reflect valuation changes through Market Close. Because of the inherent uncertainties of fair valuation, the values used to determine each Fund's NAV may materially differ from the value received upon actual sale of those investments. Thus, fair valuation may have an unintended dilutive or accretive effect on the value of shareholders' investments in each Fund.

------

**HOW TO BUY SHARES**

------

**Customer Identification** 

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person that opens an account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.

What this means for you: a Fund, the Distributor, or a third-party selling you a Fund, must obtain the following information for each person that opens an account:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Name;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Date of birth (for individuals);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Physical residential address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.

You may also be asked to show your driver's license, passport, or other identifying documents in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other non-natural persons.

**Federal law prohibits a Fund, the Distributor, and other financial institutions from opening accounts unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. They also may be required to close your account if they are unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time.**

Each Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to reject any purchase order. Please note that cash, traveler's checks, third-party checks, money orders, and checks drawn on non-U.S. banks (even if payment may be effected through a U.S. bank) generally will not be accepted. Each Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to waive minimum investment amounts. Waiver of the minimum investment amount can increase operating expenses of a Fund. Each Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to liquidate sufficient shares to recover annual transfer agent fees or to close your account and redeem your shares should you fail to maintain your account value minimum.

Each Fund reserves the right to suspend the offering of shares.

**Class A and Class C Shares** 

Class A and Class C shares may be purchased and sold by contacting any financial intermediary (who may impose transaction charges in addition to those described in this Prospectus) authorized to sell Fund shares. You may purchase additional shares in various ways, including through your financial adviser and by mail, telephone, online, and bank wire.

A shareholder's Class C shares will automatically convert to Class A shares at net asset value (without the imposition of a sales charge) on the second calendar day of the following month in which the 8th anniversary of the issuance of the Class C shares occurs, together with a *pro rata* portion of all Class C shares representing dividends and other distributions paid in additional Class C shares.

**Class I Shares** 

Class I shares may be purchased without a sales charge by: (1) qualified retirement plans such as 401(a), 401(k), or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans; (2) 529 college savings plans; (3) insurance companies and foundations investing for their own account; (4) wrap programs offered by broker-dealers and financial institutions; (5) accounts of, or managed by, trust departments; (6) individuals whose accounts are managed by an investment adviser representative; (7) employees of Voya IM who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; (8) retirement plans affiliated with Voya Financial, Inc.; (9) Voya Financial, Inc. affiliates for purposes of corporate cash management; (10) other registered investment companies; (11) members of the Investment Adviser's Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions team purchasing shares of Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund; and (12) (a) investors purchasing Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the Distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts. An investor transacting in Class I shares on such brokerage platforms may be required to pay a commission and/or other forms of compensation to the broker.

------

**HOW TO BUY SHARES *(continued)***

------

**Class R Shares** 

Class R shares may be purchased without a sales charge. Class R shares of a Fund are continuously offered to qualified retirement plans ("Retirement Plans") including, but not limited to, 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer sponsored 403(b) plans, IRAs, Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEPs"), and other accounts or plans whereby Class R shares are held on the books of a Fund through omnibus accounts (either at the plan level or the level of the plan administrator). Purchases and redemptions of shares may be made only by eligible Retirement Plans for the purpose of funding qualified retirement plans. Please refer to the plan document for information on how to direct investments in, or redemptions from, an investment option corresponding to a Fund and any fees that may apply.

The administrator of a Retirement Plan or employee benefits office can provide participants with detailed information on how to participate in the plan and how to elect a Fund as an investment option, alter the amounts contributed to the plan, or reallocate contributions. Eligible Retirement Plans generally may open an account and purchase Class R shares by contacting any broker-dealer or other financial intermediary ("Financial Service Firm") authorized to sell Class R shares of a Fund. Additional shares may be purchased through a Retirement Plan's administrator or recordkeeper. Financial Service Firms may provide or arrange for the provision of some or all of the shareholder servicing and account maintenance services required by Retirement Plan accounts and their plan participants including, without limitation, transfers of registration and dividend payee changes. Financial Service Firms may also perform other functions, including generating confirmation statements, and may arrange with plan administrators for other investment or administrative services.

Financial Service Firms may independently establish and charge Retirement Plans and plan participants transaction fees and/or other additional amounts for such services, which may change over time. Similarly, Retirement Plans may charge plan participants for certain expenses. These fees and additional amounts could reduce the investment return in Class R shares of a Fund.

**Class R6 Shares** 

Class R6 shares may be purchased without a sales charge. Class R6 shares are offered to the following investors, provided that these investors do not require a Fund or an affiliate of a Fund (including the Investment Adviser and any affiliate of the Investment Adviser) to make, and a Fund or affiliate does not pay, any type of servicing, administrative, or revenue sharing payments with respect to Class R6 shares: (1) qualified retirement plans, including, but not limited to 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer sponsored 403(b) plans, defined benefit plans and other accounts or plans whereby Class R6 shares are held on the books of each Fund through omnibus accounts (either at the plan level or the level of the plan administrator); (2) non-qualified deferred compensation plans; (3) other registered investment companies; (4) Health Savings Accounts ("HSAs") within plan level or omnibus accounts that are held on the books of a Fund; (5) other institutional investors (including, for example, endowment funds and foundations) that: (a) meet a $1,000,000 minimum initial investment requirement and (b) hold interests in a Fund through a single plan level account held directly through the Fund and not traded through an intermediary; and (6) wrap programs offered by broker-dealers and financial institutions that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Class R6 shares and invest through an omnibus account. Such availability will be subject to management's determination of the appropriateness of investment in Class R6 shares. Notwithstanding the above, affiliates of Voya, including affiliates that are intermediaries that sell Class R6 shares of a Fund, may benefit financially from the revenue Voya receives for the services it provides to Class R6 shares of a Fund.

Class R6 shares are not available to traditional and Roth IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, SEPs, SARSEPs, SIMPLE IRAs and 529 college savings plans. Class R6 shares also are not available to adviser-sold donor-advised funds.

In addition to the above investors, certain existing Class I shareholders of each Fund may exchange all of their Class I shares for Class R6 shares of the Fund provided: (1) the shareholder meets the requirements for investment in Class R6 shares as stated above; and (2) the shareholder does not require the Fund or an affiliate of the Fund to make, and the Fund or affiliate (including the Investment Adviser and any affiliate of the Investment Adviser) does not pay, any type of servicing, administrative, or revenue sharing payments with respect to Class R6 shares. All exchanges within a Fund are subject to the discretion of the Distributor to permit or reject such exchanges.

------

**HOW TO BUY SHARES *(continued)***

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**Class W Shares** 

Class W shares may be purchased without a sales charge by: (1) qualified retirement plans such as 401(a), 401(k), or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans; (2) insurance companies and foundations investing for their own account; (3) wrap programs offered by broker-dealers and financial institutions; (4) accounts of, or managed by, trust departments; (5) individuals whose accounts are managed by an investment adviser representative; (6) retirement plans affiliated with Voya Financial, Inc.; (7) Voya Financial, Inc. affiliates for purposes of corporate cash management; and (8) by other Voya mutual funds in the Voya family of funds.

In addition, Class W shares are available to the following persons through direct investment (not through broker-dealers that are not approved by Voya) into a Voya mutual fund or through a Voya approved broker-dealer (currently, Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.): (1) current and retired officers and directors/trustees of the Voya mutual funds; (2) current and retired officers, directors, and full-time employees of Voya Investments, LLC, Directed Services LLC; any Voya mutual fund's sub-adviser; Voya Investments Distributor, LLC; and any of their affiliates; (3) family members of the foregoing persons (defined as current spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts, siblings, nephews, nieces, step-relations, relations at-law, and cousins); (4) any trust, pension, profit-sharing, or other benefit plan for such persons (including family members); (5) discretionary advisory accounts of Voya Investments, LLC, Directed Services LLC, any Voya mutual fund's sub-adviser, or Voya Investments Distributor, LLC; and (6) qualifying investments made through Voya promotional programs as determined by Voya Investments Distributor, LLC.

**Retirement Plans** 

Each Fund has available prototype qualified retirement plans for corporations and self-employed individuals. Each Fund also has available prototype IRA, Roth IRA and Simple IRA plans (for both individuals and employers), Simplified Employee Pension Plans and Pension and Profit Sharing Plans. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company acts as the custodian under these plans. For further information, contact a Shareholder Services Representative at 1-800-992-0180. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company currently receives a $12 custodial fee annually for the maintenance of each such account.

Make your investment using the purchase minimum guidelines in the following table.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Minimum Investments** | **Class** | **Initial Purchase** | **Subsequent Purchases** |
| Non-retirement accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A/C/W <br>I<sup>1</sup> <br>R <br>R6<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; $1,000 <br>$250,000 <br>No minimum <br>$1,000,000<br>| No minimum |
| Retirement accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A/C <br>I<sup>1</sup> <br>R/R6 <br>W<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; $250 <br>$250,000 <br>No minimum <br>$1,000<br>| No minimum |
| Pre-authorized investment plan | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A/C/W <br>I<sup>1</sup> <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; $1000 <br>$250000<br>| At least $100/month |
| Certain omnibus accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A/C <br>R<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; $250 <br>No minimum<br>| No minimum |

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For Class I shares, there is no minimum initial investment requirement for: (i) qualified retirement plans or other defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans that invest in the Voya funds through omnibus arrangements; (ii) employees of Voya IM who are eligible to participate in "notional" bonus programs sponsored by Voya IM; (iii) (a) investors transacting in Class I shares through brokerage platforms that invest in the Voya funds' Class I shares through omnibus accounts and have agreements with the Distributor to offer such shares and (b) such brokerage platforms' omnibus accounts; or (iv) members of the Investment Adviser's Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions team purchasing shares of Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund.

Make your investment using the methods outlined in the following table. If you are a participant in a qualified retirement plan, you should make purchases through your plan administrator or sponsor, who is responsible for transmitting orders.

------

**HOW TO BUY SHARES *(continued)***

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Buying Shares** | **Opening an Account** | **Adding to an Account** |
| By Contacting Your Financial <br> Intermediary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; A financial intermediary with an authorized <br> firm can help you establish and maintain your <br> account.<br>| Contact your financial intermediary. |
| By Mail | &nbsp;&nbsp; Make your check payable to Voya Investment <br> Management and mail it with a completed <br> Account Application. Please indicate your <br> financial intermediary on the New Account <br> Application.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Fill out the Account Additions form at the <br> bottom of your account statement and mail it <br> along with your check payable to Voya <br> Investment Management to the address on <br> the account statement. Please write your <br> account number on the check.<br>|
| By Wire | &nbsp;&nbsp; Call Shareholder Services at <br> 1-800-992-0180 to obtain an account <br> number and indicate your financial <br> intermediary on the account.<br> Instruct your bank to wire funds to the Fund <br> in the care of:<br> Bank of New York Mellon<br> ABA # 011001234<br> credit to: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing <br> (US) Inc. as Agent for Voya mutual funds<br> A/C #0000733938; for further credit to <br> Shareholder A/C # <br> (A/C # you received over the telephone)<br> Shareholder Name:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Your Name Here)<br> After wiring funds you must complete the <br> Account Application and send it to:<br> Voya Investment Management<br> P.O. Box 534480<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4480<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Wire the funds in the same manner described <br> under "Opening an Account."<br>|

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**Execution of Purchase Orders** 

Purchase orders are executed at the next NAV determined after the order is received in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor. A purchase order will be deemed to be in proper form when all of the required steps set forth under "How to Buy Shares" have been completed. If you purchase by wire, however, the order will be deemed to be in proper form after the federal funds wire has been received. If you are opening a new account and you purchase by wire, you must submit an application form prior to Market Close. If an order or payment by wire is received after Market Close, your order will not be executed until the next NAV is determined. For your transaction to be counted on the day you place your order with your broker-dealer or other financial institution, your broker-dealer or financial institution must receive your order in proper form before Market Close and transmit the order to the Transfer Agent or the Distributor in a timely manner.

You will receive a confirmation of each new transaction in your account, which also will show you the number of shares you own including the number of shares being held in safekeeping by the Transfer Agent for your account. You may rely on these confirmations in lieu of certificates as evidence of your ownership.

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**HOW TO SELL SHARES**

------

You may sell shares by using the methods outlined in the following table. Under unusual circumstances, a Fund may suspend the right of redemption as allowed by the SEC or federal securities laws.

If you are a participant in a qualified retirement plan, you should make redemptions through your plan administrator or sponsor, who is responsible for transmitting orders.

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Selling Shares** | **To Sell Some or All of Your Shares** |
| By Contacting Your Financial <br> Intermediary<br>| You may sell shares by contacting your financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may <br> charge for their services in connection with your redemption request but neither the Fund nor <br> the Distributor imposes any such charge.<br>|
| By Mail | Send a written request specifying the Fund name and share class, your account number, the <br> name(s) in which the account is registered, and the dollar value or number of shares you wish <br> to redeem to: <br>Voya Investment Management<br> P.O. Box 534480<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4480 <br>If certificated shares have been issued, the certificate must accompany the written request. <br> Corporate investors and other associations must have an appropriate certification on file <br> authorizing redemptions. A suggested form of such certification is provided on the Account <br> Application. A signature guarantee may be required.<br>|
| By Telephone - Expedited Redemption | You may sell shares by telephone on all accounts, other than retirement accounts, unless you <br> check the box on the Account Application which signifies that you do not wish to use telephone <br> redemptions. To redeem by telephone, call a Shareholder Services Representative at <br> 1-800-992-0180. <br>**Receiving Proceeds By Check:** <br>You may have redemption proceeds (up to a maximum of $10,000,000) mailed to an address <br> which has been on record with Voya Investment Management for at least 30 days. <br>**Receiving Proceeds By Wire:** <br>You may have redemption proceeds (up to a maximum of $10,000,000) wired to your <br> pre-designated bank account. You will not be able to receive redemption proceeds by wire <br> unless you check the box on the Account Application which signifies that you wish to receive <br> redemption proceeds by wire and attach a voided check. Under normal circumstances, <br> proceeds will be transmitted to your bank on the Business Day following receipt of your <br> instructions, provided redemptions may be made. In the event that share certificates have been <br> issued, you may not request a wire redemption by telephone.<br>|

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**Systematic Withdrawal Plan (available only for those share classes referenced below)** 

You may elect to make periodic withdrawals from your account on a regular basis.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Class A and Class C** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Your account must have a current value of at least $10,000.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Minimum withdrawal amount is $100.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• You may choose from monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Class I and Class W** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Your account must have a current value of at least $250,000 or $1,000 for Class I and Class W shares, respectively.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Minimum withdrawal amount is $1,000.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• You may choose from monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual payments.

For additional information, contact a Shareholder Services Representative or refer to the Account Application or the SAI.

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**HOW TO SELL SHARES *(continued)***

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**Execution of Sale Requests** 

Sale requests are executed at the next NAV determined after the order is received in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor. For your transaction to be counted on the day you place your sale request with your broker-dealer or other financial institution, your broker-dealer or financial institution must receive your sale request in proper form before Market Close and transmit the sale request to the Transfer Agent or the Distributor in a timely manner.

You will receive a confirmation of each new transaction in your account, which also will show you the number of shares you own including the number of shares being held in safekeeping by the Transfer Agent for your account. You may rely on these confirmations in lieu of certificates as evidence of your ownership.

**Payments** 

Normally, payment for shares redeemed will typically be made within one business day after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a request in good order. Each Fund can delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to 7 days and may suspend redemptions and/or further postpone payment proceeds when the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or when trading thereon is restricted or during emergency or other circumstances, including as determined by the SEC. When you place a request to redeem shares for which the purchase money has not yet been collected, the request will be executed at the next determined NAV, but a Fund will not release the proceeds until your purchase payment clears. This may take up to 30 days. A redemption request made within 30 calendar days after submission of a change of address is permitted only if the request is in writing and is accompanied by a medallion signature guarantee. Redemption requests of an amount of $10 million or more must be submitted in writing by an authorized person.

A medallion signature guarantee may be required in certain circumstances. A request to change the bank designated to receive wire redemption proceeds must be received in writing, signed by an authorized person, and accompanied by a medallion signature guarantee from any eligible guarantor institution. In addition, if you wish to have your redemption proceeds transferred by wire to an account other than your designated bank account, paid to someone other than the shareholder of record, or sent somewhere other than the shareholder's address of record, you must provide a medallion signature guarantee with your written redemption instructions. Please see the SAI for more details on the medallion signature guarantee program.

Each Fund will typically pay redemption proceeds in cash using cash held by each Fund, with cash generated by each Fund through the sale of cash equivalents and other Fund assets or by borrowing cash pursuant to each Fund's line of credit. A Fund may, however, determine in its absolute discretion to distribute non-cash assets in kind in complete or partial satisfaction of its obligation to pay redemption proceeds to a shareholder. In such a case, a Fund could elect to make payment in securities or other assets for redemptions that exceed the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net assets during any 90-day period for any one record shareholder. Non-cash assets distributed by a Fund likely will not represent a pro rata distribution of assets held in the Fund's portfolio. A shareholder's receipt of non-cash redemption proceeds may be less favorable to the shareholder than receipt of cash proceeds for a number of reasons, including, without limitation, costs and potential delays relating to the sale of the non-cash assets, potential illiquidity of the non-cash assets, and the potential inability of the shareholder to realize on the sale of the non-cash assets cash proceeds equal to the cash proceeds it would have received from a Fund. A Fund has no obligation to distribute non-cash assets, including in circumstances when doing so may benefit a redeeming shareholder or may reduce or eliminate transaction costs and/or the realization of capital gains that may need to be distributed to shareholders, which such distributions will be taxable to shareholders that hold their shares in a taxable account.

**Telephone Orders** 

Neither a Fund nor the Transfer Agent will be responsible for the authenticity of phone instructions or losses, if any, resulting from unauthorized shareholder transactions if they reasonably believe that such instructions were genuine. Each Fund and the Transfer Agent have established reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. These procedures include recording telephone instructions for exchanges and expedited redemptions, requiring the caller to give certain specific identifying information, and providing written confirmation to shareholders of record not later than 5 days following any such telephone transactions. If a Fund or the Transfer Agent do not employ these procedures, they may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions.

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**HOW TO SELL SHARES *(continued)***

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**Small Accounts** 

Due to the relatively high cost of handling small investments, a Fund reserves the right, upon 30 days' prior written notice, to redeem at NAV (less any applicable deferred sales charge), the shares of any shareholder whose account (except for IRAs) has a total value that is less than a Fund's minimum. Before a Fund redeems such shares and sends the proceeds to the shareholder, it will notify the shareholder that the value of the shares in the account is less than the minimum amount allowed and will allow the shareholder 30 days to make an additional investment in an amount that will increase the value of the account to the minimum before the redemption is processed. Your account will not be closed if its drop in value is due to Fund performance.

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**HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES**

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**Exchanges Between Voya Mutual Funds** 

You may exchange shares of a Fund for shares of the same class of any other Voya mutual fund, except for Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> Trust Fund, without paying any additional sales charge, if you otherwise meet the eligibility requirements of the class of shares of the Voya mutual fund to be received in the exchange. If you purchase Class A shares of Voya Government Money Market Fund and did not pay a sales charge, you must pay the applicable sales charge on an exchange into Class A shares of another Voya mutual fund.

If you exchange shares of a Fund that are subject to a CDSC into shares of another Voya mutual fund that are subject to a CDSC, the CDSC will continue to apply to your new shares at the same CDSC rate that was applicable to your original shares. Your new shares will continue to age for CDSC purposes from the date that the original shares were purchased.

**Exchanges Between Classes of a Fund** 

You may exchange Class C and Class W shares for Class I shares within a Fund, or you may exchange Class A shares and Class I shares for any other class within a Fund, if you otherwise meet the eligibility requirements of the class of shares to be received in the exchange, or you may exchange Class C shares for Class A shares within a Fund, except that: (1) you may not exchange shares that are subject to a CDSC until the CDSC period has expired, unless the Distributor approves the exchange and determines that no CDSC is payable in connection with the exchange; (2) you may not exchange Class A shares for Class W shares unless you acquired the Class A shares through a Voya approved broker-dealer (currently, Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.); and (3) you may not exchange Class C shares for Class A shares unless your intermediary has agreed to waive its right to receive the front-end sales charge that otherwise would be applicable to the Class A shares. Class C shares will automatically convert to Class A shares of the same Fund after they have been held for 8 years.

Certain existing Class I shareholders of a Fund may exchange their Class I shares for Class R6 shares of the Fund provided: (1) the shareholder meets the requirements for investment in Class R6 shares as stated in the section of this Prospectus entitled "How to Buy Shares"; and (2) the shareholder does not require the Fund or an affiliate (including the Investment Adviser and any affiliate of the Investment Adviser) of the Fund to make, and the Fund or affiliate does not pay, any type of servicing, administrative, or revenue sharing payments with respect to Class R6 shares.

All exchanges within a Fund are subject to the discretion of the Distributor to permit or reject such exchanges. Shareholders generally should not recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes from an exchange between classes of shares within a Fund provided that the transaction is undertaken and processed, with respect to any shareholder, as a direct exchange transaction. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors as to the U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences of an exchange between classes of shares within a Fund.

Exchanges between classes of shares within a Fund are not subject to the frequent trading and market timing policies of Voya mutual funds.

**Additional Information About Exchanges** 

Fees and expenses differ among Voya mutual funds and among share classes of the same fund. Please read the prospectus for the Voya mutual fund and share class you are interested in prior to exchanging into that Voya mutual fund or share class. Contact your financial intermediary or consult your plan documents for additional information.

An exchange of shares of a Fund for shares of another Voya mutual fund is treated as a sale and purchase of shares and may result in the recognition of a gain or loss for U.S. federal, state and local income tax purposes. For exchanges between Voya mutual funds, you should consult your own tax advisor for advice about the particular U.S. federal, state and local, and non-U.S. tax consequences to you of the exchange. The total value of shares being exchanged must at least equal the minimum investment requirement of the Voya mutual fund into which they are being exchanged.

If you exchange into Voya Credit Income Fund, your ability to sell or liquidate your investment will be limited. Voya Credit Income Fund is a closed-end interval fund and does not redeem its shares on a daily basis. It is not expected that a secondary market for Voya Credit Income Fund's shares will develop, so you will not be able to sell them through a broker or other investment professional. To provide a measure of liquidity, Voya Credit Income Fund will normally make monthly repurchase offers for not less than 5% of its outstanding common shares. If more than 5% of Voya Credit Income Fund's common shares are tendered, you may not be able to completely liquidate your holdings in any one month. You also would not have liquidity between these monthly repurchase dates. Investors exercising the exchange

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**HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES *(continued)***

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privilege into Voya Credit Income Fund should carefully review the prospectus of that fund. Investors may obtain a copy of the Voya Credit Income Fund prospectus or any other Voya mutual fund prospectus by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by going to https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

In addition to each Fund available in this Prospectus, the Distributor offers many other funds. Shareholders exercising the exchange privilege with any other Voya mutual fund should carefully review the prospectus of that fund before exchanging their shares. Investors may obtain a copy of a prospectus of any Voya mutual fund not discussed in this Prospectus by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by going to https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

You will automatically have the ability to request an exchange between Voya mutual funds by calling a Shareholder Services Representative unless you mark the box on the Account Application that indicates that you do not wish to have the telephone exchange privilege. Each Fund may change or cancel its exchange policies at any time, upon 60 days' prior notice to shareholders.

**Systematic Exchange Privilege** 

Subject to the information and limitations outlined above, you may elect to have a specified dollar amount of shares systematically exchanged, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually from your account to an identically registered account in the same class of any other open-end Voya mutual fund, except for Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> Trust Fund. This exchange privilege may be modified at any time or terminated upon 60 days' prior written notice to shareholders.

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**FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING**

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Each Fund is intended for long-term investment and not as a short-term trading vehicle. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies should not purchase shares of a Fund. Each Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict, or refuse purchase orders whether directly or by exchange, including purchase orders that have been accepted by a shareholder's or retirement plan participant's intermediary, that the Fund determines not to be in the best interest of the Fund. Such action may include, but not be limited to: rejecting additional purchase orders, whether directly or by exchange; extending settlement of a redemption up to 7 days; rejecting all purchase orders from broker-dealers or their registered representatives suspected of violating the Fund's frequent trading policy; or termination of the selling group agreement or other agreement with broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries associated with frequent trading. A Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected orders or other actions as described above.

Each Fund believes that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a retirement plan account, is not in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely affect the ability of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, efficient manner. Frequent trading can raise Fund expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; increased administrative costs; and lost opportunity costs. This in turn can have an adverse effect on Fund performance.

Funds that invest in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time a Fund computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign (non-U.S.) security and such price is not reflected in its current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by a Fund based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as "price arbitrage." Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in funds which do not invest in foreign (non-U.S.) securities. For example, if trading in a security held by a Fund is halted and does not resume prior to the time it calculates its NAV such "stale pricing" presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarly, funds that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. Each Fund has adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce its exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that a Fund does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of the Fund's shares which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

The Board has adopted policies and procedures designed to deter frequent, short-term trading in shares of each Fund. In general, shareholders may make exchanges among their accounts with Voya mutual funds once every 30 calendar days. However, each Fund prohibits frequent trading. Each Fund has defined frequent trading as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Any shareholder or intermediary-initiated exchanges among any of their accounts with a Fund within 30 calendar days of a previous exchange. All exchanges occurring on the same day for all accounts (individual, IRA, 401(k), etc.) beneficially owned by the same shareholder will be treated as a single transaction for purposes of this policy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Trading deemed harmful or excessive by a Fund (including but not limited to patterns of purchases and redemptions) by a Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, in its sole discretion; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Trades initiated by intermediaries, among multiple shareholder accounts, that in the aggregate are deemed harmful or excessive by a Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, in its sole discretion.

The following transactions are excluded when determining whether trading activity is frequent:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases and sales of Fund shares in the amount of $5,000 or less;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Transfers associated with systematic purchases or redemptions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Rebalancing to facilitate fund-of-fund arrangements or a Fund's systematic exchange privileges;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases and sales of money market funds and purchases and sales of Funds that affirmatively permit short-term trading (an exchange between a money market fund and a Fund other than a money market fund or purchases and exchanges between a Fund that permits short-term trading and another Fund would not be exempt from this policy);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases or sales initiated by a Fund; and

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**FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING *(continued)***

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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;• Transactions subject to the trading policy of an intermediary that a Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of a Fund, deems materially similar to the Fund's policy.

If a violation of the policy is identified, the following action shall be taken:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The shareholder and/or broker of record on the account(s) is notified of the violation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Upon the first violation of this policy in a calendar year, purchase and exchange privileges shall be suspended for 90 calendar days from the date of the first trade. For example, if a trade occurs on February 1st, and another trade occurs on February 15th, purchase and exchange privileges would be suspended for 90 calendar days from February 1st.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Upon a second violation of the policy in a calendar year, purchase and exchange privileges shall be suspended for 180 calendar days from the trade date of the second violation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchase and exchange blocks shall be placed on the account and all related accounts bearing the same tax identification number or equivalent identifier.

On the Business Day following the end of a 90- or 180-calendar day suspension, any trading restrictions placed on the account(s) shall be removed.

Each Fund reserves the right to modify this policy at any time without prior notice.

Although the restrictions described above are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of them alone, nor all of them taken together, can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in a Fund will occur. Moreover, in enforcing such restrictions, a Fund is often required to make decisions that are inherently subjective. Each Fund strives to make these decisions to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is in the best interest of shareholders.

Shareholders may invest in a Fund through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries. Omnibus accounts permit intermediaries to aggregate their clients' transactions and in these circumstances, the identity of the shareholder is often unknown. Such intermediaries include broker-dealers, banks, investment advisers, record keepers, retirement plans, and fee-based accounts such as wrap fee programs. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers' trading activity on an individual basis. The Investment Adviser or its affiliated entities have agreements in place with intermediaries which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of a Fund. There is no assurance that the Investment Adviser or its affiliated entities will request such information with sufficient frequency to detect or deter excessive trading or that review of such information will be sufficient to detect or deter excessive trading in omnibus accounts effectively.

In some cases, a Fund will rely on the intermediaries' excessive trading policies and such policies shall define the trading activity in which the shareholder may engage. This shall be the case where a Fund is used in certain retirement plans offered by affiliates. With trading information received as a result of the agreements, a Fund may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Fund and its shareholders even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries' excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in a Fund may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary.

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**PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

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Voya mutual funds are distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor is a broker-dealer that is licensed to sell securities. The Distributor generally does not sell directly to the public but sells and markets its products through intermediaries such as other broker-dealers. Each Voya mutual fund also has an investment adviser which is responsible for managing the money invested in each of the mutual funds. Both of these entities or their affiliates (collectively, "Voya") may compensate an intermediary for selling Voya mutual funds.

Persons licensed with FINRA as a registered representative (often referred to as a broker or financial adviser) and associated with a specific broker-dealer may receive compensation from each Fund for providing services which are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares. The Distributor has an agreement in place with each broker-dealer selling each Fund defining specifically what that broker-dealer will be paid for the sale of a particular Voya mutual fund. The broker-dealer then pays the registered representative who sold you the mutual fund some or all of what they receive from Voya. A registered representative may receive a payment when the sale is made and in some cases, can continue to receive payments while you are invested in the mutual fund. In addition, other entities may receive compensation from each Fund for providing services which are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares, so long as such entities are permitted to receive these fees under applicable rules and regulations.

The Distributor may pay, from its own resources, additional fees to these broker-dealers or other financial institutions including affiliated entities. These additional fees paid to intermediaries may take the following forms: (1) a percentage of that entity's customer assets invested in Voya mutual funds; (2) a percentage of that entity's gross sales; or (3) some combination of these payments. Depending on the broker-dealer's satisfaction of the required conditions, these payments may be periodic and may be up to: (1) 0.30% per annum of the value of each Fund's shares held by the broker-dealer's customers; or (2) 0.30% of the value of each Fund's shares sold by the broker-dealer during a particular period. For example, if that initial investment averages a value of $10,000 over the year, the Distributor could pay a maximum of $30 on those assets. If you invested $10,000, the Distributor could pay a maximum of $30 for that sale.

Voya, out of its own resources and without additional cost to each Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to intermediaries selling shares of each Fund, including affiliates of Voya. These amounts would be in addition to the distribution payments made by each Fund under the distribution agreements. Management personnel of Voya may receive additional compensation if the overall amount of investments in funds advised by Voya meets certain target levels or increases over time.

Voya may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to third parties selling our mutual funds including affiliated companies. This may take the form of cash incentives and non-cash compensation and may include, but is not limited to: cash; merchandise; trips; occasional entertainment; meals or tickets to a sporting event; client appreciation events; payment for travel expenses (including meals and lodging) to pre-approved training and education seminars; and payment for advertising and sales campaigns. The Distributor may also pay concessions in addition to those described above to broker-dealers so that Voya mutual funds are made available by those broker-dealers for their customers. The Sub-Adviser of each Fund may contribute to non-cash compensation arrangements.

The compensation paid by Voya to a financial intermediary is typically paid continually over time, during the period when the intermediary's clients hold investments in the Voya mutual funds. The amount of continuing compensation paid by Voya to different financial intermediaries for distribution and/or shareholder services varies. The compensation is typically a percentage of the value of the financial intermediary's clients' investments in Voya mutual funds or a per account fee. The variation in compensation may, but will not necessarily, reflect enhanced or additional services provided by the intermediary.

Voya or a Voya mutual fund may pay service fees to intermediaries for administration, recordkeeping, and other shareholder services. Intermediaries receiving these payments may include, among others, brokers, financial planners or advisers, banks, and insurance companies. The Voya mutual funds may reimburse Voya for some or all of the payments made by Voya to intermediaries for these services.

In some cases, a financial intermediary may hold its clients' mutual fund shares in nominee or street name accounts. These financial intermediaries may (though they will not necessarily) provide services including, among other things: processing and mailing trade confirmations; capturing and processing tax data; issuing and mailing dividend checks to shareholders who have selected cash distributions; preparing record date shareholder lists for proxy solicitations; collecting and posting distributions to shareholder accounts; and establishing and maintaining systematic withdrawals and automated investment plans and shareholder account registrations.

The top firms Voya paid to sell its mutual funds as of the last calendar year are:

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**PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES *(continued)***

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Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC; Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc.; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.; Charles Schwab Trust Bank; Directed Services LLC ; Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC; LPL Financial, LLC; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.; Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation, Inc.; Morgan Stanley; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Corp; Osaic, Inc.; Pershing, LLC; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York ; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; Security Life of Denver Insurance Company; Standard Insurance Company; UBS Financial Services, Inc.; Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company ; Voya Financial Advisers, Inc.; Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company; Voya Services Company; and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC.

Your registered representative or broker-dealer could have a financial interest in selling you a particular mutual fund, or the mutual funds of a particular company, to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each mutual fund prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your registered representative.

**Class R6** 

Voya mutual funds are distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor is a broker-dealer that is licensed to sell securities. The Distributor generally does not sell directly to the public but sells and markets its products through financial intermediaries. Each Voya mutual fund also has an investment adviser which is responsible for managing the money invested in each of the mutual funds. No dealer compensation is paid from the sale of Class R6 shares of a Fund. Class R6 shares do not have sales commissions, pay 12b-1 fees, or make payments to financial intermediaries for assisting the Distributor in promoting the sales of a Fund's shares. In addition, neither a Fund nor its affiliates (including the Investment Adviser and any affiliate of the Investment Adviser) make any type of administrative, service, or revenue sharing payments in connection with Class R6 shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, affiliates of Voya, including affiliates that are intermediaries that sell Class R6 shares of a Fund, may benefit financially from the revenue Voya receives for the services it provides to Class R6 shares of a Fund.

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**DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES**

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**Dividends and Distributions** 

Each Fund generally distributes most or all of its net earnings in the form of dividends, consisting of ordinary income and capital gains distributions, if any. Each Fund distributes capital gains, if any, annually. Each Fund (except for Voya Global Bond Fund and Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund) also declares dividends and pays dividends consisting of ordinary income, if any, annually. Voya Global Bond Fund declares dividends daily and distributes dividends consisting of ordinary income, if any, monthly; and Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund declares and distributes dividends consisting of ordinary income, if any, quarterly.

From time to time a portion of a Fund's distributions may constitute a return of capital. To comply with U.S. federal tax laws, a Fund may also pay additional distributions of capital gains and/or ordinary income.

**Dividend Reinvestment** 

Unless you instruct a Fund to pay you dividends in cash, dividends and distributions paid by the Fund will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. You may, upon written request or by completing the appropriate section of the Account Application, elect to have all dividends and other distributions paid on shares of a Fund invested in another Voya mutual fund that offers the same class of shares.

**Tax Consequences** 

The tax discussion in this Prospectus is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax issues generally affecting each Fund and its shareholders. The following assumes that each Fund's shares will be capital assets in the hands of a shareholder. The Investment Adviser is not obligated to consider the tax consequences related to its management of a Fund's investments or other activities. It is possible that the actions taken by a Fund or the Investment Adviser on the Fund's behalf could be disadvantageous to shareholders that hold shares through a taxable account. However, such actions likely will have no tax effect on shareholders that invest through a tax-advantaged account. Circumstances among investors may vary, so you are encouraged to discuss an investment in a Fund with your tax advisor.

**Distributions.** Each Fund will distribute all, or substantially all, of its net investment income and net capital gains (*i.e.*, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, in each case determined with reference to any loss carryforwards) to its shareholders each year. Although a Fund will not be taxed on amounts it distributes, most shareholders will be taxed on amounts they receive.

If more than 50% in value of a Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, or if at least 50% of the value of a Fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its taxable year is represented by interests in other RICs, the Fund may elect (the "Foreign Election") to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of foreign income and similar foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by it. If a Fund so elects, each of its shareholders would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, its pro rata share of such foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund, but would be treated as having paid its pro rata share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various limitations) as a foreign tax credit against U.S. federal income tax (but not both). It is anticipated that a Fund will qualify to make the Foreign Election; however, a Fund cannot be certain that it will be eligible to make such an election or that you will be eligible for the foreign tax credit.

Distributions, whether received as cash or reinvested in additional shares, may be subject to U.S. federal income taxes and may also be subject to state, local or non-U.S. taxes. Dividends from net investment income (other than qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends) and distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income under U.S. federal income tax laws whether paid in cash or in additional shares. Distributions properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time you have held the shares and whether you were paid in cash or additional shares. Distributions made to a non-corporate shareholder out of "qualified dividend income," if any, received by a Fund will be subject to tax at the lower rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided that the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its shares.

You will be notified annually of the amount of income, dividends and net capital gains distributed by a Fund. If you purchase shares of a Fund through a financial intermediary, that entity will provide this information to you.

**Sales, Redemptions and Other Dispositions.** Selling, redeeming, or otherwise disposing of your Fund shares is a taxable event and may result in capital gain or loss. A capital gain or capital loss may be realized from a redemption of shares or an exchange of shares between two mutual funds. Any such capital gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition

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**DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES *(continued)***

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of shares will generally be long term if the shares were held for more than one year; otherwise, such gain or loss will be short term. Any capital loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain dividends received with respect to such shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a taxable disposition of Fund shares may be disallowed under " wash sale " rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of that same Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the tax basis of the shares acquired. You are responsible for any tax liabilities generated by your transactions.

**Tax Status of a Fund.** Each Fund intends to qualify and be eligible for treatment each year as a regulated investment company ("RIC"). A RIC generally is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to its shareholders. However, a Fund's failure to qualify as a RIC would result in fund level taxation and therefore a reduction in income available for distribution.

**Net Investment Income Tax.** An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from a Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent their income exceeds certain threshold amounts.

**Backup Withholding.** Each Fund is required to withhold a portion of all taxable dividends, distributions, and redemption proceeds payable to any noncorporate shareholder that does not provide the Fund with the shareholder's correct taxpayer identification number or certification that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding. This is not an additional tax but can be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability.

**Tax-Advantaged Accounts.** Shareholders that invest in a Fund through a tax-advantaged account, such as a qualified retirement plan, generally will not have to pay tax on dividends or gains from the disposition of Fund shares until they are distributed from the account. These accounts are subject to complex tax rules, and you should consult your tax advisor about investing through such an account.

**Buying a Dividend.** Each Fund ' s distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder's investment in the Fund (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid for his or her shares). Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when a Fund's NAV reflects income or gains that are either unrealized or realized but not distributed.

**Foreign Shareholders**. Foreign shareholders invested in a Fund should consult with their tax advisors as to if and how the U.S. federal income tax law and its withholding requirements apply to them. Generally, a Fund will withhold 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on distributions to foreign shareholders.

**Foreign Taxes**. Investment income and proceeds received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which may entitle a Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or an exemption from taxes on such income or proceeds. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax for a Fund in advance since the amount of the assets to be invested within various countries is not known.

If more than 50% in value of a Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, or if at least 50% of the value of a Fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its taxable year is represented by interests in other RICs, the Fund may elect (the "Foreign Election") to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of foreign income and similar foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by it. If a Fund so elects, each of its shareholders would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, its *pro rata* share of such foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund, but would be treated as having paid its *pro rata* share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various limitations) as a foreign tax credit against U.S. federal income tax (but not both). It is anticipated that each Fund will qualify to make the Foreign Election; however, each Fund cannot be certain that it will be eligible to make such an election or that you will be eligible for the foreign tax credit.

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**DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES *(continued)***

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**Cost Basis Reporting.** The U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") requires mutual fund companies and brokers to report on IRS Form 1099-B the cost basis on the disposition of Fund shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 ("covered shares"). If you acquire and hold shares directly through a Fund and not through a financial intermediary, the Fund will use an average cost single category methodology for tracking and reporting your cost basis on covered shares, unless you request, in writing, another cost basis reporting methodology.

Please see the SAI for further information regarding tax matters.

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**ACCOUNT POLICIES**

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**Account Access** 

Unless your Fund shares are held through a third-party fiduciary or in an omnibus registration at your bank or brokerage firm, you will be able to access your account information over the Internet at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports or via telephone by calling 1-800-992-0180. Should you wish to speak with a Shareholder Services Representative, you may call the toll-free number listed above.

**Privacy Policy** 

Each Fund has adopted a policy concerning investor privacy. To review the privacy policy, contact a Shareholder Services Representative at 1-800-992-0180, obtain a policy over the Internet at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports, or see the privacy promise that accompanies any prospectus obtained by mail.

**Householding** 

To reduce expenses, we may mail only one copy of a Fund's Prospectus and each annual and semi-annual shareholder report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call a Shareholder Services Representative at 1-800-992-0180 or speak to your investment professional. We will begin sending you individual copies 30 days after receiving your request.

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**INDEX DESCRIPTIONS**

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The Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index provides a broad-based measure of global investment-grade debt markets.

The FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index, based on the FTSE Emerging Comprehensive Factor Index, is designed to capture exposure to a broad set of five factors that contribute to emerging equity market performance. These five factors are Low Volatility Momentum, Quality, Size, and Value. The FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index is rebalanced and reconstituted semi-annually in March and September. There were 263 constituents in the FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index as of December 31, 2025.

The MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index<sup>SM</sup> is a free-float adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States.

The MSCI All Country World Index<sup>SM</sup> ("MSCI ACWI") is a free-float adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global developed and emerging markets.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> captures large- and mid-capitalization representation across 24 emerging markets countries and covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

The MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Index captures large- and mid-capitalization representation across 21 developed markets countries around the world, excluding the U.S. and Canada, and covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. The MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Index is provided by MSCI Inc.

The MSCI EAFE<sup>®</sup> Small Cap Index measures the performance of small-capitalization stocks in European, Australasian, and Far Eastern markets.

The MSCI World Value Index<sup>SM</sup> captures large and mid cap securities exhibiting overall value style characteristics across 23 developed markets countries.

The S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index is a float-adjusted index which captures the bottom 15% of companies in the developed markets, based on the cumulative market capitalization of each country, excluding the United States, within the S&P Global Broad Market Index, which covers all publicly listed equities in 47 countries with a float-adjusted market capitalization of U.S. $100 million or greater and a minimum annual trading liquidity of U.S. $50 million.

Bloomberg Index Data Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. BLOOMBERG<sup>®</sup> is a trademark and service mark of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates (collectively "Bloomberg"). Bloomberg or its licensors own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Indices. Bloomberg does not approve or endorse this material, or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, or make any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained therefrom and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, shall not have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection herewith.

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund been developed solely by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Fund is not in any way connected to or sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the "LSE Group"). FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies. All rights in the FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index (the "FTSE Index") vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the FTSE Index. "FTSE<sup>®</sup>", "Russell<sup>®</sup>", and "FTSE Russell<sup>®</sup>" are trademarks of the relevant LSE Group company and are used by any other LSE Group company under license. The FTSE Index is calculated by or on behalf of FTSE International Limited or its affiliate, agent, or partner. The LSE Group does not accept any liability whatsoever to any person arising out of (a) the use of, reliance on, or any error in the FTSE Index or (b) investment in or operation of the Fund. The LSE Group makes no claim, prediction, warranty, or representation either as to the results to be obtained from the Fund or the suitability of the FTSE Index for the purpose to which it is being put by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates.

Certain information contained herein (the "Information") is sourced from/copyright of MSCI Inc., MSCI ESG Research LLC, or their affiliates ("MSCI"), or information providers (together, the "MSCI Parties") and may have been used to calculate scores, signals, or other indicators. The Information is for internal use only and may not be reproduced or disseminated in whole or part without prior written permission. The Information may not be used for, nor does it constitute, an offer to buy or sell, or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial instrument or product, trading strategy, or index, nor should it be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance. Some funds may be based on or linked to MSCI indexes, and MSCI may be compensated based on the fund's assets under management or other measures. MSCI has established an information barrier between index research and certain Information. None of the Information in and of itself can be used to determine which securities to buy or sell or when to buy or

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**INDEX DESCRIPTIONS *(continued)***

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sell them. The Information is provided "as is" and the user assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. No MSCI Party warrants or guarantees the originality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Information and each expressly disclaims all express or implied warranties. No MSCI Party shall have any liability for any errors or omissions in connection with any Information herein, or any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

The S&P Developed ex-U.S. Small Cap Index and associated data are a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, its affiliates and/or their licensors and has been licensed for use by Voya Services Company and certain affiliates.© 2026 S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, its affiliates and/or their licensors. All rights reserved. Redistribution or reproduction in whole or in part are prohibited without written permission of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. For more information on any of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC's indices please visit www.spdji.com. S&P<sup>®</sup> is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("SPFS") and Dow Jones<sup>®</sup> is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones"). Neither S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, SPFS, Dow Jones, their affiliates nor their licensors ("S&P DJI") make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the ability of any index to accurately represent the asset class or market sector that it purports to represent and S&P DJI shall have no liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of any index or the data included therein.

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**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

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The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand a Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects the financial results for a single share. The total returns in the table represent the rate of return that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in a Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions). The information has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, whose report, along with a Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's Form N-CSR, which is available upon request.

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**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS *(continued)***

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Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

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

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Income (loss)** <br>**from** <br>**investment** <br>**operations** | **Income (loss)** <br>**from** <br>**investment** <br>**operations** |  | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** |  |  |  |  | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Supplemental** <br>**data** | **Supplemental** <br>**data** |
|  | Net asset value, beginning <br>of year or period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized <br>gain (loss) | Total from investment <br>operations | From net investment income | From net realized gains | From return of capital | Total distributions | Payment from affiliate | Net asset value, end of year or period | **Total Return**<sup>(1)</sup> | Expenses before <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Expenses, net of fee waivers <br>and/or recoupments, if any<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Expenses net of all <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Net investment income <br>(loss)<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Net assets, end of year or period | Portfolio turnover rate |
| Year or Period ended | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | **(%)** | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ($000's) | (%) |
| **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** |
| **Class A** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.26 | 0.30<sup>•</sup> | 0.12 | 0.42 | 0.33 |  |  | 0.33 |  | 7.35 | **5.88** | 1.12 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 4.12 | 18971 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.81 | 0.29<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.48 | 0.77 | 0.31 |  | 0.01 | 0.32 |  | 7.26 | **11.35** | 1.11 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 4.00 | 19298 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 6.98 | 0.25<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.13) | 0.12 | 0.21 |  | 0.08 | 0.29 |  | 6.81 | **1.51** | 1.09 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 3.47 | 20493 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.34 | 0.17<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.21) | (2.04) | 0.00\* |  | 0.32 | 0.32 |  | 6.98 | **(22.22)** | 1.05 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 2.04 | 23251 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.77 | 0.18<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.19) | (0.01) | 0.04 |  | 0.38 | 0.42 |  | 9.34 | **(0.18)** | 1.02 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 1.90 | 34657 | 191 |
| **Class C** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.23 | 0.24<sup>•</sup> | 0.12 | 0.36 | 0.27 |  |  | 0.27 |  | 7.32 | **5.09** | 1.87 | 1.65 | 1.65 | 3.36 | 558 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.78 | 0.24<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.47 | 0.71 | 0.25 |  | 0.01 | 0.26 |  | 7.23 | **10.58** | 1.86 | 1.65 | 1.65 | 3.25 | 635 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 6.95 | 0.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.13) | 0.06 | 0.15 |  | 0.08 | 0.23 |  | 6.78 | **0.68** | 1.84 | 1.65 | 1.65 | 2.69 | 615 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.29 | 0.10<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.18) | (2.08) | 0.00\* |  | 0.26 | 0.26 |  | 6.95 | **(22.73)** | 1.80 | 1.65 | 1.65 | 1.27 | 1139 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.71 | 0.11<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.18) | (0.07) | 0.03 |  | 0.32 | 0.35 |  | 9.29 | **(0.85)** | 1.77 | 1.65 | 1.65 | 1.18 | 3262 | 191 |
| **Class I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.23 | 0.31<sup>•</sup> | 0.12 | 0.43 | 0.34 |  |  | 0.34 |  | 7.32 | **6.14** | 0.80 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.32 | 69401 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.78 | 0.31<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.48 | 0.79 | 0.33 |  | 0.01 | 0.34 |  | 7.23 | **11.69** | 0.76 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.25 | 113001 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 6.95 | 0.27<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.14) | 0.13 | 0.22 |  | 0.08 | 0.30 |  | 6.78 | **1.68** | 0.73 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 3.75 | 117805 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.29 | 0.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.19) | (2.00) | 0.00\* |  | 0.34 | 0.34 |  | 6.95 | **(21.94)** | 0.71 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 2.29 | 107231 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.72 | 0.20<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.19) | 0.01 | 0.04 |  | 0.40 | 0.44 |  | 9.29 | **0.05** | 0.67 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 2.05 | 160932 | 191 |
| **Class R** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.28 | 0.28<sup>•</sup> | 0.12 | 0.40 | 0.31 |  |  | 0.31 |  | 7.37 | **5.61** | 1.37 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 3.86 | 4029 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.83 | 0.27<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.48 | 0.75 | 0.29 |  | 0.01 | 0.30 |  | 7.28 | **11.08** | 1.36 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 3.75 | 4685 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 7.00 | 0.24<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.15) | 0.09 | 0.19 |  | 0.08 | 0.27 |  | 6.83 | **1.18** | 1.34 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 3.23 | 4303 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.35 | 0.15<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.21) | (2.06) | 0.00\* |  | 0.29 | 0.29 |  | 7.00 | **(22.39)** | 1.30 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.79 | 4449 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.77 | 0.16<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.20) | (0.04) | 0.03 |  | 0.35 | 0.38 |  | 9.35 | **(0.44)** | 1.27 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.65 | 6170 | 191 |
| **Class R6** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.25 | 0.31<sup>•</sup> | 0.13 | 0.44 | 0.35 |  |  | 0.35 |  | 7.34 | **6.17** | 0.69 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.31 | 8727 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.80 | 0.31<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.48 | 0.79 | 0.33 |  | 0.01 | 0.34 |  | 7.25 | **11.70** | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.26 | 13378 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 6.97 | 0.27<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.14) | 0.13 | 0.23 |  | 0.08 | 0.31 |  | 6.80 | **1.72** | 0.65 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 3.73 | 80638 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.32 | 0.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.19) | (2.00) | 0.00\* |  | 0.35 | 0.35 |  | 6.97 | **(21.94)** | 0.62 | 0.62 | 0.62 | 2.32 | 76691 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.75 | 0.21<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.20) | 0.01 | 0.04 |  | 0.40 | 0.44 |  | 9.32 | **0.08** | 0.61 | 0.61 | 0.61 | 2.19 | 103575 | 191 |
| **Class W** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 7.14 | 0.31<sup>•</sup> | 0.12 | 0.43 | 0.34 |  |  | 0.34 |  | 7.23 | **6.16** | 0.87 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.37 | 33755 | 128 |
| 10-31-24 | 6.70 | 0.30<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.47 | 0.77 | 0.32 |  | 0.01 | 0.33 |  | 7.14 | **11.62** | 0.86 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 4.25 | 36399 | 177 |
| 10-31-23 | 6.86 | 0.27<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.14) | 0.13 | 0.22 |  | 0.08 | 0.30 |  | 6.70 | **1.78** | 0.84 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 3.73 | 58313 | 292 |
| 10-31-22 | 9.17 | 0.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (2.17) | (1.98) | 0.00\* |  | 0.33 | 0.33 |  | 6.86 | **(22.04)** | 0.80 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 2.30 | 53389 | 218 |
| 10-31-21 | 9.57 | 0.21<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.18) | 0.03 | 0.04 |  | 0.39 | 0.43 |  | 9.17 | **0.18** | 0.77 | 0.65 | 0.65 | 2.19 | 90343 | 191  |

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See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

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**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS *(continued)***

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Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** |  | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** |  |  |  |  | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** |
|  | Net asset value, beginning <br>of year or period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized <br>gain (loss) | Total from investment <br>operations | From net investment income | From net realized gains | From return of capital | Total distributions | Payment from affiliate | Net asset value, end of year or period | **Total Return**<sup>(1)</sup> | Expenses before <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses, net of fee waivers <br>and/or recoupments, if any<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses net of all <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net investment income <br>(loss)<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net assets, end of year or period | Portfolio turnover rate |
| Year or Period ended | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | **(%)** | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ($000's) | (%) |
| **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** |
| **Class A** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 45.84 | 1.10<sup>•</sup> | 4.69 | 5.79 | 1.08 |  |  | 1.08 |  | 50.55 | **12.72** | 0.97 | 0.85 | 0.85 | 2.25 | 223215 | 71 |
| 10-31-24 | 37.74 | 1.02<sup>•</sup> <br>| 8.17 | 9.19 | 1.09 |  |  | 1.09 |  | 45.84 | **24.55** | 0.99 | 0.86 | 0.86 | 2.37 | 214850 | 70 |
| 10-31-23 | 38.32 | 1.08<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.34) | 0.74 | 1.32 |  |  | 1.32 |  | 37.74 | **1.84** | 0.97 | 0.85 | 0.85 | 2.74 | 190280 | 69 |
| 10-31-22 | 41.58 | 1.23<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.53) | (2.30) | 0.96 |  |  | 0.96 |  | 38.32 | **(5.56)** | 1.00 | 0.85 | 0.85 | 3.06 | 205989 | 67 |
| 10-31-21 | 32.14 | 0.82<sup>•</sup> <br>| 9.46 | 10.28 | 0.84 |  |  | 0.84 |  | 41.58 | **32.16** | 1.01 | 0.85 | 0.85 | 2.10 | 230663 | 75 |
| **Class C** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 42.31 | 0.67<sup>•</sup> | 4.32 | 4.99 | 0.78 |  |  | 0.78 |  | 46.52 | **11.84** | 1.72 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.50 | 2035 | 71 |
| 10-31-24 | 34.87 | 0.65<sup>•</sup> <br>| 7.55 | 8.20 | 0.76 |  |  | 0.76 |  | 42.31 | **23.67** | 1.74 | 1.61 | 1.61 | 1.64 | 2158 | 70 |
| 10-31-23 | 35.51 | 0.73<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.32) | 0.41 | 1.05 |  |  | 1.05 |  | 34.87 | **1.06** | 1.72 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.99 | 3099 | 69 |
| 10-31-22 | 38.61 | 0.84<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.25) | (2.41) | 0.69 |  |  | 0.69 |  | 35.51 | **(6.28)** | 1.75 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 2.25 | 4208 | 67 |
| 10-31-21 | 29.90 | 0.48<sup>•</sup> <br>| 8.81 | 9.29 | 0.58 |  |  | 0.58 |  | 38.61 | **31.17** | 1.76 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.33 | 6174 | 75 |
| **Class I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 46.32 | 1.23<sup>•</sup> | 4.73 | 5.96 | 1.19 |  |  | 1.19 |  | 51.09 | **12.97** | 0.65 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.50 | 33692 | 71 |
| 10-31-24 | 38.11 | 1.12<sup>•</sup> <br>| 8.28 | 9.40 | 1.19 |  |  | 1.19 |  | 46.32 | **24.90** | 0.64 | 0.61 | 0.61 | 2.59 | 31022 | 70 |
| 10-31-23 | 38.68 | 1.20<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.35) | 0.85 | 1.42 |  |  | 1.42 |  | 38.11 | **2.10** | 0.62 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.99 | 42281 | 69 |
| 10-31-22 | 41.96 | 1.37<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.59) | (2.22) | 1.06 |  |  | 1.06 |  | 38.68 | **(5.33)** | 0.65 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 3.36 | 44628 | 67 |
| 10-31-21 | 32.43 | 0.93<sup>•</sup> <br>| 9.54 | 10.47 | 0.94 |  |  | 0.94 |  | 41.96 | **32.47** | 0.67 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.36 | 58145 | 75 |
| **Class R6** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 46.29 | 1.25<sup>•</sup> | 4.73 | 5.98 | 1.21 |  |  | 1.21 |  | 51.06 | **13.01** | 0.63 | 0.57 | 0.57 | 2.53 | 163 | 71 |
| 10-31-24 | 38.09 | 1.15<sup>•</sup> <br>| 8.26 | 9.41 | 1.21 |  |  | 1.21 |  | 46.29 | **24.94** | 0.64 | 0.58 | 0.58 | 2.64 | 143 | 70 |
| 10-31-23 | 38.66 | 1.20<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.34) | 0.86 | 1.43 |  |  | 1.43 |  | 38.09 | **2.12** | 0.68 | 0.57 | 0.57 | 3.00 | 102 | 69 |
| 10-31-22 | 41.94 | 1.35<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.56) | (2.21) | 1.07 |  |  | 1.07 |  | 38.66 | **(5.30)** | 0.63 | 0.57 | 0.57 | 3.33 | 118 | 67 |
| 10-31-21 | 32.41 | 1.01<sup>•</sup> <br>| 9.48 | 10.49 | 0.96 |  |  | 0.96 |  | 41.94 | **32.57** | 1.27 | 0.57 | 0.57 | 2.49 | 126 | 75 |
| **Class W** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 46.27 | 1.23<sup>•</sup> | 4.74 | 5.97 | 1.19 |  |  | 1.19 |  | 51.05 | **13.00** | 0.72 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.48 | 4081 | 71 |
| 10-31-24 | 38.08 | 1.14<sup>•</sup> <br>| 8.25 | 9.39 | 1.20 |  |  | 1.20 |  | 46.27 | **24.87** | 0.74 | 0.61 | 0.61 | 2.62 | 3417 | 70 |
| 10-31-23 | 38.65 | 1.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.34) | 0.85 | 1.42 |  |  | 1.42 |  | 38.08 | **2.10** | 0.72 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.99 | 3017 | 69 |
| 10-31-22 | 41.93 | 1.35<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.57) | (2.22) | 1.06 |  |  | 1.06 |  | 38.65 | **(5.33)** | 0.75 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 3.33 | 3266 | 67 |
| 10-31-21 | 32.40 | 0.92<sup>•</sup> <br>| 9.55 | 10.47 | 0.94 |  |  | 0.94 |  | 41.93 | **32.51** | 0.76 | 0.60 | 0.60 | 2.35 | 3745 | 75 |
| **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** |
| **Class A** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.11 | 0.11<sup>•</sup> | 3.23 | 3.34 | 0.40 |  |  | 0.40 |  | 13.05 | **34.37** | 1.65 | 1.47 | 1.47 | 1.07 | 18152 | 51 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.59 | 0.11<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.57 | 1.68 | 0.16 |  |  | 0.16 |  | 10.11 | **19.76** | 1.75 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.14 | 15491 | 37 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.00 | 0.14<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.81 | 0.95 | 0.36 |  |  | 0.36 |  | 8.59 | **11.94** | 1.76 | 1.51 | 1.51 | 1.52 | 14328 | 85 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.39 | 0.16<sup>•</sup> <br>| (4.31) | (4.15) | 0.24 | 2.00 |  | 2.24 |  | 8.00 | **(33.68)** | 1.69 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.60 | 14138 | 53 |
| 10-31-21 | 13.00 | 0.05<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.87 | 1.92 | 0.09 | 0.44 |  | 0.53 |  | 14.39 | **14.76** | 1.64 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 0.36 | 24177 | 59  |

---

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

------

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS *(continued)***

------

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

---

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** |  | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** |  |  |  |  | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** |
|  | Net asset value, beginning <br>of year or period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized <br>gain (loss) | Total from investment <br>operations | From net investment income | From net realized gains | From return of capital | Total distributions | Payment from affiliate | Net asset value, end of year or period | **Total Return**<sup>(1)</sup> | Expenses before <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses, net of fee waivers <br>and/or recoupments, if any<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses net of all <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net investment income <br>(loss)<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net assets, end of year or period | Portfolio turnover rate |
| Year or Period ended | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | **(%)** | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ($000's) | (%) |
| **Class C** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.07 | 0.04<sup>•</sup> | 3.21 | 3.25 | 0.35 |  |  | 0.35 |  | 12.97 | **33.41** | 2.40 | 2.22 | 2.22 | 0.35 | 168 | 51 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.54 | 0.03<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.57 | 1.60 | 0.07 |  |  | 0.07 |  | 10.07 | **18.85** | 2.50 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 0.31 | 178 | 37 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.00 | 0.07<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.83 | 0.90 | 0.36 |  |  | 0.36 |  | 8.54 | **11.23** | 2.51 | 2.26 | 2.26 | 0.80 | 108 | 85 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.26 | 0.09<sup>•</sup> <br>| (4.33) | (4.24) | 0.02 | 2.00 |  | 2.02 |  | 8.00 | **(34.24)** | 2.44 | 2.25 | 2.25 | 0.85 | 158 | 53 |
| 10-31-21 | 12.90 | (0.05)<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.85 | 1.80 |  | 0.44 |  | 0.44 |  | 14.26 | **13.94** | 2.39 | 2.25 | 2.25 | (0.37) | 487 | 59 |
| **Class I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.19 | 0.15<sup>•</sup> | 3.23 | 3.38 | 0.43 |  |  | 0.43 |  | 13.14 | **34.71** | 1.20 | 1.12 | 1.12 | 1.44 | 185544 | 51 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.65 | 0.15<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.58 | 1.73 | 0.19 |  |  | 0.19 |  | 10.19 | **20.30** | 1.25 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.49 | 161705 | 37 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.03 | 0.17<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.81 | 0.98 | 0.36 |  |  | 0.36 |  | 8.65 | **12.31** | 1.21 | 1.16 | 1.16 | 1.92 | 192678 | 85 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.45 | 0.20<sup>•</sup> <br>| (4.32) | (4.12) | 0.30 | 2.00 |  | 2.30 |  | 8.03 | **(33.46)** | 1.20 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 1.94 | 148389 | 53 |
| 10-31-21 | 13.04 | 0.12<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.86 | 1.98 | 0.13 | 0.44 |  | 0.57 |  | 14.45 | **15.23** | 1.18 | 1.15 | 1.15 | 0.80 | 245082 | 59 |
| **Class R** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.13 | 0.09<sup>•</sup> | 3.24 | 3.33 | 0.38 |  |  | 0.38 |  | 13.08 | **34.12** | 1.90 | 1.72 | 1.72 | 0.81 | 95 | 51 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.61 | 0.09<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.57 | 1.66 | 0.14 |  |  | 0.14 |  | 10.13 | **19.46** | 2.00 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 0.90 | 72 | 37 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.03 | 0.12<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.82 | 0.94 | 0.36 |  |  | 0.36 |  | 8.61 | **11.74** | 2.01 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.29 | 55 | 85 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.44 | 0.13<sup>•</sup> <br>| (4.33) | (4.20) | 0.21 | 2.00 |  | 2.21 |  | 8.03 | **(33.89)** | 1.94 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 1.30 | 42 | 53 |
| 10-31-21 | 12.99 | 0.02<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.87 | 1.89 |  | 0.44 |  | 0.44 |  | 14.44 | **14.55** | 1.89 | 1.75 | 1.75 | 0.15 | 51 | 59 |
| **Class W** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.15 | 0.14<sup>•</sup> | 3.23 | 3.37 | 0.42 |  |  | 0.42 |  | 13.10 | **34.70** | 1.40 | 1.22 | 1.22 | 1.35 | 25835 | 51 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.61 | 0.13<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.59 | 1.72 | 0.18 |  |  | 0.18 |  | 10.15 | **20.19** | 1.50 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.35 | 25049 | 37 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.00 | 0.14<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.83 | 0.97 | 0.36 |  |  | 0.36 |  | 8.61 | **12.22** | 1.51 | 1.26 | 1.26 | 1.57 | 13804 | 85 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.41 | 0.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| (4.32) | (4.13) | 0.28 | 2.00 |  | 2.28 |  | 8.00 | **(33.56)** | 1.44 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 1.84 | 37408 | 53 |
| 10-31-21 | 13.00 | 0.10<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.87 | 1.97 | 0.12 | 0.44 |  | 0.56 |  | 14.41 | **15.15** | 1.39 | 1.25 | 1.25 | 0.64 | 65102 | 59 |
| **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** |
| **Class I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 10.66 | 0.22<sup>•</sup> | 1.90 | 2.12 | 0.19 |  |  | 0.19 |  | 12.59 | **20.19** | 0.93 | 0.88 | 0.88 | 1.93 | 568344 | 96 |
| 10-31-24 | 8.87 | 0.18<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.79 | 1.97 | 0.18 |  |  | 0.18 |  | 10.66 | **22.42** | 0.93 | 0.89 | 0.89 | 1.76 | 494945 | 85 |
| 10-31-23 | 8.04 | 0.14<sup>•</sup> <br>| 0.80 | 0.94 | 0.11 |  |  | 0.11 |  | 8.87 | **11.65** | 0.94 | 0.90 | 0.90 | 1.45 | 263681 | 49 |
| 10-31-22 | 14.24 | 0.12<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.69) | (3.57) | 0.20 | 2.43 |  | 2.63 |  | 8.04 | **(30.30)** | 0.94 | 0.93 | 0.93 | 1.16 | 301161 | 63 |
| 10-31-21 | 11.35 | 0.12<sup>•</sup> <br>| 3.31 | 3.43 | 0.12 | 0.42 |  | 0.54 |  | 14.24 | **30.69** | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.87 | 554017 | 49 |
| **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** |
| **Class A** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 61.14 | 0.93<sup>•</sup> | 16.64 | 17.57 | 1.36 |  |  | 1.36 |  | 77.35 | **29.38** | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 1.39 | 63251 | 77 |
| 10-31-24 | 49.96 | 0.82<sup>•</sup> <br>| 11.30 | 12.12 | 0.94 |  |  | 0.94 |  | 61.14 | **24.53** | 1.60 | 1.54 | 1.54 | 1.40 | 53341 | 85 |
| 10-31-23 | 46.91 | 0.80<sup>•</sup> <br>| 3.40 | 4.20 | 1.15 |  |  | 1.15 |  | 49.96 | **8.93** | 1.57 | 1.53 | 1.53 | 1.51 | 44397 | 90 |
| 10-31-22 | 72.04 | 1.02<sup>•</sup> <br>| (18.33) | (17.31) | 0.97 | 6.85 |  | 7.82 |  | 46.91 | **(26.58)** | 1.57 | 1.53 | 1.53 | 1.82 | 44707 | 72 |
| 10-31-21 | 52.86 | 0.55<sup>•</sup> <br>| 19.43 | 19.98 | 0.80 |  |  | 0.80 |  | 72.04 | **38.09** | 1.60 | 1.53 | 1.53 | 0.81 | 65656 | 79  |

---

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

------

**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS *(continued)***

------

Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

---

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** | **Income (loss)**<br> **from** <br> **investment**<br> **operations** |  | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** |  |  |  |  | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** | **Supplemental**<br> **data** |
|  | Net asset value, beginning <br>of year or period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized <br>gain (loss) | Total from investment <br>operations | From net investment income | From net realized gains | From return of capital | Total distributions | Payment from affiliate | Net asset value, end of year or period | **Total Return**<sup>(1)</sup> | Expenses before <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses, net of fee waivers <br>and/or recoupments, if any<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Expenses net of all <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net investment income <br>(loss)<sup>(2)(3)</sup> | Net assets, end of year or period | Portfolio turnover rate |
| Year or Period ended | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | **(%)** | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ($000's) | (%) |
| **Class C** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 54.72 | 0.40<sup>•</sup> | 14.88 | 15.28 | 0.97 |  |  | 0.97 |  | 69.03 | **28.43** | 2.27 | 2.27 | 2.27 | 0.66 | 2738 | 77 |
| 10-31-24 | 44.84 | 0.34<sup>•</sup> <br>| 10.16 | 10.50 | 0.62 |  |  | 0.62 |  | 54.72 | **23.60** | 2.35 | 2.29 | 2.29 | 0.65 | 2469 | 85 |
| 10-31-23 | 42.49 | 0.36<sup>•</sup> <br>| 3.12 | 3.48 | 1.13 |  |  | 1.13 |  | 44.84 | **8.15** | 2.32 | 2.28 | 2.28 | 0.74 | 2139 | 90 |
| 10-31-22 | 66.20 | 0.57<sup>•</sup> <br>| (16.72) | (16.15) | 0.71 | 6.85 |  | 7.56 |  | 42.49 | **(27.12)** | 2.32 | 2.28 | 2.28 | 1.13 | 2217 | 72 |
| 10-31-21 | 48.57 | 0.02<sup>•</sup> <br>| 17.93 | 17.95 | 0.32 |  |  | 0.32 |  | 66.20 | **37.07** | 2.35 | 2.28 | 2.28 | 0.03 | 2864 | 79 |
| **Class I** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 61.07 | 1.14<sup>•</sup> | 16.60 | 17.74 | 1.55 |  |  | 1.55 |  | 77.26 | **29.81** | 1.26 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.69 | 337483 | 77 |
| 10-31-24 | 49.92 | 1.02<sup>•</sup> <br>| 11.26 | 12.28 | 1.13 |  |  | 1.13 |  | 61.07 | **24.93** | 1.35 | 1.21 | 1.21 | 1.75 | 200776 | 85 |
| 10-31-23 | 46.73 | 1.00<sup>•</sup> <br>| 3.35 | 4.35 | 1.16 |  |  | 1.16 |  | 49.92 | **9.30** | 1.33 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.89 | 165079 | 90 |
| 10-31-22 | 71.82 | 1.23<sup>•</sup> <br>| (18.27) | (17.04) | 1.20 | 6.85 |  | 8.05 |  | 46.73 | **(26.33)** | 1.29 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 2.25 | 126178 | 72 |
| 10-31-21 | 52.68 | 0.78<sup>•</sup> <br>| 19.34 | 20.12 | 0.98 |  |  | 0.98 |  | 71.82 | **38.54** | 1.30 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.14 | 121433 | 79 |
| **Class R6** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 61.10 | 1.34<sup>•</sup> | 16.42 | 17.76 | 1.56 |  |  | 1.56 |  | 77.30 | **29.82** | 1.17 | 1.17 | 1.17 | 1.96 | 836 | 77 |
| 10-31-24 | 49.94 | 1.03<sup>•</sup> <br>| 11.27 | 12.30 | 1.14 |  |  | 1.14 |  | 61.10 | **24.96** | 2.06 | 1.21 | 1.21 | 1.67 | 107 | 85 |
| 2-28-23 - 10-31-23<sup>(4)</sup> <br>| 53.20 | 0.70<sup>•</sup> <br>| (3.96) | (3.26) |  |  |  |  |  | 49.94 | **(6.13)** | 2.41 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.93 | 3 | 90 |
| **Class W** |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| 10-31-25 | 78.52 | 1.42<sup>•</sup> | 21.48 | 22.90 | 1.49 |  |  | 1.49 |  | 99.93 | **29.73** | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.27 | 1.65 | 30220 | 77 |
| 10-31-24 | 63.88 | 1.22<sup>•</sup> <br>| 14.49 | 15.71 | 1.07 |  |  | 1.07 |  | 78.52 | **24.82** | 1.35 | 1.29 | 1.29 | 1.63 | 25757 | 85 |
| 10-31-23 | 59.54 | 1.19<sup>•</sup> <br>| 4.30 | 5.49 | 1.15 |  |  | 1.15 |  | 63.88 | **9.22** | 1.32 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 1.75 | 24940 | 90 |
| 10-31-22 | 89.20 | 1.47<sup>•</sup> <br>| (23.16) | (21.69) | 1.12 | 6.85 |  | 7.97 |  | 59.54 | **(26.40)** | 1.32 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 2.07 | 24831 | 72 |
| 10-31-21 | 65.22 | 0.89<sup>•</sup> <br>| 24.00 | 24.89 | 0.91 |  |  | 0.91 |  | 89.20 | **38.44** | 1.35 | 1.28 | 1.28 | 1.06 | 34019 | 79 |

---

See Accompanying Notes to Financial Highlights

------

**ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

------

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

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions, and return of capital distributions, if any, at net asset value and excluding the deduction of sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, if applicable. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.

(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.

(3) Ratios reflect operating expenses of a Fund. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed or recouped by the Investment Adviser and/or the Distributor or reductions from brokerage service arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by a Fund during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser and/or the Distributor or recoupment of previously reimbursed fees by the Investment Adviser, but prior to reductions from brokerage service arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by a Fund. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.

(4) Commencement of operations.

• Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the year or period.

\*

Amount is less than $0.005 or 0.005% or more than $(0.005) or (0.005)%.

------

**APPENDIX A**

------

**Financial Intermediary Specific Sales Charge Waiver and Related Discount Policy Information** 

As described in this Prospectus, Class A shares may be subject to an initial sales charge and both Class A and Class C shares may charge a CDSC. Certain financial intermediaries may impose different initial sales charges or waive the initial sales charge or CDSC in certain circumstances. This Appendix details the variations in sales charge waivers by financial intermediary. You should consult your financial representative for assistance in determining whether you may qualify for a particular sales charge waiver.

**AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL** 

**Front-End Sales Charge Reductions on Class A Shares Purchased Through Ameriprise Financial** 

Shareholders purchasing Class A shares of the Fund through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible only for the following sales charge reductions, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI. Such shareholders can reduce their initial sales charge on the purchase of Class A shares as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Transaction size breakpoints, as described in this Prospectus or the SAI.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Rights of accumulation ("ROA"), as described in this Prospectus or the SAI.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Letter of intent, as described in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Purchased Through Ameriprise Financial** 

Shareholders purchasing Class A shares of the Fund through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible only for the following front-end sales charge waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI: Such shareholders may purchase Class A shares at NAV without payment of a front-end sales charge as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by employer-sponsored retirement plans (*e.g*., 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans). For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the same fund family).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares exchanged from Class C shares of the same fund in the month of or following the 7-year anniversary of the purchase date. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to such shares following a shorter holding period, that waiver will apply to exchanges following such shorter period. To the extent that this Prospectus elsewhere provides for a waiver with respect to the exchanges of Class C shares for load waived shares, that waiver will also apply to such exchanges.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Ameriprise Financial or its affiliates and their immediate family members.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by or through qualified accounts (including IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, 401(k)s, 403(b) TSCAs subject to ERISA and defined benefit plans) that are held by a covered family member, defined as an Ameriprise Financial advisor and/or the advisor's spouse, advisor's lineal ascendant (mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, great grandmother, great grandfather), advisor's lineal descendant (son, step-son, daughter, step-daughter, grandson, granddaughter, great grandson, great granddaughter) or any spouse of a covered family member who is a lineal descendant.

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

**CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares Purchased Through Ameriprise Financial** 

Fund shares purchased through an Ameriprise Financial platform or account are eligible only for the following CDSC waivers, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions due to death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus or the SAI.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions made in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through a Right of Reinstatement (as defined above).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions made as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code.

**ROBERT W. BAIRD & CO. INC. ("BAIRD")** 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Baird platform or account will only be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Baird** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Baird or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Baird.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased within 90 days following a redemption from a Voya fund, provided (1) the redemption and purchase occur within the purchaser's Baird household, and (2) the redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales charge (known as Rights of Reinstatement).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares of the same Fund if the shares are no longer subject to CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of Baird.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employer-sponsored retirement plans or charitable accounts in a transactional brokerage account at Baird, including 401(k) plans, 457 plans, employer-sponsored 403(b) plans, profit sharing and money purchase pension plans and defined benefit plans. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs or SAR-SEPs.

**CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available at Baird** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold due to death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares bought due to returns of excess contributions from an IRA account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching the qualified age based on applicable IRS regulations as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold to pay Baird fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Baird.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at Baird: Breakpoints and/or Rights of Accumulations ("ROA")** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA which entitles shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of Voya assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at Baird. Eligible Voya assets not held at Baird may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Letters of Intent ("LOI") allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases of Voya through Baird, over a 13-month period of time.

**D.A. DAVIDSON & CO. ("D.A. DAVIDSON")** 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares, including existing Fund shareholders, through a D.A. Davidson platform or account, or through an introducing broker-dealer or independent registered investment advisor for which D.A. Davidson provides trade execution, clearance, and/or custody services, will be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at D.A. Davidson** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employees and registered representatives of D.A. Davidson or its affiliates and their family members as designated by D.A. Davidson.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund after 6 years from the date of first purchase of the Class C shares and if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is consistent with D.A. Davidson's policies and procedures.

**CDSC Waivers on Class A and Class C Shares Available at D.A. Davidson** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA or other qualifying retirement accounts pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**Front-End Sales Charge Discounts Available at D.A. Davidson: Breakpoints, ROA and/or LOI** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at D.A. Davidson. Eligible fund family assets not held at D.A. Davidson may be included in the calculation of ROA only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• LOI which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, over a 13-month time period. Eligible fund family assets not held at D.A. Davidson may be included in the calculation of LOI only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets.

**EDWARD D. JONES & CO., L.P. ("EDWARD JONES")** 

**Policies Regarding Transactions Through Edward Jones** 

The following information has been provided by Edward Jones:

The following information supersedes prior information with respect to transactions and positions held in Fund shares through an Edward Jones system. Clients of Edward Jones (also referred to as "shareholders") purchasing Fund shares on the Edward Jones commission and fee-based platforms are eligible only for the following sales charge discounts (also referred to as "breakpoints") and waivers, which can differ from discounts and waivers described elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI or through another broker-dealer. In all instances, it is the shareholder's responsibility to inform Edward Jones at the time of purchase of any relationship, holdings of Voya funds and Voya 529 Plans, or other facts qualifying the purchaser for discounts or waivers. Edward Jones can ask for documentation of such circumstance. Shareholders should contact Edward Jones if they have questions regarding their eligibility for these discounts and waivers.

**Breakpoints** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoint pricing, otherwise known as volume pricing, will be at dollar thresholds as described in this Prospectus.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

*ROA* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The applicable sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares is determined by taking into account all share classes (except certain money market funds and any assets held in group retirement plans) of the Voya funds and Voya 529 Plans held by the shareholder or in an account grouped by Edward Jones with other accounts for the purpose of providing certain pricing considerations ("pricing groups"). If grouping assets as a shareholder, this includes all share classes held on the Edward Jones platform and/or held on another platform. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the ROA calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Money market funds are included only if such shares were sold with a sales charge at the time of purchase or acquired in exchange for shares purchased with a sales charge.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA is determined by calculating the higher of cost minus redemptions or market value (current shares x NAV).

*LOI* 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Through a LOI, shareholders can receive the sales charge and breakpoint discounts for purchases shareholders intend to make over a 13-month period from the date Edward Jones receives the LOI. The LOI is determined by calculating the higher of cost or market value of qualifying holdings at LOI initiation in combination with the value that the shareholder intends to buy over a 13-month period to calculate the front-end sales charge and any breakpoint discounts. Each purchase the shareholder makes during that 13-month period will receive the sales charge and breakpoint discount that applies to the total amount. The inclusion of eligible fund family assets in the LOI calculation is dependent on the shareholder notifying Edward Jones of such assets at the time of calculation. Purchases made before the LOI is received by Edward Jones are not adjusted under the LOI and will not reduce the sales charge previously paid. Sales charges will be adjusted if LOI is not met.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the employer maintaining a SEP IRA plan and/or SIMPLE IRA plan has elected to establish or change ROA for the IRAs associated with the plan to a plan-level grouping, LOIs will also be at the plan-level and may only be established by the employer.

**Sales Charge Waivers** 

Sales charges are waived for the following shareholders and in the following situations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Associates of Edward Jones and its affiliates and other accounts in the same pricing group (as determined by Edward Jones under its policies and procedures) as the associate. This waiver will continue for the remainder of the associate's life if the associate retires from Edward Jones in good-standing and remains in good standing pursuant to Edward Jones' policies and procedures.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased in an Edward Jones fee-based program.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased from the proceeds of redeemed shares of the same fund family so long as the following conditions are met: the proceeds are from the sale of shares within 60 days of the purchase, and the sale and purchase are made from a share class that charges a front-end sales charge ("Right of Reinstatement"). The Right of Reinstatement excludes systematic or automatic transactions including, but not limited to, purchases made through payroll deductions. In addition, one of the following conditions must be met:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;○ The redemption and repurchase occur in the same account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;○ The redemption proceeds are used to process an: IRA contribution, excess contributions, conversion, recharacterizing of contributions, or distribution, and the repurchase is done in an account within the same Edward Jones grouping for ROA.

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

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Exchanges from Class C shares to Class A shares of the same fund, generally, in the 84th month following the anniversary of the purchase date or earlier at the discretion of Edward Jones.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases of Class 529-A shares through a rollover from either another education savings plan or a security used for qualified distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases of Class 529 shares made for recontribution of refunded amounts.

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

If the shareholder purchases shares that are subject to a CDSC and those shares are redeemed before the CDSC is expired, the shareholder is responsible to pay the CDSC except in the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Systematic withdrawals with up to 10% per year of the account value.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares redeemed as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts if the redemption is taken in or after the year the shareholder reaches qualified age based on applicable U.S. Treasury regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares redeemed to pay Edward Jones fees or costs in such cases where the transaction is initiated by Edward Jones.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares exchanged in an Edward Jones fee-based program.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through NAV reinstatement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares redeemed at the discretion of Edward Jones for Minimums Balances, as described below.

**Other Important Information Regarding Transactions Through Edward Jones** 

**Minimum Purchase Amounts** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Initial purchase minimum: $250

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Subsequent purchase minimum: none

**Minimum Balances** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Edward Jones has the right to redeem at its discretion Fund holdings with a balance of $250 or less. The following are examples of accounts that are not included in this policy:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;○ A fee-based account held on an Edward Jones platform

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;○ A 529 account held on an Edward Jones platform

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;○ An account with an active systematic investment plan or LOI

**Exchanging Share Classes** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• At any time it deems necessary, Edward Jones has the authority to exchange at NAV a shareholder's holdings in a Fund to Class A shares of the same Fund.

**E\*TRADE FRONT-END SALES CHARGE WAIVER** 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an E\*TRADE brokerage account will be eligible for a waiver of the front-end sales charge with respect to Class A shares (or the equivalent). This includes shares purchased through the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions.

**JANNEY MONTGOMERY SCOTT LLC ("Janney")** 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through a Janney account will be eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Janney** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of Janney or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Janney.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Class C shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same Fund pursuant to Janney's policies and procedures.

**Sales Charge Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available at Janney** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold to pay Janney fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Janney.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**Front-End Load Discounts Available at Janney: Breakpoints, and/or Rights of Accumulation** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

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

**J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC ("JPMorgan")** 

If you purchase or hold Fund shares through an applicable JPMorgan brokerage account, you will be eligible for the following sales charge waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and CDSC, or back-end sales charge, waivers), share class conversion policy and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at JPMorgan** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares exchanged from Class C (*i.e.,* level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a CDSC and are exchanged into Class A shares of the same Fund pursuant to JPMorgan's share class exchange policy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Qualified employer-sponsored defined contribution and defined benefit retirement plans, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, other employee benefit plans and trusts used to fund those plans. For purposes of this provision, such plans do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, SAR-SEPs or 501(c)(3) accounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares of Funds purchased through JPMorgan Self-Directed Investing accounts.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through rights of reinstatement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by employees and registered representatives of JPMorgan or its affiliates and their spouse or financial dependent as defined by JPMorgan.

**Class C to Class A Share Conversion** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the same Fund if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is consistent with JPMorgan's policies and procedures.

**CDSC Waivers on Class A and C Shares Available at JPMorgan** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold upon the death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased in connection with a return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts pursuant to the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a Right of Reinstatement.

**Front-End Load Discounts Available at JPMorgan: Breakpoints, ROA & LOI** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts as described in this Prospectus will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at JPMorgan. Eligible fund family assets not held at JPMorgan (including 529 program holdings, where applicable) may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies their financial advisor about such assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• LOI which allow for breakpoint discounts based on anticipated purchases within a fund family, through JPMorgan, over a 13-month period of time (if applicable).

**MERRILL LYNCH ("Merrill")** 

Purchases or sales of front-end (*i.e*. Class A) or level-load (*i.e*., Class C) mutual fund shares through a Merrill platform or account will be eligible only for the following sales load waivers (front-end, contingent deferred, or back-end waivers) and discounts, which differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Fund's Prospectus. Purchasers will have to buy mutual fund shares directly from the mutual fund company or through another intermediary to be eligible for waivers or discounts not listed below.

It is the shareholder's responsibility to notify Merrill at the time of purchase or sale of any relationship or other facts that qualify the transaction for a waiver or discount. A Merrill representative may ask for reasonable documentation of such facts and Merrill may condition the granting of a waiver or discount on the timely receipt of such documentation.

Additional information on waivers and discounts is available in the Merrill Sales Load Waiver and Discounts Supplement (the "Merrill SLWD Supplement") and in the Mutual Fund Investing at Merrill pamphlet at ml.com/funds. Shareholders are encouraged to review these documents and speak with their financial advisor to determine whether a transaction is eligible for a waiver or discount.

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Merrill** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan. For purposes of this provision, employer-sponsored retirement plans do not include Simplified Employee Pension IRAs ("SEP IRA"), Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through a Merrill investment advisory program.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Brokerage class shares exchanged from advisory class shares due to the holdings moving from a Merrill investment advisory program to a Merrill brokerage account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares of Funds purchased through the Merrill Edge Self-Directed platform.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through the systematic reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same mutual fund in the same account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares exchanged from level-load shares to front-end sales charge shares of the same Fund in accordance with the description in the Merrill SLWD Supplement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by eligible employees of Merrill or its affiliates and their family members who purchase shares in accounts within the employee's Merrill Household (as defined in the Merrill SLWD Supplement).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Investment Adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased from the proceeds of the Fund's redemption in front-end sales charge shares provided: (1) the repurchase is in a mutual fund within the same fund family; (2) the repurchase occurs within 90 calendar days from the redemption trade date, and (3) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account (known as Rights of Reinstatement). Automated transactions (*i.e*. systematic purchases and withdrawals) and purchases made after shares are automatically sold to pay Merrill's account maintenance fees are not eligible for Rights of Reinstatement.

**CDSC Waivers on Class A and Class C Shares Available at Merrill** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold due to shareholder's death or disability (as defined by Code Section 22(e)(3)).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold pursuant to a systematic withdrawal program subject to Merrill's maximum systematic withdrawal limits as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold due to return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the investor reaching the qualified age based on applicable U.S. Treasury regulation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Front-end or level-load shares held in commission-based, non-taxable retirement brokerage accounts (*e.g*. traditional, Roth, rollover, SEP IRAs, Simple IRAs, SAR-SEPs or Keogh plans) that are transferred to fee-based accounts or platforms and exchanged for a lower cost share class of the same Fund.

**Front-End Load Discounts Available at Merrill: Breakpoints, ROA & LOI** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus, where the sales charge is at or below the maximum sales charge that Merrill permits to be assessed to a front-end load purchase, as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA, as described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement, which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts based on the aggregated holdings of mutual fund family assets held in accounts in their Merrill Household. Effective May 1, 2026, assets not held at Merrill will no longer be included in the ROA calculation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• LOI: which allow for breakpoint discounts on eligible new purchases based on anticipated future eligible purchases within a fund family at Merrill, in accounts within your Merrill Household, as further described in the Merrill SLWD Supplement. Effective May 1, 2026, Merrill will no longer accept new LOIs.

**MORGAN STANLEY WEALTH MANAGEMENT ("Morgan Stanley")** 

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

**Front-End Sales Charge Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Morgan Stanley** 

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Morgan Stanley employee and employee-related accounts according to Morgan Stanley's account linking rules.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through a Morgan Stanley self-directed brokerage account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Class C (*i.e.*, level-load) shares that are no longer subject to a contingent deferred sales charge and are converted to Class A shares of the same Fund pursuant to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management's share class conversion program – shares purchased from the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (i) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (ii) the redemption and purchase occur in the same account, and (iii) redeemed shares were subject to a frontend or deferred sales charge.

**OPPENHEIMER & CO. ("OPCO")** 

Shareholders purchasing Fund shares through an OPCO platform or account are eligible only for the following load waivers (front-end sales charge waivers and contingent deferred, or back-end, sales charge waivers) and discounts, which may differ from those disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

**Front-End Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares Available at OPCO** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employer-sponsored retirement, deferred compensation and employee benefit plans (including health savings accounts) and trusts used to fund those plans, provided that the shares are not held in a commission-based brokerage account and shares are held for the benefit of the plan.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased by or through a 529 Plan.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through an OPCO affiliated investment advisory program.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of capital gains distributions and dividend reinvestment when purchasing shares of the same Fund (but not any other fund within the fund family).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased form the proceeds of redemptions within the same fund family, provided (1) the repurchase occurs within 90 days following the redemption, (2) the redemption and purchase occur in the same amount, and (3) redeemed shares were subject to a front-end or deferred sales load (known as "Rights of Restatement").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A shareholder in the Fund's Class C shares will have their shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares (or the appropriate share class) of the Fund after 5 years from the date of first purchase of the Class C shares and if the shares are no longer subject to a CDSC and the conversion is in line with the policies and procedures of OPCO.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employees and registered representatives of OPCO or its affiliates and their family members.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Directors or Trustees of the Fund, and employees of the Fund's investment adviser or any of its affiliates, as described in this Prospectus.

**CDSC Waivers on A and C Shares Available at OPCO** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Death or disability of the shareholder

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½ as described in this Prospectus

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold to pay OPCO fees but only if the transaction is initiated by OPCO

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement

**Front-End Load Discounts Available at OPCO: Breakpoints, ROA & LOI** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• ROA which entitle shareholders to breakpoint discounts will be automatically calculated based on the aggregated holding of fund family assets held by accounts within the purchaser's household at OPCO. Eligible fund family assets not held at OPCO may be included in the ROA calculation only if the shareholder notifies his or her financial advisor about such assets

**RAYMOND JAMES & ASSOCIATES, INC., RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. and each entity's affiliates ("RAYMOND JAMES")** 

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

**Front-End Sales Load Waivers on Class A Shares Available at Raymond James** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased in an investment advisory program.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased within the same fund family through a systematic reinvestment of capital gains and dividend distributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employees and registered representatives of Raymond James or its affiliates and their family members as designated by Raymond James.

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

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

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

**CDSC Waivers on Classes A and C Shares Available at Raymond James** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Death or disability of the shareholder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a systematic withdrawal plan as described in this Prospectus.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Return of excess contributions from an IRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold as part of a required minimum distribution for IRA and retirement accounts due to the shareholder reaching age 70½.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares sold to pay Raymond James fees but only if the transaction is initiated by Raymond James.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares acquired through a right of reinstatement.

**Front-End Load Discounts Available at Raymond James: Breakpoints, ROA, and /or LOI** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Breakpoints as described in this Prospectus.

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

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

**STIFEL, NICOLAUS & COMPANY, INCORPORATED ("STIFEL")** 

The following information applies to shareholders purchasing Class C shares of the Fund through a Stifel platform or account or who own Class C shares for which Stifel or an affiliate is the broker-dealer of record. This information may differ from information about Class C shares disclosed elsewhere in this Prospectus or the SAI.

**Class C Conversion to Class A; Class A Shares Front-End Sales Waiver Available at Stifel:** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A Class C shareholder of the Fund will have such shareholder's Class C shares converted at net asset value to Class A shares of that Fund in accordance with Stifel's policies and procedures. Stifel has informed the Fund that its policies and procedures currently provide for such a conversion following the seventh (7th) anniversary of the shareholder's purchase of the Class C shares.

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

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

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

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

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

------

**APPENDIX A *(continued)***

------

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

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends and capital gains distributions when purchasing shares of the same fund.

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

Wells Fargo Advisors Contingent Deferred Sales Charge information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Contingent deferred sales charges (CDSC) imposed on fund redemptions will not be rebated based on future purchases.

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

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

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

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Gift of shares will not be considered when determining breakpoint discounts.

------

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

------

**TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION** 

You will find more information about the Funds in our:

**ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS AND FORM N-CSR** 

In each Fund's annual shareholder report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year. In a Fund's Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund's financial statements.

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** 

The SAI contains additional information about the Funds. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call, or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI, or other Fund information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

**Voya Investment Management** 

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

**1-800-992-0180** 

or visit our website at **https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports**

Reports and other information about the Funds are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet website at **https://www.sec.gov**, and copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: **publicinfo@sec.gov**.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Funds' SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Voya Mutual Funds** | **811-07428** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund <br>Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund<br>|

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|:---|:---|:---|
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| &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. | &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. | &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. |
| Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. | Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. | Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. | &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. | &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. |

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163277(0226-022826)

![](img678f05ba3.gif)

------

**February 28, 2026**

**Prospectus**![](imge9790b6c1.gif)

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

**•** **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** 

Ticker: **VVIFX**

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has not approved or disapproved these securities nor has the SEC judged whether the information in this Prospectus is accurate or adequate. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ![](edelivery_1.jpg)<br>| E-Delivery Sign-up – details on back cover |

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![](img6574ae9c2.gif)

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

------

**Table of Contents**

------

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **SUMMARY SECTION** <br>|  |
| **[Voya VACS Series EME Fund](#xx_d8d93036-39d1-42f7-bca5-07e717285a22_1)** | 1 |
| **[KEY FUND INFORMATION](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1)** | 10 |
| [Conflicts of Interest](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1) | 10 |
| [Fundamental Investment Policies](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1) | 10 |
| [Fund Diversification](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1) | 10 |
| [Investor Diversification](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1) | 10 |
| [Temporary Defensive Positions](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_1) | 10 |
| [Percentage and Rating Limitations](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_2) | 11 |
| [Investment Not Guaranteed](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_2) | 11 |
| [Shareholder Reports](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_2) | 11 |
| [Escheatment](#xx_e19a0c68-b4f3-4369-ba0a-502414918aed_2) | 11 |
| **[MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_1)** | 12 |
| [Additional Information About the Investment Objective](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_1) | 12 |
| [Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_1) | 12 |
| [Additional Information About 80% Investment Policy Related to Fund Name](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_1) | 12 |
| [Additional Information About the Principal Risks](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_1) | 12 |
| [Further Information About Principal Risks](#xx_ef14deca-c20c-42ed-9ef7-abad7b7ecb5f_10) | 21 |
| **[PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION](#xx_d467e243-5c23-42d6-bbc6-75bae41cc519_1)** | 24 |
| **[MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_1)** | 25 |
| [Investment Adviser](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_1) | 25 |
| [Sub-Advisers](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_1) | 25 |
| [Portfolio Management](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_2) | 26 |
| [Distributor](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_5) | 29 |
| [Contractual Arrangements](#xx_bbf7c672-edf0-4580-a9b6-40e7df0055bd_5) | 29 |
| **[HOW SHARES ARE PRICED](#xx_58e798b5-f978-4c8d-a665-589ea2d39790_1)** | 30 |
| **[HOW TO BUY SHARES](#xx_44724060-703c-45d8-ac32-398ef06e2bc1_1)** | 31 |
| **[HOW TO SELL SHARES](#xx_f4264016-b41b-4aa2-abb5-5b81fd15fdb6_1)** | 34 |
| **[FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING](#xx_91272f96-d6a6-4240-8446-6c7947f2e350_1)** | 36 |
| **[PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES](#xx_998a9ab8-01b0-44ba-8e1a-86fd5d9d5256_1)** | 38 |
| **[DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES](#xx_5c4a3fab-601a-4fca-909b-26baaee2fc48_1)** | 40 |
| **[ACCOUNT POLICIES](#xx_ed833a07-8a20-4f9f-b52c-4641825ca7c1_1)** | 42 |
| [Account Access](#xx_ed833a07-8a20-4f9f-b52c-4641825ca7c1_1) | 42 |
| [Privacy Policy](#xx_ed833a07-8a20-4f9f-b52c-4641825ca7c1_1) | 42 |
| [Householding](#xx_ed833a07-8a20-4f9f-b52c-4641825ca7c1_1) | 42 |
| **[INDEX DESCRIPTIONS](#xx_e223ea64-80f2-4716-aa2e-fe811a2683e2_1)** | 43 |
| **[FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS](#xx_a8280d07-21d6-46c1-a8f4-08ad55803455_1)** | 44 |
| **[ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS](#xx_a8280d07-21d6-46c1-a8f4-08ad55803455_2)** | 45 |
| **[TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION](#xx_89d1d860-bdfb-409e-9331-26d5d3919f6e_2)** | Back Cover |

---

------

Voya VACS Series EME Fund

**Investment Objective**

The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

**Fees and Expenses of the Fund**

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. **You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.**

**Annual Fund Operating Expenses** 

Expenses you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment

------

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Management Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.00 |
| Distribution and/or Shareholder Services (12b-1) Fees<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % |  |
| Other Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.22 |
| Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.01 |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.23 |
| Waivers, Reimbursements and Recoupments <sup>1</sup> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (0.07) |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses after Waivers, <br> Reimbursements and Recoupments<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;0.16 |

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Voya Investments, LLC (the "Investment Adviser") is contractually obligated to limit expenses to 0.15% through March 1, 2027 (the " Expense Limitation Agreement ") . The limitation does not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses, extraordinary expenses such as litigation or other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, and expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the independent trustees. Modification of the Expense Limitation Agreement requires written agreement signed by each of the parties and approval by the Fund's Board of Trustees (the "Board"). The Expense Limitation Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund' s advisory agreement with the Investment Adviser, or it may be terminated by Voya Mutual Funds (the " Company "), without payment of any penalty, upon written notice to the Investment Adviser at its principal place of business.

**Expense Example**

------

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in shares of the Fund with the costs of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment had a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects applicable expense limitation agreements and/or waivers in effect, if any, for the one-year period and the first year of the time periods indicated . Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **1 Yr** | **3 Yrs** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** |
| $&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 16 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 67 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 122 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 286 |

---

**Portfolio Turnover**

------

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the Expense Example, affect the Fund's performance.

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 49% of the average value of its portfolio.

**Principal Investment Strategies**

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in equity securities of issuers in emerging markets. For purposes of this 80% policy, emerging markets means most countries in the world except Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and most of the countries of Western Europe. For purposes of this 80% policy, equity securities include, without limitation, common stock, preferred stock, convertible securities, depositary receipts, participatory notes and other structured notes, real estate-related securities (including real estate investment trusts ("REITs")), trust or partnership interests, rights and warrants to buy common stock, privately placed securities, and initial public offerings ("IPOs").

Voya VACS Series EME Fund

------

An emerging market issuer is one (i) that is organized under the laws of, or has a principal place of business in, an emerging market; (ii) for which the principal securities market is in an emerging market; (iii) that derives at least 50% of its total revenues or profits from goods that are produced or sold, investments made, or services performed in an emerging market; or (iv) at least 50% of the assets of which are located in an emerging market. The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization.

The Fund may invest in bonds rated below investment grade (sometimes referred to as "high-yield securities", "high-yield bonds", or "junk bonds").

The Fund may invest in derivatives, including but not limited to, futures, options, swaps, and forward foreign currency exchange contracts as a substitute for securities in which the Fund can invest; to hedge various investments; to seek to reduce currency deviations, where practicable, for the purpose of risk management; to seek to increase the Fund's gains; and for the efficient management of cash flows.

The Fund may invest in securities denominated in U.S. dollars, other major reserve currencies, such as the euro, yen and pound sterling, and currencies of other countries in which it can invest. The Fund typically maintains full currency exposure to those markets in which it invests. However, the Fund may, from time to time, hedge a portion of its foreign currency exposure into the U.S. dollar.

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds ("ETFs"), to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder.

The Investment Adviser allocates the Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. When selecting sub-advisers, the Investment Adviser takes into account a wide variety of factors and considerations, including among other things the investment strategy of a potential sub-adviser, its personnel, and its fit with other sub-advisers to the Fund. Among those, the Investment Adviser will typically consider the extent to which a potential sub-adviser takes into account environmental, social, and governance ("ESG") factors as part of its investment process. ESG factors will be only one of many considerations in the Investment Adviser's evaluation of any potential sub-adviser; the extent to which ESG factors will affect the Investment Adviser's decision to retain a sub-adviser, if at all, will depend on the analysis and judgment of the Investment Adviser.

Nomura Investments Fund Advisers ("NIFA"), Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP ("SGA"), and Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") (each, a "Sub-Adviser" and collectively, the "Sub-Advisers") provide the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Advisers act independently of each other and use their own methodology for selecting investments. The Investment Adviser will determine the amount of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser.

Each Sub-Adviser may sell securities for a variety of reasons, such as to secure gains, limit losses, or redeploy assets into opportunities believed to be more promising. In addition, Voya IM may sell securities to rebalance and reconstitute its investments in connection with such changes in the Index (as defined below).

The Fund may lend portfolio securities on a short-term or long-term basis, up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of its total assets.

**NIFA** 

NIFA believes that, although market price and intrinsic business value are positively correlated in the long run, short-term divergences can emerge. NIFA seeks to take advantage of these divergences through a disciplined, fundamental, bottom-up approach. NIFA seeks to invest in companies with sustainable franchises when they are trading at a significant discount to NIFA's conservative intrinsic value estimate. NIFA also prefers companies that have large market opportunities in which to deploy capital, ensuring that they grow faster than the overall economy.

Fundamental bottom-up research is the core of the investment process. NIFA's fundamental research process can be broken down into two main components: analyzing a company's sustainability and assessing its intrinsic value. Sustainability analysis involves identification of a company's source of competitive advantage and the ability of its management to maximize its return potential. Intrinsic value assessment is typically quantitatively driven by a number of valuation methods including discounted cash flow, replacement cost, private market transaction, and multiples analysis. This bottom-up approach considers current and historical macro drivers that impact a firm's ability to generate returns over the long-term.

**SGA** 

SGA is focused on identifying and owning the rare businesses which generate predictable, sustainable earnings and cash flow growth over time with lower variability. SGA's objective is to translate earnings growth into portfolio returns. The companies in which SGA invests have unique characteristics that lead to a high degree of predictability, strong profitability, and well above average earnings and cash flow growth. These characteristics include pricing power, recurring revenues, and secular growth opportunity, as well as financial and management strength. SGA's emerging markets growth strategy focuses solely on the companies they believe will also benefit in a sustained way from rising incomes and increasing consumption within developing economies.

Voya VACS Series EME Fund

------

**Voya IM** 

Voya IM seeks to replicate the performance of the Index, meaning it generally will invest in all of the securities in the Index in weightings, consistent with that of the Index. The Fund's portfolio may not always hold all of the same securities as the Index. Voya IM may also invest in ETFs, stock index futures, and other derivatives as a substitute for the sale or purchase of securities in the Index and to provide equity exposure to the Fund's cash position. Although Voya IM attempts to track, as closely as possible, the performance of the Index, the Fund's portfolio does not always perform exactly like the Index. Unlike the Index, the Fund has operating expenses and transaction costs and therefore has a performance disadvantage versus the Index.

**Principal Risks**

You could lose money on an investment in the Fund. Any of the following risks, among others, could affect Fund performance or cause the Fund to lose money or to underperform market averages of other funds. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations.

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**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

**Focused Investing (Index Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a "passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the "Index Sleeve"). To the extent that the Index Sleeve's benchmark or other index is substantially composed of securities in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area, the Index Sleeve may allocate its investments to approximately the same extent as the index as part of its investment strategy. As a result, the Index Sleeve may be more sensitive to financial, economic, business, political, regulatory, and other developments and conditions, including natural or other disasters, affecting issuers in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area in which the Index Sleeve focuses its investments, and if securities of such industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area fall out of favor, the Index Sleeve could underperform, or be more volatile than, a fund that has greater diversification.

• **Technology Sector:** Investments in companies involved in the technology sector are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing of products or services, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments, evolving industry standards, changing customer demands, and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. The failure of a company to adapt to such changes could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, results of operations, and financial condition. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment, or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the values of their securities. Many companies involved in the technology sector have limited operating histories, and prices of these companies' securities historically have been more volatile than those of many other companies' securities, especially over the short term.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** Investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may result in the Fund experiencing more rapid and extreme changes in value than a fund that invests exclusively in securities of U.S. companies due, in part, to: smaller markets; differing reporting, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; nationalization, expropriation, or confiscatory taxation; foreign currency fluctuations, currency blockage, or replacement;

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potential for default on sovereign debt; and political changes or diplomatic developments, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period.

**High-Yield Securities:** Lower-quality securities including securities that are or have fallen below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") have greater credit risk and liquidity risk than higher-quality (investment grade) securities, and their issuers' long-term ability to make payments is considered speculative. Prices of lower-quality bonds or other debt instruments are also more volatile, are more sensitive to negative news about the economy or the issuer, and have greater liquidity risk and price volatility.

**Index Strategy (Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a " passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the " Index Sleeve ") . The index selected may underperform the overall market. The Index Sleeve will not use defensive positions or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities in the index. The Index Sleeve may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Index Sleeve. The correlation between the Index Sleeve's performance and index performance may be affected by the Fund's expenses and the timing of purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares. In addition, the Index Sleeve's actual holdings might not match the index and the Index Sleeve's effective exposure to index securities at any given time may not precisely correlate.

**Initial Public Offerings:** Investments in IPOs and companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs or that the IPOs in which the Fund invests will rise in value. Furthermore, the value of securities of newly public companies may decline in value shortly after the IPO. When the Fund's asset base is small, the impact of such investments on the Fund's return will be magnified. If the Fund's assets grow, it is likely that the effect of the Fund's investment in IPOs on the Fund's return will decline.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial

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intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.*, stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues, coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced

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development and increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock generally has preference over common stock but is generally subordinate to debt instruments with respect to dividends and liquidation. Preferred stocks are subject to the risks associated with other types of equity securities, as well as greater credit or other risks than senior debt instruments. In addition, preferred stocks are subject to other risks, such as risks related to deferred and omitted distributions, limited voting rights, liquidity, interest rate, regulatory changes and special redemption rights.

**Prepayment and Extension:** Many types of debt instruments are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal earlier than expected. This risk is heightened in a falling market interest rate environment. Prepayment may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a debt instrument subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal later than expected. This risk is heightened in a rising market interest rate environment. This may negatively affect performance, as the value of the debt instrument decreases when principal payments are made later than expected. Additionally, the Fund may be prevented from investing proceeds it would have received at a given time at the higher prevailing interest rates.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities the Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

*An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other government agency*.

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**Performance Information**

The following information is intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The following bar chart shows the changes in the Fund's performance from year to year, and the table compares the Fund's performance to the performance of a broad-based securities market index and an additional index with investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund for the same period. In 2024, the Investment Adviser changed the Fund's primary benchmark from the MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> to the MSCI ACWI ex-U.S. Index<sup>SM</sup> in accordance with changes to regulatory disclosure requirements. The Fund continues to use the MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> as an additional benchmark that the Investment Adviser believes more closely reflects the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information reflects applicable fee waivers and/or expense limitations in effect during the period presented. Absent such fee waivers/expense limitations, if any, performance would have been lower. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's shares.

On July 14, 2023, SGA was added as an additional sub-adviser and Van Eck Associates Corporation (which served as a sub-adviser from the Fund's inception to June 30, 2023) was removed as a sub-adviser, resulting in changes to the Fund's principal investment strategies. The Fund's performance information for the prior period reflects returns achieved by the different sub-adviser and pursuant to different principal investment strategies. If the Fund's current sub-advisers and strategies had been in place for the prior period, the performance information shown would have been different.

**Calendar Year Total Returns** 

(as of December 31 of each year)

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Best quarter:** | 17.60% |
| **Worst quarter:**<br> 4<sup>th</sup> Quarter 2024 | -8.91% |

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**Average Annual Total Returns** %

(for the periods ended December 31, 2025)

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **1 Yr** | **5 Yrs** | **10 Yrs** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Since**<br> **Inception**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Inception**<br> **Date**<br>|
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;46.71 | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20.65 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 6/7/2023 |
| After tax on distributions<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;41.92 | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.15 |  |
| After tax on distributions with sale<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28.79 | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.36 |  |
| MSCI ACWI ex-USA Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;32.39 | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16.95 |  |
| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup><sup>1</sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; % | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;33.57 | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17.48 |  |

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The index returns include the reinvestment of dividends and distributions net of withholding taxes, but do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, or other expenses.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual U.S. federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-advantaged arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts ("IRAs"). In some cases the after-tax returns may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.

**Portfolio Management**

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| **Investment Adviser** |
| Voya Investments, LLC |

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|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>| Barbara Reinhard, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 5/2023)<br>|

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| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Nomura Investments Fund Advisers |

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| |
|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** |
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA <br>Portfolio Manager (since 11/2022)<br>|

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| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP |

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|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| HK Gupta <br>Portfolio Manager (since 7/2023)<br>| Kishore Rao <br>Portfolio Manager (since 7/2023)<br>|
| Alexandra Lee <br>Portfolio Manager (since 3/2025)<br>|  |

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|:---|
| **Sub-Adviser** |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Managers** |  |
| Mark Buccigross <br>Portfolio Manager (since 2/2025)<br>| Kai Yee Wong <br>Portfolio Manager (since 11/2022)<br>|

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**Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares**

Currently, shares of the Fund are available for purchase only by: (1) registered investment companies in the Voya family of funds with management fee structures intended to reflect their contemplated investment in underlying Voya funds that do not charge a fee for investment advisory services; (2) collective investment trusts or common investment trusts sponsored, managed or sub-advised by Voya affiliated entities; (3) investors through separate accounts managed or sub-advised by Voya affiliated entities; and (4) registered investment companies outside the Voya family of funds that are managed or sub-advised by a Voya affiliated entity with management fee structures intended to reflect their contemplated investment in underlying Voya funds that do not charge a fee for investment advisory services.

Shares of the Fund may be purchased or sold on any business day (normally any day when the New York Stock Exchange opens for regular trading). You can buy or sell shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary; by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports; by writing to us at Voya Investment Management, P.O. Box 534480 , Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania 15253 - 4480 ; or by calling us at 1-800-992-0180.

There are no minimum requirements for initial investments or additional investments in the Fund.

**Tax Information**

The Fund's distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income, capital gains, or a combination of the two, unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an IRA. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged arrangement, you may be taxed upon withdrawals from that arrangement.

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

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

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**KEY FUND INFORMATION**

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This Prospectus contains information about the Fund and is designed to provide you with important information to help you with your investment decisions. Please read it carefully and keep it for future reference.

The Fund's Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this Prospectus. It identifies investment restrictions, more detailed risk descriptions, a description of how the bond rating system works, and other information that may be helpful to you in your decision to invest. You may obtain a copy, without charge, from the Fund.

Neither this Prospectus, nor the related SAI, nor other communications to shareholders, such as proxy statements, is intended, or should be read, to be or give rise to an agreement or contract between Voya Mutual Funds (the "Trust"), the Board of Trustees (the "Board"), or the Fund and any investor, or to give rise to any rights to any shareholder or other person other than any rights under U.S. federal or state law.

Other Voya mutual funds may also be offered to the public that have similar names, investment objectives, and principal investment strategies as those of the Fund. You should be aware that the Fund is likely to differ from these other Voya mutual funds in size and cash flow pattern, as well as other factors. Accordingly, the performance of the Fund can be expected to vary from the performance of other Voya mutual funds.

Other mutual funds and/or funds-of-funds may invest in the Fund. So long as the Fund accepts investments by other investment companies, it will not purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder, and under the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder (the "1940 Act").

The Fund is a series of the Trust, a Delaware statutory trust. The Fund is managed by Voya Investments, LLC ("Voya Investments" or the "Investment Adviser").

**Conflicts of Interest** 

The Investment Adviser allocates the Fund's assets to different sub-advisers, including an affiliated sub-adviser. In addition, the Investment Adviser may, from time to time, manage a portion of the Fund's assets to seek to manage the Fund's overall exposure to achieve the desired risk/return profile and to effect the Fund's investment strategies. The Investment Adviser is subject to conflicts of interest when it allocates assets to itself or to an affiliated sub-adviser because the Investment Adviser would earn higher net advisory fees (the advisory fee received less any sub-advisory fee paid and fee waivers and expense subsidies) since the entire advisory fee is retained by a Voya company.

The Investment Adviser has a fiduciary duty to the Fund and is legally obligated to act in the Fund's best interest when allocating the Fund's assets to a sub-adviser. The Investment Adviser has developed an investment process that it believes will ensure the Fund is managed in the best interests of the shareholders of the Fund.

**Fundamental Investment Policies** 

Fundamental investment policies contained in the SAI may not be changed without shareholder approval. Other policies and investment strategies may be changed without a shareholder vote.

**Fund Diversification** 

The Fund is diversified, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act. A diversified fund may not, as to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or other investment companies). A non-diversified fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the percentage of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer.

**Investor Diversification** 

Although the Fund is designed to serve as a component of a diversified investment portfolio of securities, no single mutual fund can provide an appropriate investment program for all investors. You should evaluate the Fund in the context of your personal financial situation, investment objectives, and other investments.

**Temporary Defensive Positions** 

When the Investment Adviser or a sub-adviser (each, a "Sub-Adviser") anticipates adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, the Fund may make investments believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash

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**KEY FUND INFORMATION *(continued)***

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equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, higher quality debt instruments, more liquid securities, or others. While the Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. The Fund's defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such defensive position may be utilized.

**Percentage and Rating Limitations** 

Unless otherwise indicated or as required by applicable law or regulation, the percentage and rating limitations on Fund investments listed in this Prospectus apply at the time of investment. If such a limitation is complied with at the time of an investment, any subsequent change in percentage resulting from a change in values or assets or a change in market capitalization of a company, or any subsequent change in rating, will generally not constitute a violation of that limitation.

**Investment Not Guaranteed** 

Please note your investment is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other government agency.

**Shareholder Reports** 

The Fund's fiscal year ends October 31. Shareholders are provided with annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that highlight key information to shareholders. Other information, including financial statements, is available on the Voya funds' website (https://individuals.voya.com/literature), delivered free of charge upon request, and filed with the SEC on a semi-annual basis on Form N-CSR. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from a fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by sending an e-mail request to Voyaim_literature@voya.com.

**Escheatment** 

Many states have unclaimed property rules that provide for transfer to the state (also known as "escheatment") of unclaimed property under various circumstances. These circumstances include inactivity (*e.g*., no owner-initiated contact for a certain period), returned mail (*e.g*., when mail sent to a shareholder is returned by the post office as undeliverable), or a combination of both inactivity and returned mail. Unclaimed or inactive accounts may be subject to escheatment laws, and the Fund, the transfer agent and the distributor will not be liable to shareholders or their representatives for good faith compliance with state unclaimed property laws.

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**MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND**

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**Additional Information About the Investment Objective** 

The Fund's investment objective is non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of the Board, without shareholder approval. The Fund will provide 60 days' prior written notice of any change in a non-fundamental investment objective. There is no guarantee the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

**Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies** 

For a complete description of the Fund's principal investment strategies, please see the Fund's summary prospectus or the Fund's summary section in this Prospectus.

**Additional Information About 80% Investment Policy Related to Fund Name** 

The Fund has adopted a policy to invest in accordance with the investment focus that the Fund's name suggests, as set forth in the table below (the "80% Investment Policy"). The Fund will provide shareholders with at least 60 days' prior notice of any change in its 80% Investment Policy.

For purposes of satisfying its 80% Investment Policy, the Fund may also invest in derivatives and other synthetic instruments and other investment companies, including ETFs, as applicable, that provide investment exposure to, or exposure to risk factors associated with, the investment focus that the Fund's name suggests.

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| **Fund** | **80% Investment Policy** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Additional Information About the 80%** <br> **Investment Policy**<br>|
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Under normal circumstances, the Fund <br> invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus <br> the amount of any borrowings for <br> investment purposes) in equity securities <br> of issuers in emerging markets.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For purposes of this 80% policy, emerging <br> markets means most countries in the <br> world except Australia, Canada, Japan, <br> New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, the <br> United Kingdom, the United States, and <br> most of the countries of Western Europe. <br>For purposes of this 80% policy, equity <br> securities include, without limitation, <br> common stock, preferred stock, <br> convertible securities, depositary receipts, <br> participatory notes and other structured <br> notes, real estate-related securities <br> (including REITs), trust or partnership <br> interests, rights and warrants to buy <br> common stock, privately placed securities, <br> and IPOs.<br>|

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**Additional Information About the Principal Risks** 

All mutual funds involve risk—some more than others—and there is always the chance that you could lose money or not earn as much as you hope. The Fund's risk profile is largely a factor of the principal securities in which it invests and investment techniques that it uses. Below is a discussion of the principal risks associated with certain types of the investments in which the Fund may invest and certain of the investment practices that the Fund may use. The discussion below expands on the risks included in the Fund's summary section of the Prospectus. The principal risks are presented in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk.

Many of the investment techniques and strategies discussed in this Prospectus and in the SAI are discretionary, which means that the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser, as the case may be, can decide whether to use them. The Fund may invest in these securities or use these techniques as part of its principal investment strategies. However, the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser may also use these investment techniques or make investments in securities that are not a part of the Fund's principal investment strategies.

For more information about these and other types of securities and investment techniques that may be used by the Fund, see the SAI.

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**China Investing Risks:** The Chinese economy is generally considered an emerging and volatile market. Although China has experienced a relatively stable political environment in recent years, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. Significant portions of the Chinese securities markets may become rapidly illiquid because Chinese issuers have the ability to suspend the trading of their equity securities under certain circumstances, and have shown a willingness to exercise that option in response to market volatility, epidemics, pandemics, adverse economic, market or political events, and other events. Political, regulatory and diplomatic events, such as the U.S.-China "trade war" that intensified in 2018, could have an adverse effect on the Chinese or Hong Kong economies and on related investments. In addition, U.S. or foreign government restrictions on investments in Chinese companies or other intervention could negatively affect the implementation of the Fund's investment strategies, such as by precluding the Fund from making certain investments or causing the Fund to sell investments at disadvantageous times.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Investing through Stock Connect:** Shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") may be purchased directly or indirectly through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Variable Interest Entities:** Many Chinese companies use a structure known as a variable interest entity (a "VIE") to address Chinese restrictions on direct foreign investment in Chinese companies operating in certain sectors. The Fund's investment exposure to VIEs may pose additional risks because the Fund's investment is not made directly in the VIE (the actual Chinese operating company), but rather in a holding company domiciled outside of China (a "Holding Company") whose interests in the business of the underlying Chinese operating company (the VIE) are established through contracts rather than through equity ownership. The VIE (which the Fund is restricted from owning under Chinese law) is generally owned by Chinese nationals, and the Holding Company (in which the Fund invests) holds only contractual rights (rather than equity ownership) relating to the VIE, typically including a contractual claim on the VIE's profits. Shares of the Holding Company, in turn, are traded on exchanges outside of China and are available to non-Chinese investors such as the Fund. While the VIE structure is a longstanding practice in China, until recently, such arrangements had not been formally recognized under Chinese law. However, in late 2021, the Chinese government signaled its interest in implementing filing requirement rules that would both affirm the legality of VIE structures and regulate them. How these filing requirements will operate in practice, and what will be required for approval, remains unclear. While there is optimism that these actions will reduce uncertainty over Chinese actions on VIEs, there is also caution given how unresolved the process is. Until these rules are finalized, and potentially afterwards depending on how they are implemented, there remains significant uncertainty associated with VIE investments.

There is a risk that the Chinese government may cease to tolerate VIE structures at any time or impose new restrictions on the structure, in each case either generally or with respect to specific issuers. In such a scenario, the Chinese operating company could be subject to penalties, including revocation of its business and operating license, or the Holding Company could forfeit its interest in the business of the Chinese operating company. Further, in case of a dispute between the Holding Company investors and the Chinese owners of the VIE, the Holding Company's contractual claims with respect to the VIE may be unenforceable in China, thus limiting the remedies and rights of Holding Company investors such as the Fund. Control over a VIE may also be jeopardized if a natural person who holds the equity interest in the VIE breaches the terms of the contractual arrangements, is subject to legal proceedings, or if any physical instruments or property of the VIE, such as seals, business registration certificates, financial data and licensing arrangements (sometimes referred to as "chops"), are used without authorization. In the event of such an occurrence, the Fund, as a foreign investor, may have little or no legal recourse. Such legal uncertainty may be exploited against the interests of the Holding Company investors such as the Fund.

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The Fund will typically have little or no ability to influence the VIE through proxy voting or other means because it is not a VIE owner/shareholder. Foreign (non-U.S.) companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges, including companies using the VIE structure, could also face delisting or other ramifications for failure to meet the expectations and/or requirements of the SEC, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or other U.S. regulators. Any of these risks could reduce the liquidity and value of the Fund's investments in Holding Companies or render them valueless.

**Company:** The price of a company's stock could decline or underperform for many reasons, including, among others, poor management, financial problems, reduced demand for the company's goods or services, regulatory fines and judgments, or business challenges. If a company is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, its stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that are convertible into or exercisable for common stocks at a stated price or rate. Convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. In addition, because convertible securities react to changes in the value of the underlying stock, they are subject to market risk. Synthetic convertible securities may present a greater degree of market risk, and may be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities. The value of a convertible security will normally fluctuate in some proportion to changes in the value of the underlying stock because of the conversion or exercise feature. However, the value of a convertible security may not increase or decrease as rapidly as the underlying stock. Convertible securities may be rated below investment grade and therefore may be subject to greater levels of credit risk and liquidity risk. In the event the issuer of a convertible security is unable to meet its financial obligations, declares bankruptcy, or becomes insolvent, the Fund could lose money; such events may also have the effect of reducing the Fund's distributable income. There is a risk that the Fund may convert a convertible security at an inopportune time, which may decrease the Fund's returns.

**Credit:** The Fund could lose money if the issuer or guarantor of a debt instrument in which the Fund invests, or the counterparty to a derivative contract the Fund entered into, is unable or unwilling, or is perceived (whether by market participants, rating agencies, pricing services, or otherwise) as unable or unwilling, to meet its financial obligations. Asset-backed (including mortgage-backed) securities that are not issued by U.S. government agencies may have a greater risk of default because they are not guaranteed by either the U.S. government or an agency or instrumentality of the U.S. government. The credit quality of typical asset-backed securities depends primarily on the credit quality of the underlying assets and the structural support (if any) provided to the securities.

**Currency:** To the extent that the Fund invests directly or indirectly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities denominated in, or that trade in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it is subject to the risk that those foreign (non-U.S.) currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged by the Fund through foreign currency exchange transactions. Currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Currency rates may be affected by changes in market interest rates, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, by the imposition of currency controls, or other political or economic developments in the U.S. or abroad. The manager may use a model to guide currency risk taking. The manager has discretion as to whether to use the model. There is no guarantee that the use of the model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivative instruments are subject to a number of risks, including the risk of changes in the market price of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index, credit risk with respect to the counterparty, risk of loss due to changes in market interest rates, liquidity risk, valuation risk, and volatility risk. The amounts required to purchase certain derivatives may be small relative to the magnitude of exposure assumed by the Fund. Therefore, the purchase of certain derivatives may have an economic leveraging effect on the Fund and exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value. Derivatives may not perform as expected, so the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging purposes, the change in value of a derivative may not correlate as expected with the asset, reference rate, or index being hedged. When used as an alternative or substitute for direct cash investment, the return provided by the derivative may not provide the same return as direct cash investment. Generally, derivatives are sophisticated financial instruments whose performance is derived, at least in part, from the performance of an underlying asset, reference rate, or index. Derivatives include, among other things, swap agreements, options, forward foreign currency

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exchange contracts, and futures. Certain derivatives in which the Fund may invest may be negotiated over-the-counter with a single counterparty and as a result are subject to credit risks related to the counterparty's ability or willingness to perform its obligations; any deterioration in the counterparty's creditworthiness could adversely affect the value of the derivative. In addition, derivatives and their underlying instruments may experience periods of illiquidity which could cause the Fund to hold a position it might otherwise sell, or to sell a position it otherwise might hold at an inopportune time or price. A manager might imperfectly judge the direction of the market. For instance, if a derivative is used as a hedge to offset investment risk in another security, the hedge might not correlate to the market's movements and may have unexpected or undesired results such as a loss or a reduction in gains. The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The European Union (and other jurisdictions outside of the European Union, including the United Kingdom) has implemented or is in the process of implementing similar requirements, which may affect the Fund when it enters into a derivatives transaction with a counterparty organized in that jurisdiction or otherwise subject to that jurisdiction's derivatives regulations. Because these requirements continue to evolve, their ultimate impact remains unclear. Central clearing is expected to reduce counterparty credit risk and increase liquidity; however, there is no assurance that it will achieve that result, and, in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements expose the Fund to different kinds of costs and risks.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Equity):** A Sub-Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting investments for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. A Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors in respect of a company may rely on third-party data that might be incorrect or based on incomplete or inaccurate information. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be invested in companies that a Sub-Adviser views favorably in light of ESG factors, and the Sub-Adviser may choose not to invest in companies that compare favorably to other companies on the basis of ESG factors. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to certain companies due to a Sub-Adviser's assessment of ESG factors than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that an investment selected by a Sub-Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, where available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential investment, and such an investment may, in fact, underperform other potential investments.

**Environmental, Social, and Governance (Multi-Manager):** The Investment Adviser's consideration of ESG factors in selecting sub-advisers for the Fund is based on information that is not standardized, some of which can be qualitative and subjective by nature. There is no minimum percentage of the Fund's assets that will be allocated to sub-advisers that consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes, and the Investment Adviser may choose to select sub-advisers that do not consider ESG factors as part of their investment processes. It is possible that the Fund will have less exposure to ESG-focused strategies than other comparable mutual funds. There can be no assurance that a sub-adviser selected by the Investment Adviser, which includes its consideration of ESG factors, when available, will provide more favorable investment performance than another potential sub-adviser, and such a sub-adviser may, in fact, underperform other potential sub-advisers.

**Focused Investing (Index Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a "passive management" approach designed to track the performance of an index (the "Index Sleeve"). To the extent that the Index Sleeve's benchmark or other index is substantially composed of securities in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area, the Index Sleeve may allocate its investments to approximately the same extent as the index as part of its investment strategy. As a result, the Index Sleeve may be more sensitive to financial, economic, business, political, regulatory, and other developments and conditions, including natural or other disasters, affecting issuers in a particular industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area in which the Index Sleeve focuses its investments, and if securities of such industry, sector, market segment, or geographic area fall out of favor, the Index Sleeve could underperform, or be more volatile than, a fund that has greater diversification.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **Technology Sector:** Investments in companies involved in the technology sector are subject to significant competitive pressures, such as aggressive pricing of products or services, new market entrants, competition for market share, short product cycles due to an accelerated rate of technological developments, evolving industry standards, changing customer demands, and the potential for limited earnings and/or falling profit margins. The failure of a company to adapt to such changes could have a material adverse effect on the company's business, results of operations, and financial condition. These companies also face the risks that new services, equipment, or technologies will not be accepted by consumers and businesses or will become rapidly obsolete. These factors can affect the profitability of these companies and, as a result, the values of their securities. Many companies involved in the technology sector have limited operating histories, and prices of these companies' securities historically have been more volatile than those of many other companies' securities, especially over the short term.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments/Developing and Emerging Markets:** To the extent the Fund invests in securities of issuers in markets outside the U.S., its share price may be more volatile than if it invested in securities of issuers in the U.S. market due to, among other things, the following factors: comparatively unstable political, social, and economic conditions and limited or ineffectual judicial systems; wars; comparatively small market sizes, making securities less liquid and securities prices more sensitive to the movements of large investors and more vulnerable to manipulation; governmental policies or actions, such as high taxes, restrictions on currency movements, replacement of currency, potential for default on sovereign debt, trade or diplomatic disputes, which may include the imposition of economic sanctions (or the threat of new or modified sanctions) or other measures by the U.S. or other governments and supranational organizations, creation of monopolies, and seizure of private property through confiscatory taxation and expropriation or nationalization of company assets; incomplete, outdated, or unreliable information about securities issuers due to less stringent market regulation and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices; comparatively undeveloped markets and weak banking and financial systems; market inefficiencies, such as higher transaction costs, and administrative difficulties, such as delays in processing transactions; and fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates, which could reduce gains or widen losses.

Economic or other sanctions imposed on a foreign (non-U.S.) country or issuer by the U.S. or on the U.S. by a foreign (non-U.S.) country, could impair the Fund's ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain securities. In addition, foreign withholding or other taxes could reduce the income available for distribution to shareholders, and special U.S. tax considerations could apply to foreign (non-U.S.) investments. Depositary receipts are subject to risks of foreign (non-U.S.) investments and might not always track the price of the underlying foreign (non-U.S.) security. Markets and economies throughout the world are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions or events in one market, country or region may adversely impact investments or issuers in another market, country or region. Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets.

The United Kingdom (the "UK") left the European Union (the "EU") on January 31, 2020 (commonly known as "Brexit"). The UK and the EU entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement that sets out the agreement for certain parts of the future relationship from January 1, 2021, but uncertainty remains in certain areas regarding the future UK-EU relationship.

From January 1, 2021, EU laws ceased to apply in the UK, with many being assimilated into UK law. The UK government has enacted legislation to repeal, replace or make substantial amendments to these laws, with a view to them being replaced by purely domestic legislation. The process of revoking EU laws and replacing them with bespoke UK laws has already begun, creating unpredictable consequences for financial markets and investments. Brexit could significantly impact the UK, European, and global macroeconomic conditions, leading to prolonged political, legal, regulatory, tax, and economic uncertainty. This uncertainty may affect opportunities, pricing, availability, and cost of financing, regulation, values, or exit opportunities of companies or assets based in, doing business with, or having significant relationships in the UK or EU.

Additionally, certain European countries have developed increasingly strained relationships with the U.S., and if these relations were to worsen, they could adversely affect European issuers that rely on the U.S. for trade. Moreover, the national politics of countries in Europe have been unpredictable and subject to influence by disruptive political groups and ideologies, including for example, secessionist movements. The governments of European countries may be subject to change and such countries may experience social and political unrest.

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Foreign (non-U.S.) investment risks may be greater in developing and emerging markets than in developed markets, for such reasons as social or political unrest, heavy economic dependence on international aid, agriculture or exports (particularly commodities), undeveloped or overburdened infrastructures and legal systems, vulnerability to natural disasters, significant and unpredictable government intervention in markets or the economy, volatile currency exchange rates, currency devaluations, runaway inflation, business practices that depart from norms for developed countries, and generally less developed or liquid markets. In certain emerging market countries, governments participate to a significant degree, through ownership or regulation, in their respective economies. Action by these governments could have a significant adverse effect on market prices of securities and payments of dividends. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign (non-U.S.) countries. Investors in foreign (non-U.S.) countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign (non-U.S.) issuers or persons is limited. Settlement and asset custody practices for transactions in emerging markets may differ from those in developed markets. Such differences may include possible delays in settlement and certain settlement practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increases the likelihood of a "failed settlement." Failed settlements can result in losses.

In addition, the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the "HFCAA") could cause securities of a foreign (non-U.S.) company, including American Depositary Receipts, to be delisted from U.S. stock exchanges if the company does not allow the U.S. government to oversee the auditing of its financial information. Although the requirements of the HFCAA apply to securities of all foreign (non-U.S.) issuers, the SEC has thus far limited its enforcement efforts to securities of Chinese companies. If securities are delisted, the Fund's ability to transact in such securities will be impaired, and the liquidity and market price of the securities may decline. The Fund may also need to seek other markets in which to transact in such securities, which could increase the Fund's costs.

**Growth Investing:** Prices of growth-oriented stocks are more sensitive to investor perceptions of the issuer's growth potential and may fall quickly and significantly if investors suspect that actual growth may be less than expected. There is a risk that funds that invest in growth-oriented stocks may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Growth-oriented stocks tend to be more volatile than value-oriented stocks, and may underperform the market as a whole over any given time period. Growth-oriented stocks typically sell at relatively high valuations as compared to other types of securities. Securities of growth companies may be more volatile than other stocks because they usually invest a high portion of earnings in their business, and they may lack the dividends of value-oriented stocks that can cushion stock prices in a falling market. The market may not favor growth-oriented stocks or may not favor equities at all. In addition, earnings disappointments may lead to sharply falling prices because investors buy growth-oriented stocks in anticipation of superior earnings growth. Historically, growth-oriented stocks have been more volatile than value-oriented stocks.

**High-Yield Securities:** Lower-quality securities including securities that are or have fallen below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") have greater credit risk and liquidity risk than higher-quality (investment grade) securities, and their issuers' long-term ability to make payments is considered speculative. Prices of lower-quality bonds or other debt instruments are also more volatile, are more sensitive to negative news about the economy or the issuer, and have greater liquidity risk and price volatility.

**Index Strategy (Sleeve):** Although the Fund overall is actively managed, a sleeve of the Fund is managed pursuant to a " passive management " approach designed to track the performance of an index (the " Index Sleeve ") . The index selected may underperform the overall market. The Index Sleeve will not use defensive positions or attempt to reduce its exposure to poor performing securities in the index. The Index Sleeve may underperform other funds that invest more broadly. Errors in index data, index computations or the construction of the index in accordance with its methodology may occur from time to time and may not be identified and corrected by the index provider for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Index Sleeve. The correlation between the Index Sleeve's performance and index performance may be affected by the Fund's expenses and the timing of purchases and redemptions of the Fund's shares. In addition, the Index Sleeve's actual holdings might not match the index and the Index Sleeve's effective exposure to index securities at any given time may not precisely correlate.

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**Initial Public Offerings:** Investments in IPOs and companies that have recently gone public have the potential to produce substantial gains for the Fund. However, there is no assurance that the Fund will have access to profitable IPOs or that the IPOs in which the Fund invests will rise in value. Furthermore, the value of securities of newly public companies may decline in value shortly after the IPO. When the Fund's asset base is small, the impact of such investments on the Fund's return will be magnified. If the Fund's assets grow, it is likely that the effect of the Fund's investment in IPOs on the Fund's return will decline.

**Interest Rate:** A rise in market interest rates generally results in a fall in the value of bonds and other debt instruments; conversely, values generally rise as market interest rates fall. Interest rate risk is generally greater for debt instruments than floating-rate instruments. The higher the credit quality of the instrument, and the longer its maturity or duration, the more sensitive it is to changes in market interest rates. Duration is a measure of sensitivity of the price of a debt instrument to a change in interest rate. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board recently lowered interest rates following a period of consistent rate increases. Declining market interest rates increase the likelihood that debt instruments will be pre-paid. Rising market interest rates have unpredictable effects on the markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. To the extent that the Fund invests in debt instruments, an increase in market interest rates may lead to increased redemptions and increased portfolio turnover, which could reduce liquidity for certain investments, adversely affect values, and increase costs. Increased redemptions may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so and may lower returns. If dealer capacity in debt markets is insufficient for market conditions, it may further inhibit liquidity and increase volatility in debt markets. Fiscal, economic, monetary, or other governmental policies or measures have in the past, and may in the future, cause or exacerbate risks associated with interest rates, including changes in interest rates. Negative or very low interest rates could magnify the risks associated with changes in interest rates. In general, changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, could have unpredictable effects on markets and may expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility. In the case of inverse debt instruments, the interest rate paid by the debt instruments is a floating rate, which will generally decrease when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed increases and will increase when the market rate of interest to which the inverse debt instruments are indexed decreases. Changes to monetary policy by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board or other regulatory actions could expose debt and related markets to heightened volatility, interest rate sensitivity, and reduced liquidity, which may impact the Fund's operations and return potential.

**Investment Model:** A Sub-Adviser's proprietary investment model may not adequately take into account existing or unforeseen market factors or the interaction among such factors, including changes in how such factors interact, and there is no guarantee that the use of a proprietary investment model will result in effective investment decisions for the Fund. Proprietary investment models used by a Sub-Adviser to evaluate securities or securities markets are based on the Sub-Adviser's understanding of the interplay of market factors and do not assure successful investment. The markets, or the price of individual securities, may be affected by factors not foreseen in the construction of the proprietary investment models. Volatility management techniques may not always be successful in reducing volatility, may not protect against market declines, and may limit the Fund's participation in market gains, negatively impacting performance even during periods when the market is rising. During sudden or significant market rallies, such underperformance may be significant. Moreover, volatility management strategies may increase portfolio transaction costs, which may increase losses or reduce gains. The Fund's volatility may not be lower than that of the Fund's Index during all market cycles due to market factors. Funds that are actively managed, in whole or in part, according to a quantitative investment model (including models that utilize forms of artificial intelligence, such as machine learning) can perform differently from the market, based on the investment model and the factors used in the analysis, the weight placed on each factor, and changes from the factors' historical trends. Technical issues in the design, development, implementation, application, and maintenance of the models (*e.g.*, stale or inaccurate data, human error, programming or other software issues, coding errors, and technology failures) may create errors or limitations that might go undetected or are discovered only after the errors or limitations have negatively impacted performance.

**Liquidity:** If a security is illiquid, the Fund might be unable to sell the security at a time when the Fund's manager might wish to sell, or at all. Further, the lack of an established secondary market may make it more difficult to value illiquid securities, exposing the Fund to the risk that the prices at which it sells illiquid securities will be less than the prices at which they were valued when held by the Fund, which could cause the Fund to lose money. The prices of

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illiquid securities may be more volatile than more liquid securities, and the risks associated with illiquid securities may be greater in times of financial stress. Certain securities that are liquid when purchased may later become illiquid, particularly in times of overall economic distress or due to geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts, or wars. In addition, markets or securities may become illiquid quickly. The liquidity of certain assets, particularly of privately-issued and non-investment grade mortgage-backed securities, asset-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations, may be difficult to ascertain and may change over time.

**Market:** The market values of securities will fluctuate, sometimes sharply and unpredictably, based on overall economic conditions, governmental actions or intervention, market disruptions caused by trade disputes or other factors, political developments, and other factors. Prices of equity securities tend to rise and fall more dramatically than those of debt instruments. Additionally, legislative, regulatory or tax policies or developments may adversely impact the investment techniques available to a manager, add to costs, and impair the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.

**Market Capitalization:** Stocks fall into three broad market capitalization categories: large, mid, and small. Investing primarily in one category carries the risk that, due to current market conditions, that category may be out of favor with investors. If valuations of large-capitalization companies appear to be greatly out of proportion to the valuations of mid- or small-capitalization companies, investors may migrate to the stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies causing a fund that invests in these companies to increase in value more rapidly than a fund that invests in large-capitalization companies. Investing in mid- and small-capitalization companies may be subject to special risks associated with narrower product lines, more limited financial resources, smaller management groups, more limited publicly available information, and a more limited trading market for their stocks as compared with large-capitalization companies. As a result, stocks of mid- and small-capitalization companies may be more volatile and may decline significantly in market downturns.

**Market Disruption and Geopolitical:** The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Due to the increasing interdependence among global economies and markets, conditions in one country, market, or region might adversely impact markets, issuers and/or foreign exchange rates in other countries, including the United States. Wars, terrorism, global health crises and pandemics, trade disputes, tariffs and other restrictions on trade or economic sanctions, rapid technological developments (such as artificial intelligence technologies), and other geopolitical events that have led, and may continue to lead, to increased market volatility and may have adverse short- or long-term effects on U.S. and global economies and markets, generally. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The economic impacts of COVID-19 have created a unique challenge for real estate markets. Many businesses have either partially or fully transitioned to a remote-working environment and this transition may negatively impact the occupancy rates of commercial real estate over time. Natural and environmental disasters and systemic market dislocations are also highly disruptive to economies and markets. In addition, military action by Russia in Ukraine has, and may continue to, adversely affect global energy and financial markets and therefore could affect the value of the Fund's investments, including beyond the Fund's direct exposure to Russian issuers or nearby geographic regions. Furthermore, the prolonged conflict between Hamas and Israel, and the potential expansion of the conflict in the surrounding areas and the involvement of other nations in such conflict, such as the Houthi movement's attacks on marine vessels in the Red Sea, could further destabilize the Middle East region and introduce new uncertainties in global markets, including the oil and natural gas markets. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict and could be substantial. A number of U.S. domestic banks and foreign (non-U.S.) banks have experienced financial difficulties and, in some cases, failures. There can be no certainty that the actions taken by regulators to limit the effect of those financial difficulties and failures on other banks or other financial institutions or on the U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) economies generally will be successful. It is possible that more banks or other financial institutions will experience financial difficulties or fail, which may affect adversely other U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) financial institutions and economies. These events as well as other changes in foreign (non-U.S.) and domestic economic, social, and political conditions also could adversely affect individual issuers or related groups of issuers, securities markets, interest rates, credit ratings, inflation, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of the Fund's investments. Any of these occurrences could disrupt the operations of the Fund and of the Fund's service providers. Recent technological developments in, and the increasingly widespread use of, artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence ("AI"), may pose risks to the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and

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increased regulation of AI. As AI is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. The legal and regulatory frameworks within which AI operates continue to rapidly evolve, and it is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks related thereto.

**Other Investment Companies:** The main risk of investing in other investment companies, including ETFs, is the risk that the value of an investment company's underlying investments might decrease. Shares of investment companies that are listed on an exchange may trade at a discount or premium from their net asset value. You will pay a proportionate share of the expenses of those other investment companies (including management fees, administration fees, and custodial fees) in addition to the Fund's expenses. The investment policies of the other investment companies may not be the same as those of the Fund; as a result, an investment in the other investment companies may be subject to additional or different risks than those to which the Fund is typically subject.

ETFs are exchange-traded investment companies that are, in many cases, designed to provide investment results corresponding to an index. Additional risks of investments in ETFs include that: (i) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; or (ii) trading may be halted if the listing exchanges' officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from an exchange, or the activation of market-wide "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts trading of an ETF's shares. Other investment companies include Holding Company Depositary Receipts ("HOLDRs"). Because HOLDRs concentrate in the stocks of a particular industry, trends in that industry may have a dramatic impact on their value. In addition, shares of ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to net asset value and are subject to secondary market trading risks. Secondary markets may be subject to irregular trading activity, wide bid/ask spreads, and extended trade settlement periods in times of market stress because market makers and authorized participants may step away from making a market in an ETF's shares, which could cause a material decline in the ETF's net asset value.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stocks represent an equity interest in a company that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other securities such as common stocks, dividends, and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the company. Some preferred stocks also entitle their holders to receive additional liquidation proceeds on the same basis as holders of a company's common stock, and thus also represent an ownership interest in that company.

Preferred stock may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company's preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company's financial condition or prospects.

Preferred stock of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger companies.

Preferred stock includes certain hybrid securities and other types of preferred stock with different features from those of traditional preferred stock described above. Preferred stocks that are hybrid securities possess various features of both debt and traditional preferred stock and as such, they may constitute senior debt, junior debt, or preferred shares in an issuer's capital structure. Therefore, unlike traditional preferred stock, hybrid securities may not be subordinate to a company's debt instruments.

Preferred stock may include features permitting or requiring the issuer to defer or omit distributions. Among other things, such deferral or omission may result in adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Preferred stock generally does not have voting rights with respect to the issuer unless dividends have been in arrears for certain specified periods of time. Preferred stock may be less liquid than other securities. As a result, preferred stock is subject to the risk that they may be unable to be sold at the time desired by the Fund or at prices approximating the values at which the Fund is carrying the stock on its books. In addition, over longer periods of time, certain types of preferred stock may become more scarce or less liquid as a result of legislative changes. Such events may negatively affect the prices of stock held by the Fund, which may result in losses to the Fund. In addition, an issuer of preferred stock may redeem the stock prior to a specified date, which may occur due to changes in tax or securities laws or corporate actions. A redemption by the issuer may negatively impact the return of the preferred stock.

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**Prepayment and Extension:** Many types of debt instruments are subject to prepayment and extension risk. Prepayment risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal earlier than expected. This risk is heightened in a falling market interest rate environment. Prepayment may expose the Fund to a lower rate of return upon reinvestment of principal. Also, if a debt instrument subject to prepayment has been purchased at a premium, the value of the premium would be lost in the event of prepayment. Extension risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt instrument will pay back the principal later than expected. This risk is heightened in a rising market interest rate environment. This may negatively affect performance, as the value of the debt instrument decreases when principal payments are made later than expected. Additionally, the Fund may be prevented from investing proceeds it would have received at a given time at the higher prevailing interest rates.

**Real Estate Companies and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investing in real estate companies and REITs may subject the Fund to risks similar to those associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including losses from casualty or condemnation, changes in local and general economic conditions, supply and demand, market interest rates, zoning laws, regulatory limitations on rents, property taxes, overbuilding, high foreclosure rates, and operating expenses in addition to terrorist attacks, wars, or other acts that destroy real property. Some REITs may invest in a limited number of properties, in a narrow geographic area or in a single property type, which increases the risk that the Fund could be unfavorably affected by the poor performance of a single investment or investment type. These companies are also sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values and property taxes, market interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, supply and demand, and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Borrowers could default on or sell investments the REIT holds, which could reduce the cash flow needed to make distributions to investors. In addition, REITs may also be affected by tax and regulatory requirements in that a REIT may not qualify for favorable tax treatment or regulatory exemptions. Investments in REITs are affected by the management skill of the REIT's sponsor. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves two primary risks: " investment risk " and " borrower default risk. " When lending securities, the Fund will receive cash or U.S. government securities as collateral. Investment risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money from the investment of the cash collateral received from the borrower. Borrower default risk is the risk that the Fund will lose money due to the failure of a borrower to return a borrowed security. Securities lending may result in leverage. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks.

The Fund seeks to minimize investment risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to high-quality instruments of short maturity. In the event of a borrower default, the Fund will be protected to the extent the Fund is able to exercise its rights in the collateral promptly and the value of such collateral is sufficient to purchase replacement securities. The Fund is protected by its securities lending agent, which has agreed to indemnify the Fund from losses resulting from borrower default.

**Value Investing:** Securities that appear to be undervalued may never appreciate to the extent expected. Further, because the prices of value-oriented securities tend to correlate more closely with economic cycles than growth-oriented securities, they generally are more sensitive to changing economic conditions, such as changes in market interest rates, corporate earnings and industrial production. The manager may be wrong in its assessment of a company's value and the securities the Fund holds may not reach their full values. Risks associated with value investing include that a security that is perceived by the manager to be undervalued may actually be appropriately priced and, thus, may not appreciate and provide anticipated capital growth. The market may not favor value-oriented securities and may not favor equities at all. During those periods, the Fund's relative performance may suffer. There is a risk that funds that invest in value-oriented securities may underperform other funds that invest more broadly.

**Further Information About Principal Risks** 

The following provides additional information about certain aspects of the principal risks described above.

**Counterparty:** The entity with which the Fund conducts portfolio-related business (such as trading or securities lending), or that underwrites, distributes or guarantees investments or agreements that the Fund owns or is otherwise exposed to, may refuse or may become unable to honor its obligations under the terms of a transaction or agreement. As a result, the Fund may sustain losses and be less likely to achieve its investment objective. The Fund may obtain no or limited recovery in a bankruptcy or other reorganizational proceedings, and any recovery may be significantly delayed.

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Transactions that the Fund enters into may involve counterparties in the financials sector and, as a result, events affecting the financials sector may cause the Fund's NAV to fluctuate. These risks may be greater when engaging in over-the-counter transactions or when the Fund conducts business with a limited number of counterparties.

**Duration:** One measure of risk for debt instruments is duration. Duration measures the sensitivity of a bond's price to market interest rate movements and is one of the tools used by a portfolio manager in selecting debt instruments. Duration measures the average life of a bond on a present value basis by incorporating into one measure a bond's yield, coupons, final maturity and call features. As a point of reference, the duration of a non-callable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 5 years is approximately 4.5 years and the duration of a non-callable 7% coupon bond with a remaining maturity of 10 years is approximately 8 years. Material changes in market interest rates may impact the duration calculation. For example, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to fall approximately 5% if market interest rates rose by 1%. Conversely, the price of a bond with an average duration of 5 years would be expected to rise approximately 5% if market interest rates dropped by 1%.

**Inflation:** Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from the Fund's investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of payments at future dates. As inflation increases, the value of the Fund could decline. Inflation rates may change frequently and drastically as a result of various factors and the Fund's investments may not keep pace with inflation, which may result in losses to the Fund's investors or adversely affect the value of shareholders' investments in the Fund.

**Investment by Other Funds:** Certain funds-of-funds, including some Voya funds, may invest in the Fund. If investments by these other funds result in large inflows or outflows of cash from the Fund, the Fund could be required to sell securities or invest cash at times, or in ways, that could, among other things, negatively impact its performance, speed the realization of capital gains, increase its portfolio turnover, affect the liquidity of its portfolio, or increase transaction costs. The manager will monitor transactions by such funds-of-funds and will attempt to minimize any adverse effects these transactions may have on the Fund. If shares of the Fund are purchased by another fund in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act or Rule 12d1-4 thereunder and the Fund purchases shares of other investment companies in reliance on Rule 12d1-4, the Fund will not be able to make new investments in other funds, including private funds, if, as a result of such investment, more than 10% of the Fund's assets would be invested in other funds or private funds, subject to certain exceptions.

**Leverage:** Certain transactions and investment strategies may give rise to leverage. Such transactions and investment strategies include, but are not limited to: borrowing, dollar rolls, reverse repurchase agreements, loans of portfolio securities, short sales, and the use of when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment transactions. The use of certain derivatives may also increase leveraging risk and, in some cases, adverse changes in the value or level of a derivative's underlying asset, rate, or index may result in potentially unlimited losses. The use of leverage may exaggerate any increase or decrease in the net asset value, causing the Fund to be more volatile than if the Fund had not been leveraged. The use of leverage may increase expenses and increase the impact of the Fund's other risks. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet regulatory requirements resulting in increased volatility of returns. There can be no guarantee that a leveraging strategy will be successful.

**Manager:** The Fund is subject to manager risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Investment Adviser, a Sub-Adviser, or each individual portfolio manager will make judgments and apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results. The Fund's portfolio may fail to produce the intended results, and the Fund's portfolio may underperform other comparable funds because of portfolio management decisions related to, among other things, the selection of investments, portfolio construction, risk assessments, and/or the outlook on market trends and opportunities. Many managers of equity funds employ styles that are characterized as "value" or "growth." However, these terms can have different applications by different managers. One manager's value approach may be different from that of another, and one manager's growth approach may be different from that of another. For example, some value managers employ a style in which they seek to identify companies that they believe are valued at a more substantial or "deeper discount" to a company's net worth than other value managers. Therefore, some funds that are characterized as growth or value can have greater volatility than other funds managed by other managers in a growth or value style.

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**Operational:** The Fund, its service providers, and other market participants increasingly depend on complex information technology and communications systems to conduct business functions. These systems are subject to a number of different threats, including operational and information security risks that could adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, despite the efforts of the Fund and its service providers to adopt technologies, processes, and practices intended to mitigate these risks. The use of artificial intelligence ("AI") and machine learning could exacerbate operational and information security risks or result in cyber security incidents that implicate personal data. Cyber-attacks, disruptions, or failures that affect the Fund's service providers, counterparties, market participants, or issuers of securities held by the Fund may adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders, including by causing losses or impairing the Fund's operations. Information relating to the Fund's investments is delivered electronically, which can give rise to a number of risks, including, but not limited to, the risks that such communications may not be secure and may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with, without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient.

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**PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS INFORMATION**

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A description of the Fund's policies and procedures regarding the release of portfolio holdings information is available in the SAI. Portfolio holdings information can be reviewed online at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND**

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**Investment Adviser**

Voya Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya Investments serves as the investment adviser to, and has overall responsibility for the management of, the Fund. Voya Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services and assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following: custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services.

Voya Investments began business as an investment adviser in 1994 and currently serves as investment adviser to certain registered investment companies, consisting of open- and closed-end registered investment companies and collateralized loan obligations. Voya Investments is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. Voya Financial, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial institution whose subsidiaries operate in the retirement, investment, and insurance industries.

Voya Investments' principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258.

**Management Fee** 

The Investment Adviser does not receive a management fee from the Fund. The Fund may be utilized in connection with investment products or other offerings with fee structures intended to reflect their contemplated investment in underlying funds that do not charge a fee for investment advisory services. The Investment Adviser and/or its affiliates may receive management or other fees with respect to these investment products or other offerings that invest in the Fund.

The Investment Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement, including executive salaries and expenses of the Trustees and officers of the Trust who are employees of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, except the CCO.

A discussion regarding the basis of the Board's approval of the Fund's investment advisory and investment sub-advisory contracts is available in the Fund's annual financial statements and other information filed on Form N-CSR for the one-year period ended October 31, 2025.

**Sub-Advisers**

The Investment Adviser has engaged one or more sub-advisers to provide the day-to-day management of the Fund's portfolio. One of these sub-advisers is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser.

The Investment Adviser acts as a "manager-of-managers" for the Fund. The Investment Adviser has ultimate responsibility, subject to the oversight of the Fund's Board, to oversee any sub-advisers and to recommend the hiring, termination, or replacement of sub-advisers. The Fund and the Investment Adviser have received exemptive relief from the SEC which permits the Investment Adviser, with the approval of the Board but without obtaining shareholder approval, to enter into or materially amend a sub-advisory agreement with sub-advisers that are not affiliated with the Investment Adviser ("non-affiliated sub-advisers") as well as sub-advisers that are indirect or direct, wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Investment Adviser or of another company that indirectly or directly wholly owns the Investment Adviser ("wholly-owned sub-advisers").

Consistent with the "manager-of-managers" structure, the Investment Adviser delegates to the Sub-Adviser(s) of the Fund the responsibility for day-to-day investment management, subject to the Investment Adviser's oversight. The Investment Adviser is responsible for, among other things, monitoring the investment program and performance of the Sub-Adviser(s). Pursuant to the exemptive relief, the Investment Adviser, with the approval of the Board, has the discretion to terminate any sub-adviser (including terminating a non-affiliated sub-adviser and replacing it with a wholly-owned sub-adviser), and to allocate and reallocate the Fund's assets among other sub-advisers.

The Investment Adviser's selection of sub-advisers presents conflicts of interest. The Investment Adviser will have an economic incentive to select sub-advisers that charge the lowest sub-advisory fees, to select sub-advisers affiliated with it, or to manage a portion of the Fund itself. The Investment Adviser may retain an affiliated sub-adviser (or delay terminating an affiliated sub-adviser) in order to help that sub-adviser achieve or maintain scale in an investment strategy or increase its assets under management. The Investment Adviser may select or retain an affiliated sub-adviser even in cases where another potential sub-adviser or an existing sub-adviser might charge a lower fee or have more favorable historical investment performance.

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In the event that the Investment Adviser exercises its discretion to replace a sub-adviser or appoint a new sub-adviser, the Fund will provide shareholders with information about the new sub-adviser and the new sub-advisory agreement within 90 days. The replacement of an existing sub-adviser or appointment of a new sub-adviser may be accompanied by a change to the Fund's name and/or investment strategies.

A sub-advisory agreement can be terminated by the Investment Adviser, the Fund's Board, or a Sub-Adviser, provided that the conditions of such termination, as set forth in the agreement, are met. In addition, a sub-advisory agreement may be terminated by the Fund's shareholders. In the event a sub-advisory agreement is terminated, the Sub-Adviser(s) may be replaced, subject to any regulatory requirements, or the Investment Adviser may assume day-to-day investment management of the Fund.

The "manager-of-managers" structure and reliance on the exemptive relief has been approved by the Fund's shareholders.

**The Multi-Manager Approach** 

Voya Investments allocates each respective Fund's assets to different sub-advisers. Voya Investments may, from time to time, directly manage a portion of a Fund's assets to seek to manage the Fund's overall risk exposure, to achieve the Fund's desired risk/return profile, and to effect the Fund's investment strategies.

Nomura Investments Fund Advisers, Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP, and Voya IM are the sub-advisers of the Fund. Each sub-adviser makes investment decisions for the assets it has been allocated to manage. The Investment Adviser may change the allocation of the Fund's assets between the Sub-Advisers as it determines necessary to pursue the Fund's investment objective.

The Investment Adviser will determine what it believes to be the optimal allocation of the assets under management among the Fund's Sub-Advisers. Subsequent inflows and outflows will be allocated between the Fund's Sub-Advisers to maintain this allocation.

**Nomura Investments Fund Advisers** 

Nomura Investments Fund Advisers ("NIFA") is a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust ("NIMBT"), a Delaware statutory trust, which is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Nomura Asset Management is part of the Investment Management Division of the Nomura Group, providing integrated public and private market asset management services across equities, fixed income, private credit and multi-asset solutions to intermediary and institutional clients. Nomura Asset Management primarily operated through several distinct investment managers, which include NIMBT and its NIFA series. NIFA's principal business address is 610 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106.

**Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP** 

Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP ("SGA" or the "Sub-Adviser") is a Delaware limited partnership. SGA is a registered investment adviser and provides investment advice to institutional and individual clients, private investment companies, and mutual funds. SGA's principal business address is 301 Tresser Boulevard, Suite 1310, Stamford, Connecticut 06901.

**Voya Investment Management Co. LLC** 

Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM" or the "Sub-Adviser"), a Delaware limited liability company, was founded in 1972 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya IM has acted as an investment adviser or sub-adviser to mutual funds since 1994 and has managed institutional accounts since 1972. Voya IM is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. Voya IM's principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.

**Portfolio Management**

The following individuals are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA | Voya <br> Investments <br> (Investment <br> Adviser)<br>| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Mr. Blair, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in 2015 <br> and is Head of Manager Research and Selection for <br> Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions ("MASS"). He <br> is responsible for manager research and selection <br> activities across all asset classes for the MASS <br> group's multi-manager products. Prior to joining Voya <br> IM, Mr. Blair was an analyst at Wells Fargo, focusing <br> on research and due diligence of equity, real estate, <br> and multi-asset managers. Prior to that, he was an <br> analyst with Fidelity Investments, covering equity <br> and real estate managers. Mr. Blair began his career <br> as a consultant with FactSet Research Systems <br> where he worked closely with equity, fixed income, <br> and real estate research teams.<br>|
| Mark Buccigross | Voya IM | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Mr. Buccigross, Portfolio Manager, is on the <br> quantitative equity team at Voya IM. Prior to joining <br> Voya IM, he worked as an equity trader at State <br> Street Global Advisors, where he was responsible for <br> supporting U.S., Canada, and emerging market <br> portfolio managers across fundamental active, <br> active quantitative, and passive strategies. Prior to <br> that, Mr. Buccigross held a similar position at GE <br> Asset Management.<br>|
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA | NIFA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Mr. Chen, Managing Director and Chief Investment <br> Officer-Emerging Markets and Healthcare, heads <br> Nomura's global emerging markets team. Prior to <br> joining a predecessor entity of Nomura's in 2006, <br> he spent nearly 11 years at Evergreen Investment <br> Management Company.<br>|
| HK Gupta | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Mr. Gupta, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager <br> on the SGA Investment Committee, also sits on the <br> SGA Executive Committee. He has been with SGA <br> since 2014. He is a portfolio manager of SGA's US <br> Large Cap Growth, Global Growth, and Emerging <br> Markets Growth Portfolios. Prior to joining SGA, Mr. <br> Gupta was a Senior Analyst at MDR Capital <br> Management and an Associate Managing Director at <br> Iridian Asset Management. He also worked as an <br> Investment Banking Associate at Bank of America <br> Merrill Lynch, and advised industrials and financials <br> clients on private placements and M&A. Prior to <br> that, Mr. Gupta spent three years in the industry as <br> a Product and Program Manager at Amazon.com <br> and led the launch of Amazon's Japanese and <br> German merchant platforms. <br>|

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND *(continued)***

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Investment** <br> **Adviser or** <br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund** | **Professional Experience** |
| Alexandra Lee | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Ms. Lee, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager on <br> the SGA Investment Committee also sits on the SGA <br> Executive Committee. She has been with SGA since <br> 2004. She is a portfolio manager of SGA's Global <br> Growth, International Growth and Emerging Markets <br> Growth Portfolios. Prior to joining SGA, Ms. Lee was <br> an Associate Director and an equity analyst at Bear <br> Stearns. Prior to that, she was employed at JP <br> Morgan as an equity research analyst.<br>|
| Kishore Rao | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Mr. Rao, Principal, Analyst, and Portfolio Manager on <br> the SGA Investment Committee also sits on the SGA <br> Executive Committee. He has been with SGA since <br> 2004. He is a portfolio manager of SGA's US Large <br> Cap Growth, Global Growth, International Growth, <br> and Emerging Markets Growth Portfolios. Prior to <br> joining SGA, Mr. Rao was a member of the <br> investment team at Trident Capital and was a <br> Founder and General Manager of the Street Events <br> division of CCBN. Prior to that, he was an Investment <br> Analyst at Tiger Management following healthcare <br> services and software companies and an Analyst at <br> Wellington Management following semiconductor <br> equipment.<br>|
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA | Voya <br> Investments <br> (Investment <br> Adviser)<br>| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Ms. Reinhard, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in <br> 2016 and is the head of asset allocation for <br> Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions ("MASS"). She <br> is responsible for strategic and tactical asset <br> allocation decisions for the MASS team's <br> multi-asset strategies. Prior to joining Voya IM, Ms. <br> Reinhard was the chief investment officer for Credit <br> Suisse Private Bank in the Americas (2011-2016) <br> where she managed discretionary multi-asset <br> portfolios, was a member of the global asset <br> allocation committee, and the pension investment <br> committee. Prior to that, she spent 20 years at <br> Morgan Stanley.<br>|
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Ms. Wong, Portfolio Manager, joined Voya IM in 2012 <br> and is responsible for the portfolio management of <br> the index, active quantitative, and smart beta <br> strategies. Prior to that, she worked as a senior <br> equity portfolio manager at Northern Trust <br> (2003-2009) where she was responsible for <br> managing various global indices, including <br> developed, emerging, real estate, Topix, and socially <br> responsible benchmarks.<br>|

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**Additional Information Regarding the Portfolio Managers** 

The SAI provides additional information about each portfolio manager's compensation, other accounts managed by each portfolio manager, and the securities each portfolio manager owns in the Fund(s) the portfolio manager manages.

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**MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND *(continued)***

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**Distributor** 

Voya Investments Distributor, LLC (the "Distributor"), a Delaware limited liability company, is the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. The Distributor's principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. See "Principal Underwriter" in the SAI.

The Distributor is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA"). To obtain information about FINRA member firms and their associated persons, you may contact FINRA at www.finra.org or the Public Disclosure Hotline at 800-289-9999.

**Contractual Arrangements** 

The Fund has contractual arrangements with various service providers, which may include, among others, investment advisers, distributors, custodians and fund accounting agents, shareholder service providers, and transfer agents, who provide services to the Fund. Shareholders are not parties to, or intended ("third-party") beneficiaries of, any of those contractual arrangements, and those contractual arrangements are not intended to create in any individual shareholder or group of shareholders any right to enforce them against the service providers or to seek any remedy under them against the service providers, either directly or on behalf of the Fund. This paragraph is not intended to limit any rights granted to shareholders under federal or state securities laws.

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**HOW SHARES ARE PRICED**

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The Fund is open for business every day the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") opens for regular trading (each such day, a "Business Day"). The net asset value (the "NAV") per share for each class of the Fund is determined each Business Day as of the close of the regular trading session ("Market Close"), as determined by the Consolidated Tape Association (the "CTA"), the central distributor of transaction prices for exchange-traded securities (normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time unless otherwise designated by the CTA). The NAV per share of each class of the Fund is calculated by taking the value of the Fund's assets attributable to that class, subtracting the Fund's liabilities attributable to that class, and dividing by the number of shares of that class that are outstanding. On days when the Fund is closed for business, Fund shares will not be priced, and the Fund will not process purchase or redemption orders. To the extent the Fund's assets are traded in other markets on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the Fund's assets will likely change and you will not be able to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.

Portfolio holdings for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value. Investments in open-end registered investment companies that do not trade on an exchange are valued at the end-of-day NAV per share. The prospectuses of the open-end registered investment companies in which the Fund may invest explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing. Foreign (non-U.S.) securities' prices are converted into U.S. dollar amounts using the applicable exchange rates as of Market Close.

When a market quotation for a portfolio security is not readily available or is deemed unreliable (for example, when trading has been halted or there are unexpected market closures or other material events that would suggest that the market quotation is unreliable) and for purposes of determining the value of other portfolio holdings, the portfolio holding is priced at its fair value. The Board has designated the Investment Adviser, as the valuation designee, to make fair value determinations in good faith. In determining the fair value of the Fund's portfolio holdings, the Investment Adviser, pursuant to its fair valuation policy, may consider inputs from pricing service providers, broker-dealers, or the Fund's Sub-Adviser(s). Issuer specific events, transaction price, position size, nature and duration of restrictions on disposition of the security, market trends, bid/ask quotes of brokers, and other market data may be reviewed in the course of making a good faith determination of the fair value of a portfolio holding. Because trading hours for certain foreign (non-U.S.) securities end before Market Close, closing market quotations may become unreliable. The prices of foreign (non-U.S.) securities will generally be adjusted based on inputs from a third-party pricing service that are intended to reflect valuation changes through Market Close. Because of the inherent uncertainties of fair valuation, the values used to determine the Fund's NAV may materially differ from the value received upon actual sale of those investments. Thus, fair valuation may have an unintended dilutive or accretive effect on the value of shareholders' investments in the Fund.

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**HOW TO BUY SHARES**

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**Customer Identification** 

To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person that opens an account, and to determine whether such person's name appears on government lists of known or suspected terrorists and terrorist organizations.

What this means for you: the Fund, the Distributor, or a third-party selling you the Fund, must obtain the following information for each person that opens an account:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Name;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Date of birth (for individuals);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Physical residential address (although post office boxes are still permitted for mailing); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, or other identifying number.

You may also be asked to show your driver's license, passport, or other identifying documents in order to verify your identity. In addition, it may be necessary to verify your identity by cross-referencing your identification information with a consumer report or other electronic database. Additional information may be required to open accounts for corporations and other non-natural persons.

**Federal law prohibits the Fund, the Distributor, and other financial institutions from opening accounts unless they receive the minimum identifying information listed above. They also may be required to close your account if they are unable to verify your identity within a reasonable time.**

Currently, shares of the Fund are available for purchase only by: (1) registered investment companies in the Voya family of funds with management fee structures intended to reflect their contemplated investment in underlying Voya funds that do not charge a fee for investment advisory services; (2) collective investment trusts or common investment trusts sponsored, managed or sub-advised by Voya affiliated entities; (3) investors through separate accounts managed or sub-advised by Voya affiliated entities; and (4) registered investment companies outside the Voya family of funds that are managed or sub-advised by a Voya affiliated entity with management fee structures intended to reflect their contemplated investment in underlying Voya funds that do not charge a fee for investment advisory services.

There are no minimum requirements for initial investments or additional investments in the Fund.

The Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to reject any purchase order. Please note that cash, traveler's checks, third-party checks, money orders, and checks drawn on non-U.S. banks (even if payment may be effected through a U.S. bank) generally will not be accepted. The Fund and the Distributor reserve the right to liquidate sufficient shares to recover annual transfer agent fees.

The Fund reserves the right to suspend the offering of shares.

Make your investment using the methods outlined in the following table. There are no exchange privileges associated with the Fund's shares.

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**HOW TO BUY SHARES *(continued)***

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Buying Shares** | **Opening an Account** | **Adding to an Account** |
| By Contacting Your Financial <br> Intermediary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; A financial intermediary with an authorized <br> firm can help you establish and maintain your <br> account.<br>| Contact your financial intermediary. |
| By Mail | &nbsp;&nbsp; Make your check payable to Voya Investment <br> Management and mail it with a completed <br> Account Application. Please indicate your <br> financial intermediary on the New Account <br> Application.<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Fill out the Account Additions form at the <br> bottom of your account statement and mail it <br> along with your check payable to Voya <br> Investment Management to the address on <br> the account statement. Please write your <br> account number on the check.<br>|
| By Wire | &nbsp;&nbsp; Call Shareholder Services at <br> 1-800-992-0180 to obtain an account <br> number and indicate your financial <br> intermediary on the account.<br> Instruct your bank to wire funds to the Fund <br> in the care of:<br> Bank of New York Mellon<br> ABA # 011001234<br> credit to: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing <br> (US) Inc. as Agent for Voya mutual funds<br> A/C #0000733938; for further credit to <br> Shareholder A/C # <br> (A/C # you received over the telephone)<br> Shareholder Name:<br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; (Your Name Here)<br> After wiring funds you must complete the <br> Account Application and send it to:<br> Voya Investment Management<br> P.O. Box 534480<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4480<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Wire the funds in the same manner described <br> under "Opening an Account."<br>|

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**HOW TO BUY SHARES *(continued)***

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**Execution of Purchase Orders** 

Purchase orders are executed at the next NAV determined after the order is received in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor. A purchase order will be deemed to be in proper form when all of the required steps set forth under "How to Buy Shares" have been completed. If you purchase by wire, however, the order will be deemed to be in proper form after the federal funds wire has been received. If you are opening a new account and you purchase by wire, you must submit an application form prior to Market Close. If an order or payment by wire is received after Market Close, your order will not be executed until the next NAV is determined. For your transaction to be counted on the day you place your order with your broker-dealer or other financial institution, your broker-dealer or financial institution must receive your order in proper form before Market Close and transmit the order to the Transfer Agent or the Distributor in a timely manner.

You will receive a confirmation of each new transaction in your account, which also will show you the number of shares you own including the number of shares being held in safekeeping by the Transfer Agent for your account. You may rely on these confirmations in lieu of certificates as evidence of your ownership.

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**HOW TO SELL SHARES**

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You may sell shares by using the methods outlined in the following table. Under unusual circumstances, the Fund may suspend the right of redemption as allowed by the SEC or federal securities laws. There are no exchange privileges associated with the Fund's shares.

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Selling Shares** | **To Sell Some or All of Your Shares** |
| By Contacting Your Financial <br> Intermediary<br>| You may sell shares by contacting your financial intermediary. Financial intermediaries may <br> charge for their services in connection with your redemption request but neither the Fund nor <br> the Distributor imposes any such charge.<br>|
| By Mail | Send a written request specifying the Fund name and share class, your account number, the <br> name(s) in which the account is registered, and the dollar value or number of shares you wish <br> to redeem to: <br>Voya Investment Management<br> P.O. Box 534480<br> Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4480 <br>If certificated shares have been issued, the certificate must accompany the written request. <br> Corporate investors and other associations must have an appropriate certification on file <br> authorizing redemptions. A suggested form of such certification is provided on the Account <br> Application. A signature guarantee may be required.<br>|
| By Telephone - Expedited Redemption | You may sell shares by telephone on all accounts, other than retirement accounts, unless you <br> check the box on the Account Application which signifies that you do not wish to use telephone <br> redemptions. To redeem by telephone, call a Shareholder Services Representative at <br> 1-800-992-0180. <br>**Receiving Proceeds By Check:** <br>You may have redemption proceeds (up to a maximum of $10,000,000) mailed to an address <br> which has been on record with Voya Investment Management for at least 30 days. <br>**Receiving Proceeds By Wire:** <br>You may have redemption proceeds (up to a maximum of $10,000,000) wired to your <br> pre-designated bank account. You will not be able to receive redemption proceeds by wire <br> unless you check the box on the Account Application which signifies that you wish to receive <br> redemption proceeds by wire and attach a voided check. Under normal circumstances, <br> proceeds will be transmitted to your bank on the Business Day following receipt of your <br> instructions, provided redemptions may be made. In the event that share certificates have been <br> issued, you may not request a wire redemption by telephone.<br>|

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**Execution of Sale Requests** 

Sale requests are executed at the next NAV determined after the order is received in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor. For your transaction to be counted on the day you place your sale request with your broker-dealer or other financial institution, your broker-dealer or financial institution must receive your sale request in proper form before Market Close and transmit the sale request to the Transfer Agent or the Distributor in a timely manner.

You will receive a confirmation of each new transaction in your account, which also will show you the number of shares you own including the number of shares being held in safekeeping by the Transfer Agent for your account. You may rely on these confirmations in lieu of certificates as evidence of your ownership.

**Payments** 

Normally, payment for shares redeemed will typically be made within one business day after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a request in good order. The Fund can delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to 7 days and may suspend redemptions and/or further postpone payment proceeds when the NYSE is closed (other than weekends or holidays) or when trading thereon is restricted or during emergency or other circumstances, including as determined by the SEC. When you place a request to redeem shares for which the purchase money has not yet been collected, the request will be executed at the next determined NAV, but the Fund will not release the proceeds until your purchase

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**HOW TO SELL SHARES *(continued)***

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payment clears. This may take up to 30 days. A redemption request made within 30 calendar days after submission of a change of address is permitted only if the request is in writing and is accompanied by a medallion signature guarantee. Redemption requests of an amount of $10 million or more must be submitted in writing by an authorized person.

A medallion signature guarantee may be required in certain circumstances. A request to change the bank designated to receive wire redemption proceeds must be received in writing, signed by an authorized person, and accompanied by a medallion signature guarantee from any eligible guarantor institution. In addition, if you wish to have your redemption proceeds transferred by wire to an account other than your designated bank account, paid to someone other than the shareholder of record, or sent somewhere other than the shareholder's address of record, you must provide a medallion signature guarantee with your written redemption instructions. Please see the SAI for more details on the medallion signature guarantee program.

The Fund will typically pay redemption proceeds in cash using cash held by the Fund, with cash generated by the Fund through the sale of cash equivalents and other Fund assets or by borrowing cash pursuant to the Fund's line of credit. The Fund may, however, determine in its absolute discretion to distribute non-cash assets in kind in complete or partial satisfaction of its obligation to pay redemption proceeds to a shareholder. In such a case, the Fund could elect to make payment in securities or other assets for redemptions that exceed the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its net assets during any 90-day period for any one record shareholder. Non-cash assets distributed by the Fund likely will not represent a pro rata distribution of assets held in the Fund's portfolio. A shareholder's receipt of non-cash redemption proceeds may be less favorable to the shareholder than receipt of cash proceeds for a number of reasons, including, without limitation, costs and potential delays relating to the sale of the non-cash assets, potential illiquidity of the non-cash assets, and the potential inability of the shareholder to realize on the sale of the non-cash assets cash proceeds equal to the cash proceeds it would have received from the Fund. The Fund has no obligation to distribute non-cash assets, including in circumstances when doing so may benefit a redeeming shareholder or may reduce or eliminate transaction costs and/or the realization of capital gains that may need to be distributed to shareholders, which such distributions will be taxable to shareholders that hold their shares in a taxable account.

**Telephone Orders** 

Neither the Fund nor the Transfer Agent will be responsible for the authenticity of phone instructions or losses, if any, resulting from unauthorized shareholder transactions if they reasonably believe that such instructions were genuine. The Fund and the Transfer Agent have established reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. These procedures include recording telephone instructions for expedited redemptions, requiring the caller to give certain specific identifying information, and providing written confirmation to shareholders of record not later than 5 days following any such telephone transactions. If the Fund or the Transfer Agent do not employ these procedures, they may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent telephone instructions.

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**FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING**

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The Fund is intended for long-term investment and not as a short-term trading vehicle. Accordingly, organizations or individuals that use market timing investment strategies should not purchase shares of the Fund. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion and without prior notice, to reject, restrict, or refuse purchase orders, including purchase orders that have been accepted by a shareholder's or retirement plan participant's intermediary, that the Fund determines not to be in the best interest of the Fund. Such action may include, but not be limited to: rejecting additional purchase orders, extending settlement of a redemption up to 7 days; rejecting all purchase orders from broker-dealers or their registered representatives suspected of violating the Fund's frequent trading policy; or termination of the selling group agreement or other agreement with broker-dealers or other financial intermediaries associated with frequent trading. The Fund will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected orders or other actions as described above.

The Fund believes that market timing or frequent, short-term trading in any account, including a retirement plan account, is not in the best interest of the Fund or its shareholders. Due to the disruptive nature of this activity, it can adversely affect the ability of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser (if applicable) to invest assets in an orderly, efficient manner. Frequent trading can raise Fund expenses through: increased trading and transaction costs; increased administrative costs; and lost opportunity costs. This in turn can have an adverse effect on Fund performance.

Funds that invest in foreign (non-U.S.) securities may present greater opportunities for market timers and thus be at a greater risk for excessive trading. If an event occurring after the close of a foreign market, but before the time the Fund computes its current NAV, causes a change in the price of the foreign (non-U.S.) security and such price is not reflected in its current NAV, investors may attempt to take advantage of anticipated price movements in securities held by the Fund based on such pricing discrepancies. This is often referred to as "price arbitrage." Such price arbitrage opportunities may also occur in funds which do not invest in foreign (non-U.S.) securities. For example, if trading in a security held by the Fund is halted and does not resume prior to the time it calculates its NAV such "stale pricing" presents an opportunity for investors to take advantage of the pricing discrepancy. Similarly, funds that hold thinly-traded securities, such as certain small-capitalization securities, may be exposed to varying levels of pricing arbitrage. The Fund has adopted fair valuation policies and procedures intended to reduce its exposure to price arbitrage, stale pricing and other potential pricing discrepancies. However, to the extent that the Fund does not immediately reflect these changes in market conditions, short-term trading may dilute the value of the Fund's shares which negatively affects long-term shareholders.

The Board has adopted policies and procedures designed to deter frequent, short-term trading in shares of the Fund. The Fund prohibits frequent trading. The Fund has defined frequent trading as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Trading deemed harmful or excessive by the Fund (including but not limited to patterns of purchases and redemptions) by the Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, in its sole discretion; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Trades initiated by intermediaries, among multiple shareholder accounts, that in the aggregate are deemed harmful or excessive by the Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, in its sole discretion.

The following transactions are excluded when determining whether trading activity is frequent:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases and sales of Fund shares in the amount of $5,000 or less;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Transfers associated with systematic purchases or redemptions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Rebalancing to facilitate fund-of-fund arrangements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases and sales of money market funds and purchases and sales of Funds that affirmatively permit short-term trading (an exchange between a money market fund and the Fund other than a money market fund or purchases and exchanges between the Fund that permits short-term trading and another Fund would not be exempt from this policy);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases or sales initiated by the Fund; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Transactions subject to the trading policy of an intermediary that the Fund's Investment Adviser, on behalf of the Fund, deems materially similar to the Fund's policy.

If a violation of the policy is identified, the following action shall be taken:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The shareholder and/or broker of record on the account(s) is notified of the violation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Upon the first violation of this policy in a calendar year, purchase privileges shall be suspended for 90 calendar days from the date of the first trade.

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**FREQUENT TRADING - MARKET TIMING *(continued)***

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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;• Upon a second violation of the policy in a calendar year, purchase privileges shall be suspended for 180 calendar days from the trade date of the second violation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchase blocks shall be placed on the account and all related accounts bearing the same tax identification number or equivalent identifier.

On the Business Day following the end of a 90- or 180-calendar day suspension, any trading restrictions placed on the account(s) shall be removed.

The Fund reserves the right to modify this policy at any time without prior notice.

Although the restrictions described above are designed to discourage frequent, short-term trading, none of them alone, nor all of them taken together, can eliminate the possibility that frequent, short-term trading activity in the Fund will occur. Moreover, in enforcing such restrictions, the Fund is often required to make decisions that are inherently subjective. The Fund strives to make these decisions to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is in the best interest of shareholders.

Shareholders may invest in the Fund through omnibus account arrangements with financial intermediaries. Omnibus accounts permit intermediaries to aggregate their clients' transactions and in these circumstances, the identity of the shareholder is often unknown. Such intermediaries include broker-dealers, banks, investment advisers, record keepers, retirement plans, and fee-based accounts such as wrap fee programs. Omnibus accounts generally do not identify customers' trading activity on an individual basis. The Investment Adviser or its affiliated entities have agreements in place with intermediaries which require such intermediaries to provide detailed account information, including trading history, upon request of the Fund. There is no assurance that the Investment Adviser or its affiliated entities will request such information with sufficient frequency to detect or deter excessive trading or that review of such information will be sufficient to detect or deter excessive trading in omnibus accounts effectively.

In some cases, the Fund will rely on the intermediaries' excessive trading policies and such policies shall define the trading activity in which the shareholder may engage. This shall be the case where the Fund is used in certain retirement plans offered by affiliates. With trading information received as a result of the agreements, the Fund may make a determination that certain trading activity is harmful to the Fund and its shareholders even if such activity is not strictly prohibited by the intermediaries' excessive trading policy. As a result, a shareholder investing directly or indirectly in the Fund may have their trading privileges suspended without violating the stated excessive trading policy of the intermediary.

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**PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES**

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Voya mutual funds are distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor is a broker-dealer that is licensed to sell securities. The Distributor generally does not sell directly to the public but sells and markets its products through intermediaries such as other broker-dealers. Each Voya mutual fund also has an investment adviser which is responsible for managing the money invested in each of the mutual funds. Both of these entities or their affiliates (collectively, "Voya") may compensate an intermediary for selling Voya mutual funds.

Persons licensed with FINRA as a registered representative (often referred to as a broker or financial adviser) and associated with a specific broker-dealer may receive compensation from the Fund for providing services which are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares. The Distributor has an agreement in place with each broker-dealer selling the Fund defining specifically what that broker-dealer will be paid for the sale of a particular Voya mutual fund. The broker-dealer then pays the registered representative who sold you the mutual fund some or all of what they receive from Voya. A registered representative may receive a payment when the sale is made and in some cases, can continue to receive payments while you are invested in the mutual fund. In addition, other entities may receive compensation from the Fund for providing services which are primarily intended to result in the sale of Fund shares, so long as such entities are permitted to receive these fees under applicable rules and regulations.

The Distributor may pay, from its own resources, additional fees to these broker-dealers or other financial institutions including affiliated entities. These additional fees paid to intermediaries may take the following forms: (1) a percentage of that entity's customer assets invested in Voya mutual funds; (2) a percentage of that entity's gross sales; or (3) some combination of these payments. Depending on the broker-dealer's satisfaction of the required conditions, these payments may be periodic and may be up to: (1) 0.30% per annum of the value of the Fund's shares held by the broker-dealer's customers; or (2) 0.30% of the value of the Fund's shares sold by the broker-dealer during a particular period. For example, if that initial investment averages a value of $10,000 over the year, the Distributor could pay a maximum of $30 on those assets. If you invested $10,000, the Distributor could pay a maximum of $30 for that sale.

Voya, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to intermediaries selling shares of the Fund, including affiliates of Voya. These amounts would be in addition to the distribution payments made by the Fund under the distribution agreements. Management personnel of Voya may receive additional compensation if the overall amount of investments in funds advised by Voya meets certain target levels or increases over time.

Voya may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to third parties selling our mutual funds including affiliated companies. This may take the form of cash incentives and non-cash compensation and may include, but is not limited to: cash; merchandise; trips; occasional entertainment; meals or tickets to a sporting event; client appreciation events; payment for travel expenses (including meals and lodging) to pre-approved training and education seminars; and payment for advertising and sales campaigns. The Distributor may also pay concessions in addition to those described above to broker-dealers so that Voya mutual funds are made available by those broker-dealers for their customers. The Sub-Adviser of the Fund may contribute to non-cash compensation arrangements.

The compensation paid by Voya to a financial intermediary is typically paid continually over time, during the period when the intermediary's clients hold investments in the Voya mutual funds. The amount of continuing compensation paid by Voya to different financial intermediaries for distribution and/or shareholder services varies. The compensation is typically a percentage of the value of the financial intermediary's clients' investments in Voya mutual funds or a per account fee. The variation in compensation may, but will not necessarily, reflect enhanced or additional services provided by the intermediary.

Voya or a Voya mutual fund may pay service fees to intermediaries for administration, recordkeeping, and other shareholder services. Intermediaries receiving these payments may include, among others, brokers, financial planners or advisers, banks, and insurance companies. The Voya mutual funds may reimburse Voya for some or all of the payments made by Voya to intermediaries for these services.

In some cases, a financial intermediary may hold its clients' mutual fund shares in nominee or street name accounts. These financial intermediaries may (though they will not necessarily) provide services including, among other things: processing and mailing trade confirmations; capturing and processing tax data; issuing and mailing dividend checks to shareholders who have selected cash distributions; preparing record date shareholder lists for proxy solicitations; collecting and posting distributions to shareholder accounts; and establishing and maintaining systematic withdrawals and automated investment plans and shareholder account registrations.

The top firms Voya paid to sell its mutual funds as of the last calendar year are:

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**PAYMENTS TO FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES *(continued)***

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Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC; Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc.; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.; Charles Schwab Trust Bank; Directed Services LLC ; Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC; LPL Financial, LLC; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.; Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation, Inc.; Morgan Stanley; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Corp; Osaic, Inc.; Pershing, LLC; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York ; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; Security Life of Denver Insurance Company; Standard Insurance Company; UBS Financial Services, Inc.; Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company ; Voya Financial Advisers, Inc.; Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company; Voya Services Company; and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC.

Your registered representative or broker-dealer could have a financial interest in selling you a particular mutual fund, or the mutual funds of a particular company, to increase the compensation they receive. Please make sure you read fully each mutual fund prospectus and discuss any questions you have with your registered representative.

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**DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES**

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**Dividends and Distributions** 

The Fund generally distributes most or all of its net earnings in the form of dividends, consisting of ordinary income and capital gains distributions, if any. The Fund distributes capital gains, if any, annually. The Fund also declares dividends and pays dividends consisting of ordinary income, if any, annually.

From time to time a portion of the Fund's distributions may constitute a return of capital. To comply with U.S. federal tax laws, the Fund may also pay additional distributions of capital gains and/or ordinary income.

**Dividend Reinvestment** 

Unless you instruct the Fund to pay you dividends in cash, dividends and distributions paid by the Fund will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. You may, upon written request or by completing the appropriate section of the Account Application, elect to have all dividends and other distributions paid on shares of the Fund invested in another Voya mutual fund that offers the same class of shares.

**Tax Consequences** 

The tax discussion in this Prospectus is only a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax issues generally affecting the Fund and its shareholders. The following assumes that the Fund's shares will be capital assets in the hands of a shareholder. The Investment Adviser is not obligated to consider the tax consequences related to its management of the Fund's investments or other activities. It is possible that the actions taken by the Fund or the Investment Adviser on the Fund's behalf could be disadvantageous to shareholders that hold shares through a taxable account. However, such actions likely will have no tax effect on shareholders that invest through a tax-advantaged account. Circumstances among investors may vary, so you are encouraged to discuss an investment in the Fund with your tax advisor.

**Distributions.** The Fund will distribute all, or substantially all, of its net investment income and net capital gains (*i.e.*, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, in each case determined with reference to any loss carryforwards) to its shareholders each year. Although the Fund will not be taxed on amounts it distributes, most shareholders will be taxed on amounts they receive.

If more than 50% in value of the Fund's total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, or if at least 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its taxable year is represented by interests in other RICs, the Fund may elect (the "Foreign Election") to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of foreign income and similar foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by it. If the Fund so elects, each of its shareholders would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, its pro rata share of such foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by the Fund, but would be treated as having paid its pro rata share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various limitations) as a foreign tax credit against U.S. federal income tax (but not both). It is anticipated that the Fund will qualify to make the Foreign Election; however, the Fund cannot be certain that it will be eligible to make such an election or that you will be eligible for the foreign tax credit.

Distributions, whether received as cash or reinvested in additional shares, may be subject to U.S. federal income taxes and may also be subject to state, local or non-U.S. taxes. Dividends from net investment income (other than qualified dividend income and capital gain dividends) and distributions of net short-term capital gains are taxable to you as ordinary income under U.S. federal income tax laws whether paid in cash or in additional shares. Distributions properly reported as capital gain dividends are taxable as long-term capital gains regardless of the length of time you have held the shares and whether you were paid in cash or additional shares. Distributions made to a non-corporate shareholder out of "qualified dividend income," if any, received by the Fund will be subject to tax at the lower rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided that the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements with respect to its shares.

You will be notified annually of the amount of income, dividends and net capital gains distributed by the Fund. If you purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary, that entity will provide this information to you.

**Sales, Redemptions and Other Dispositions.** Selling, redeeming or otherwise disposing of your Fund shares is a taxable event and may result in capital gain or loss. A capital gain or capital loss may be realized from a redemption of shares or an exchange of shares between two mutual funds. Any such capital gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will generally be long-term if the shares were held for more than one year; otherwise, such gain or loss will be short-term. Any capital loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of capital gain dividends received with respect to such shares. Additionally,

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**DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES *(continued)***

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any loss realized on a taxable disposition of Fund shares may be disallowed under "wash sale" rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the Fund within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the tax basis of the shares acquired. You are responsible for any tax liabilities generated by your transactions.

**Tax Status of the Fund.** The Fund intends to qualify and be eligible for treatment each year as a regulated investment company ("RIC"). A RIC generally is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to its shareholders. However, the Fund's failure to qualify as a RIC would result in fund level taxation and therefore a reduction in income available for distribution.

**Net Investment Income Tax.** An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gain distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of Fund shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent their income exceeds certain threshold amounts.

**Backup Withholding.** The Fund is required to withhold a portion of all taxable dividends, distributions, and redemption proceeds payable to any noncorporate shareholder that does not provide the Fund with the shareholder's correct taxpayer identification number or certification that the shareholder is not subject to backup withholding. This is not an additional tax but can be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability.

**Tax-Advantaged Accounts.** Shareholders that invest in the Fund through a tax-advantaged account, such as a qualified retirement plan, generally will not have to pay tax on dividends or gains from the disposition of Fund shares until they are distributed from the account. These accounts are subject to complex tax rules, and you should consult your tax advisor about investing through such an account.

**Buying a Dividend.** Fund distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before a shareholder's investment in the Fund (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid for his or her shares). Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's NAV reflects income or gains that are either unrealized or realized but not distributed.

**Foreign Shareholders**. Foreign shareholders invested in the Fund should consult with their tax advisors as to if and how the U.S. federal income tax law and its withholding requirements apply to them. Generally, the Fund will withhold 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on distributions to foreign shareholders.

**Foreign Taxes**. Investment income and proceeds received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign withholding or other taxes. The United States has entered into tax treaties with many foreign countries which may entitle the Fund to a reduced rate of such taxes or an exemption from taxes on such income or proceeds. It is impossible to determine the effective rate of foreign tax for the Fund in advance since the amount of the assets to be invested within various countries is not known.

**Cost Basis Reporting.** The U.S. Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") requires mutual fund companies and brokers to report on IRS Form 1099-B the cost basis on the disposition of Fund shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012 ("covered shares"). If you acquire and hold shares directly through the Fund and not through a financial intermediary, the Fund will use an average cost single category methodology for tracking and reporting your cost basis on covered shares, unless you request, in writing, another cost basis reporting methodology.

Please see the SAI for further information regarding tax matters.

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**ACCOUNT POLICIES**

------

**Account Access** 

Unless your Fund shares are held through a third-party fiduciary or in an omnibus registration at your bank or brokerage firm, you will be able to access your account information over the Internet at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports or via telephone by calling 1-800-992-0180. Should you wish to speak with a Shareholder Services Representative, you may call the toll-free number listed above.

**Privacy Policy** 

The Fund has adopted a policy concerning investor privacy. To review the privacy policy, contact a Shareholder Services Representative at 1-800-992-0180, obtain a policy over the Internet at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports, or see the privacy promise that accompanies any prospectus obtained by mail.

**Householding** 

To reduce expenses, we may mail only one copy of the Fund's Prospectus and each annual and semi-annual shareholder report to those addresses shared by two or more accounts. If you wish to receive individual copies of these documents, please call a Shareholder Services Representative at 1-800-992-0180 or speak to your investment professional. We will begin sending you individual copies 30 days after receiving your request.

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**INDEX DESCRIPTIONS**

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The FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index, based on the FTSE Emerging Comprehensive Factor Index, is designed to capture exposure to a broad set of five factors that contribute to emerging equity market performance. These five factors are Low Volatility Momentum, Quality, Size, and Value. The FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index is rebalanced and reconstituted semi-annually in March and September. There were 263 constituents in the FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index as of December 31, 2025.

The MSCI ACWI ex USA Index<sup>SM</sup> is a free-float adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States.

The MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> captures large- and mid-capitalization representation across 24 emerging markets countries and covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country.

FTSE Russell Index Data Source: London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the "LSE Group").© LSE Group 2026. FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies. "FTSE<sup>®</sup>" are trademarks of the relevant LSE Group companies and are used by any other LSE Group company under license. All rights in the FTSE Russell indexes or data vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the index or the data. Neither LSE Group nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the indexes or data and no party may rely on any indexes or data contained in this communication. No further distribution of data from the LSE Group is permitted without the relevant LSE Group company's express written consent. The LSE Group does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.

The Fund named in this communication, including without limitation, Voya VACS Series EME Fund (the "Fund") has been developed solely by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Fund is not in any way connected to or sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the "LSE Group"). FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies.

All rights in the Russell branded indices named in this communication, including without limitation, FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index (the " FTSE Russell Indices ") vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the FTSE Russell Index. FTSE used by any other LSE Group company under license.

The FTSE Russell Indices are calculated by or on behalf of FTSE International Limited or its affiliate, agent, or partner. The LSE Group does not accept any liability whatsoever to any person arising out of (a) the use of, reliance on, or any error in the FTSE Russell Indices or (b) investment in or operation of the Fund. The LSE Group makes no claim, prediction, warranty, or representation either as to the results to be obtained from the Fund or the suitability of the FTSE Russell Indices for the purpose to which it they are being put by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates. FTSE Russell Index Data Source: LSE Group.© LSE Group 2025. Neither LSE Group nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the indexes or data and no party may rely on any indexes or data contained in this communication. No further distribution of data from the LSE Group is permitted without the relevant LSE Group company's express written consent. The LSE Group does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.

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**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

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The financial highlights table is intended to help you understand the Fund's financial performance for the periods shown. Certain information reflects the financial results for a single share. The total returns in the table represent the rate of return that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions). The information has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, whose report, along with the Fund's financial statements, is included in the Fund's Form N-CSR, which is available upon request.

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**FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS *(continued)***

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Selected data for a share of beneficial interest outstanding throughout each year or period.

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

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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Income (loss)** <br>**from** <br>**investment** <br>**operations** | **Income (loss)** <br>**from** <br>**investment** <br>**operations** |  | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** | **Less distributions** |  |  |  |  | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Ratios to average net assets** | **Supplemental** <br>**data** | **Supplemental** <br>**data** |
|  | Net asset value, beginning <br>of year or period | Net investment income (loss) | Net realized and unrealized <br>gain (loss) | Total from investment <br>operations | From net investment <br>income | From net realized gains | From return of capital | Total distributions | Payment from affiliate | Net asset value, <br>end of year or period | **Total Return**<sup>(1)</sup> | Expenses before <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Expenses net of fee waivers <br>and/or recoupments, if any<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Expenses net of all <br>reductions/additions<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Net investment income <br>(loss)<sup>(2)(3)</sup> <br>| Net assets, end of year or <br>period | Portfolio turnover rate |
| Year or Period ended | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | **(%)** | (%) | (%) | (%) | (%) | ($000's) | (%) |
| **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** | **Voya VACS Series EME Fund** |
| 10-31-25 | 11.32 | 0.28<sup>•</sup> | 3.56 | 3.84 | 0.48 | 0.05 |  | 0.53 |  | 14.63 | **35.60** | 0.22 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 2.40 | 320715 | 49 |
| 10-31-24 | 9.47 | 0.27<sup>•</sup> <br>| 1.75 | 2.02 | 0.13 | 0.04 |  | 0.17 |  | 11.32 | **21.62** | 0.19 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 2.42 | 227375 | 40 |
| 6-7-23 - 10-31-23<sup>(4)</sup> <br>| 10.00 | 0.11<sup>•</sup> <br>| (0.64) | (0.53) |  |  |  |  |  | 9.47 | **(5.30)** | 0.17 | 0.15 | 0.15 | 2.61 | 218615 | 11 |

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**ACCOMPANYING NOTES TO FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS**

(1) Total return is calculated assuming reinvestment of all dividends, capital gain distributions, and return of capital distributions, if any, at net asset value and excluding the deduction of sales charges or contingent deferred sales charges, if applicable. Total return for periods less than one year is not annualized.

(2) Annualized for periods less than one year.

(3) Ratios reflect operating expenses of the Fund. Expenses before reductions/additions do not reflect amounts reimbursed or recouped by the Investment Adviser and/or the Distributor or reductions from brokerage service arrangements or other expense offset arrangements and do not represent the amount paid by the Fund during periods when reimbursements or reductions occur. Expenses net of fee waivers reflect expenses after reimbursement by the Investment Adviser and/or the Distributor or recoupment of previously reimbursed fees by the Investment Adviser, but prior to reductions from brokerage service arrangements or other expense offset arrangements. Expenses net of all reductions/additions represent the net expenses paid by the Fund. Net investment income (loss) is net of all such additions or reductions.

(4) Commencement of operations.

• Calculated using average number of shares outstanding throughout the year or period.

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

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**TO OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION** 

You will find more information about the Fund in our:

**ANNUAL/SEMI-ANNUAL SHAREHOLDER REPORTS AND FORM N-CSR** 

In the Fund's annual shareholder report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year. In the Fund's Form N-CSR filings, you will find the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements.

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** 

The SAI contains additional information about the Fund. The SAI is legally part of this Prospectus (it is incorporated by reference). A copy has been filed with the SEC.

Please write, call, or visit our website for a free copy of the current annual/semi-annual shareholder reports, the SAI, or other Fund information.

To make shareholder inquiries contact:

**Voya Investment Management** 

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

**1-800-992-0180** 

or visit our website at **https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports**

Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet website at **https://www.sec.gov**, and copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: **publicinfo@sec.gov**.

When contacting the SEC, you will want to refer to the Fund's SEC file number. The file number is as follows:

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Voya Mutual Funds** | **811-07428** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Voya VACS Series EME Fund |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; ![](edelivery_1.jpg)<br>| **Go Paperless with E-Delivery!** | ![](edelivery_1.jpg)<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. | &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. | &nbsp;&nbsp; Sign up now for on-line prospectuses, fund reports, and proxy statements. In less than five minutes, you can help reduce paper mail <br> and lower fund costs. |
| Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. | Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. | Just go to https://individuals.voya.com/page/e-delivery, follow the directions and complete the quick 5 Steps to Enroll. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. | &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. | &nbsp;&nbsp; You will be notified by e-mail when these communications become available on the Internet. Documents that are not available on the <br> Internet will continue to be sent by mail. |

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225954(0226-022826)

![](img3b7df6623.gif)

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**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** 

February 28, 2026

**Voya Mutual Funds**

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

1-800-992-0180

**Voya Global Bond Fund**

Class/Ticker: **A**/INGBX; **C**/IGBCX; **I**/IGBIX; **R**/IGBRX; **R6**/IGBZX; **W**/IGBWX

**Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund**

Class/Ticker: **A**/NAWGX; **C**/NAWCX; **I**/NAWIX; **R6**/VGHRX; **W**/IGVWX

**Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund**

Class/Ticker: **A**/IEMHX; **C**/IEMJX; **I**/IEMGX; **R**/IEMKX; **W**/IEMLX

**Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund**

Class/Ticker: **I**/IIGIX

**Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund**

Class/Ticker: **A**/NTKLX; **C**/NARCX; **I**/NAPIX; **R6/**VVJFX; **W**/ISCWX

This Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") contains additional information about each fund listed above (each, a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"). This SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Fund's prospectus dated February 28, 2026, as supplemented or revised from time to time (the "Prospectus"). Each Fund's financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, including the independent registered public accounting firm's report thereon found in the Fund's [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465926002440/tm2531593d1_ncsr.htm) for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. Each Fund's Prospectus, shareholder reports, financial statements and other information may be obtained free of charge by contacting the Fund at the address and phone number written above or by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

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Bloomberg Index Data Source: Bloomberg Index Services Limited. BLOOMBERG<sup>®</sup> is a trademark and service mark of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates (collectively "Bloomberg"). Bloomberg or its licensors own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Indices. Bloomberg does not approve or endorse this material, or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information herein, or make any warranty, express or implied, as to the results to be obtained therefrom and, to the maximum extent allowed by law, shall not have any liability or responsibility for injury or damages arising in connection herewith.

Each Fund named in this communication, including without limitation, Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund (the "Fund") has been developed solely by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Fund is not in any way connected to or sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the "LSE Group"). FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies.

All rights in the Russell branded indices named in this communication, including without limitation, FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index (the "FTSE Russell Indices") vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the FTSE Russell Index. FTSE is a trademark of the relevant LSE Group company and is used by any other LSE Group company under license.

The FTSE Russell Indices are calculated by or on behalf of FTSE International Limited or its affiliate, agent, or partner. The LSE Group does not accept any liability whatsoever to any person arising out of (a) the use of, reliance on, or any error in the FTSE Russell Indices or (b) investment in or operation of the Fund. The LSE Group makes no claim, prediction, warranty, or representation either as to the results to be obtained from the Fund or the suitability of the FTSE Russell Indices for the purpose to which it they are being put by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates. FTSE Russell Index Data Source: LSE Group.© LSE Group 2025. Neither LSE Group nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the indexes or data and no party may rely on any indexes or data contained in this communication. No further distribution of data from the LSE Group is permitted without the relevant LSE Group company's express written consent. The LSE Group does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.

Certain information contained herein (the "Information") is sourced from/copyright of MSCI Inc., MSCI ESG Research LLC, or their affiliates ("MSCI"), or information providers (together, the "MSCI Parties") and may have been used to calculate scores, signals, or other indicators. The Information is for internal use only and may not be reproduced or disseminated in whole or part without prior written permission. The Information may not be used for, nor does it constitute, an offer to buy or sell, or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial instrument or product, trading strategy, or index, nor should it be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance. Some funds may be based on or linked to MSCI indexes, and MSCI may be compensated based on the fund's assets under management or other measures. MSCI has established an information barrier between index research and certain Information. None of the Information in and of itself can be used to determine which securities to buy or sell or when to buy or sell them. The Information is provided "as is" and the user assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. No MSCI Party warrants or guarantees the originality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Information and each expressly disclaims all express or implied warranties. No MSCI Party shall have any liability for any errors or omissions in connection with any Information herein, or any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

------

**Table of Contents** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_1)** | 1 |
| **[HISTORY OF](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_2)[the Trust](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_2)**  | 2 |
| **[SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_2)[Fund](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_2)[INVESTMENTS AND RISKS](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_2)** | 2 |
| **[PORTFOLIO TURNOVER](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_42)** | 42 |
| **[FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_43)** | 43 |
| **[DISCLOSURE OF](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_49)[each Fund's PORTFOLIO SECURITIES](#xx_b457f844-d66e-4338-9b3f-4e34df55c55f_49)** | 49 |
| **[MANAGEMENT OF](#xx_a888370d-98b2-44a9-bc80-65e15662e023_1)[the Trust](#xx_a888370d-98b2-44a9-bc80-65e15662e023_1)** | 51 |
| **[CODE OF ETHICS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_8)** | 64 |
| **[PROXY VOTING POLICY](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_8)** | 64 |
| **[PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_8)** | 64 |
| **[INVESTMENT ADVISER](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_15)** | 71 |
| **[EXPENSES](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_17)** | 73 |
| **[EXPENSE LIMITATIONS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_17)** | 73 |
| **[NET FUND FEES WAIVED, REIMBURSED, OR RECOUPED](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_17)** | 73 |
| **[Sub-Advisers](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_18)** | 74 |
| **[PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_20)** | 76 |
| **[PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_29)** | 85 |
| **[DISTRIBUTION AND/OR SHAREHOLDER SERVICE PLANS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_33)** | 89 |
| **[OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_36)** | 92 |
| **[PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_37)** | 93 |
| **[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_40)** | 96 |
| **[PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_41)** | 97 |
| **[TAX CONSIDERATIONS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_47)** | 103 |
| **[FINANCIAL STATEMENTS](#xx_88bd677b-09dd-4351-8d02-2969c998341a_57)** | 113 |
| **[APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF CREDIT RATINGS](#xx_3128a8b0-a588-4f17-a97e-c3777c0c45e7_1)** | A-1 |
| **[APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICY](#xx_204f2752-b91f-4e0f-9ff9-f6cc6fcd7ad2_1)** | B-1 |

---

------

**INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY**

This SAI is designed to elaborate upon information contained in each Fund's Prospectus, including the discussion of certain securities and investment techniques. The more detailed information contained in this SAI is intended for investors who have read the Prospectus and are interested in a more detailed explanation of certain aspects of some of each Fund's securities and investment techniques. Some investment techniques are described only in the Prospectus and are not repeated here.

Capitalized terms used, but not defined, in this SAI have the same meaning as in the Prospectus and some additional terms are defined particularly for this SAI.

Following are definitions of general terms that may be used throughout this SAI:

**1933 Act**: Securities Act of 1933, as amended

**1934 Act**: Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

**1940 Act**: Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including the rules and regulations thereunder, and the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder

**Affiliated Fund**: A fund within the Voya family of funds

**Board**: The Board of Trustees for the Trust

**Business Day**: Each day the NYSE opens for regular trading

**CDSC**: Contingent deferred sales charge

**CFTC:** United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission

**Code**: Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended

**Distributor**: Voya Investments Distributor, LLC

**Distribution Agreement**: The Distribution Agreement for each Fund, as described herein

**ETF**: Exchange-Traded Fund

**EU**: European Union

**Expense Limitation Agreement**: The Expense Limitation Agreement(s) for each Fund, as described herein

**FDIC:** Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

**FHLMC:** Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

**FINRA**: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

**Fiscal Year End of each Fund**: October 31

**Fitch:** Fitch Ratings

**FNMA:** Federal National Mortgage Association

**Fund**: One or more of the investment management companies listed on the front cover of this SAI

**GNMA:** Government National Mortgage Association

**Independent Trustees**: The Trustees of the Board who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of each Fund

**Investment Adviser:** Voya Investments, LLC or Voya Investments

**Investment Management Agreement**: The Investment Management Agreement for each Fund, as described herein

**IPO:** Initial Public Offering

**IRA:** Individual Retirement Account

**IRS**: United States Internal Revenue Service

**LIBOR**: London Interbank Offered Rate

**MLPs**: Master Limited Partnerships

**Moody's:** Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

**NAV**: Net Asset Value

**NRSRO:** Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization

**NYSE**: New York Stock Exchange

------

**OTC:** Over-the-counter

**Principal Underwriter**: Voya Investments Distributor, LLC or the "Distributor"

**Prospectus**: One or more prospectuses for each Fund

**REIT**: Real Estate Investment Trust

**REMICs**: Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits

**RIC**: A "Regulated Investment Company," pursuant to the Code

**Rule 12b-1**: Rule 12b-1 (under the 1940 Act)

**Rule 12b-1 Plan**: A Distribution and/or Shareholder Service Plan adopted under Rule 12b-1

**Rule 144A:** Rule 144A under the 1933 Act

**S&L:** Savings & Loan Association

**S&P**: S&P Global Ratings

**SEC**: United States Securities and Exchange Commission

**SOFR:** Secured Overnight Financing Rate

**Sub-Adviser**: One or more sub-advisers for each Fund, as described herein

**Sub-Advisory Agreement**: The Sub-Advisory Agreement(s) for each Fund, as described herein

**Trust**: Voya Mutual Funds

**UK:** United Kingdom

**Underlying Funds**: Unless otherwise stated, other mutual funds or ETFs in which each Fund may invest

**Voya family of funds or the "funds"**: All of the registered investment companies managed by Voya Investments

**Voya IM**: Voya Investment Management Co. LLC

**HISTORY OF the Trust**

Voya Mutual Funds, an open-end management investment company that is registered under the 1940 Act, was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on December 17, 1992. On May 1, 2014, the name of the Trust changed from "ING Mutual Funds" to "Voya Mutual Funds."

**SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF Fund INVESTMENTS AND RISKS**

**Diversification and Concentration** 

*Diversified Investment Companies.* The 1940 Act generally requires that a diversified fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or investments in securities of other investment companies).

*Non-Diversified Investment Companies*. A non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act means that a fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer. The investment of a large percentage of a fund's assets in the securities of a small number of issuers may cause the fund's share price to fluctuate more than that of a diversified investment company. When compared to a diversified fund, a non-diversified fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in a particular issuer and, therefore, has greater exposure to the risk of poor earnings or losses by an issuer.

*Concentration.* For purposes of the 1940 Act, concentration occurs when at least 25% of a fund's assets are invested in any one industry or group of industries.

Each Fund is classified as a "diversified" fund as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. In addition, each Fund has a fundamental policy against concentration.

**Investments, Investment Strategies, and Risks** 

Each Fund invests in a variety of investment types and employs a number of investment strategies and techniques. Each Fund may make other investments and engage in other types of strategies or techniques, to the extent consistent with its investment objective(s) and strategies and except where otherwise prohibited by applicable law or the Fund's own investment restrictions, as set forth in the Prospectus or this SAI.

The discussion below provides additional information about certain of the investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies that the Investment Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser(s) may use in managing the Funds as well as the risks associated with such investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies. The investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies as well as the risks associated with such investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies are presented below in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that a Fund prioritizes one investment, investment technique, or investment strategy

------

over another nor does it imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk. The information below supplements the discussion of the principal investment strategies and principal risks contained in each Fund's Prospectus, but does not describe every type of investment, investment technique, investment strategy, factor, or other consideration that a Fund may take into account nor does it describe every risk to which the Fund may be exposed.

A Fund may use any or all of these investment types, investment techniques, or investment strategies at any one time, and the fact that a Fund may use an investment type, investment technique, or investment strategy does not mean that it will be used.

**Temporary Defensive Positions** 

When the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser to a Fund anticipates adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, a Fund may make investments believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt instruments that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While a Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. A Fund's defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such defensive position may be utilized.

Unless otherwise indicated, a Fund's investment objective, policies, investment strategies, and practices are non-fundamental. For additional information, see the section entitled "Fundamental and Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions" below.

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Asset Class/Investment Technique** | **Voya Global** <br> **Bond Fund**<br>| **Voya Global** <br> **High Dividend** <br> **Low Volatility** <br> **Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **Emerging** <br> **Markets** <br> **Equity Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **International** <br> **Equity Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **International** <br> **Small Cap** <br> **Fund**<br>|
| Artificial Intelligence |  |  |  | X |  |
| Asset-Backed Securities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Bank Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Borrowing | X | X | X | X | X |
| Commercial Paper | X | X | X | X | X |
| Commodities | X |  |  |  |  |
| Common Stocks | X | X | X | X | X |
| Convertible Securities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Corporate Debt Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Credit-Linked Notes | X | X | X | X |  |
| Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates | X |  |  |  |  |
| Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities | X |  |  |  |  |
| Depositary Receipts | X | X | X | X | X |
| Derivative Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Emerging Markets Investments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Equity-Linked Notes |  |  |  |  |  |
| Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Event-Linked Bonds | X |  |  |  |  |
| Floating or Variable Rate Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Foreign (non-U.S.) Currencies | X | X | X | X | X |
| Foreign (non-U.S.) Investments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Forward Commitments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Futures Contracts | X | X | X | X | X |
| Guaranteed Investment Contracts | X | X | X | X |  |
| High-Yield Securities | X | X | X | X |  |
| Hybrid Instruments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Illiquid Securities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Inflation-Indexed Bonds | X |  |  |  |  |
| Initial Public Offerings | X | X | X | X | X |
| Inverse Floating Rate Securities | X |  |  |  |  |
| Master Limited Partnerships | X |  |  |  |  |
| Mortgage-Related Securities | X | X | X | X | X  |

---

------

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Asset Class/Investment Technique** | **Voya Global** <br> **Bond Fund**<br>| **Voya Global** <br> **High Dividend** <br> **Low Volatility** <br> **Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **Emerging** <br> **Markets** <br> **Equity Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **International** <br> **Equity Fund**<br>| **Voya** <br> **Multi-Manager** <br> **International** <br> **Small Cap** <br> **Fund**<br>|
| Municipal Securities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Options | X | X | X | X | X |
| Other Investment Companies and Pooled Investment Vehicles | X | X | X | X | X |
| Participation on Creditors' Committees | X |  |  |  |  |
| Participatory Notes |  |  | X | X |  |
| Preferred Stocks | X | X | X | X | X |
| Private Investments in Public Companies |  |  |  |  |  |
| Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts | X | X | X | X | X |
| Repurchase Agreements | X | X | X | X | X |
| Restricted Securities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Roll Transactions | X | X | X | X | X |
| Rights and Warrants | X | X | X | X | X |
| Securities Lending | X | X | X | X | X |
| Senior and Other Bank Loans | X |  |  |  |  |
| Short Sales | X | X | X | X | X |
| Small- and Mid-Capitalization Issuers | X | X | X | X | X |
| Sovereign Debt | X | X | X | X | X |
| Special Purpose Acquisition Companies | X | X | X | X | X |
| Special Situation Issuers |  | X |  |  |  |
| Structured Notes (Debt Instruments) |  |  |  |  |  |
| Supranational Entities | X | X | X | X | X |
| Swap Transactions and Options on Swap Transactions | X | X | X | X | X |
| To Be Announced Sale Commitments | X | X | X | X | X |
| Trust Preferred Securities | X | X |  |  |  |
| U.S. Government Securities and Obligations | X | X | X | X | X |
| When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions | X | X | X | X | X |
| Zero-Coupon, Deferred Interest and Pay-in-Kind Bonds | X | X | X | X | X |

---

**Artificial Intelligence:** Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence and encompasses various different forms of artificial intelligence, including machine learning models. Artificial intelligence is typically designed to analyze data, learn from patterns and experiences, make decisions, and solve problems. Artificial intelligence can be categorized into two types: narrow artificial intelligence, which is designed for specific tasks, and general artificial intelligence, which has the ability to perform any intellectual task that a human can do and includes generative artificial intelligence ("GAI"). GAI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that produces new text, images, audio, and other content based on training data that includes examples of the desired output. Typically, users enter questions, queries, or other inputs that prompt the GAI model or tool to produce output. In addition, some software uses GAI to suggest changes, summarize information, or translate text. Artificial intelligence has various applications in many fields such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and law.

The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may use and/or expand its use of artificial intelligence in connection with its business, operating and investment activities and a Fund's investments may also use such technologies. Actual usage of such artificial intelligence will vary, and while the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser expects from time to time to adopt and adjust usage policies and procedures governing the use of artificial intelligence by its personnel, there is a risk of misuse of artificial intelligence technologies.

Artificial intelligence is highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data and complex algorithms, but it is not possible nor practicable to incorporate all data that would be relevant for a task conducted by artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is possible that the information provided through use of artificial intelligence could be insufficient, incomplete, inaccurate or biased leading to adverse effects for a Fund, including, potentially, operational errors and investment losses. It is also possible that, given the limited transparency into the decision-making of artificial intelligence models, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may have limited ability to examine the bases for the selections and other outputs of artificial intelligence models.

Artificial intelligence and its current and potential future applications, including in the investment and financial sectors, as well as the regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to rapidly evolve, and it is impossible to predict the full extent of future applications or regulations. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to artificial intelligence generally or artificial intelligence's use in any

------

industry in particular may alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the ability of the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, a Fund or its investments to utilize artificial intelligence in the manner it has to-date, and may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, or the Fund or its investments to continue to operate as intended.

**Asset-Backed Securities:** Asset-backed securities are securities backed by assets that may include such items as credit card and automobile finance receivables, home equity sharing agreements or loans, student loans, consumer loans, installment loan contracts, home equity loans, mobile home loans, boat loans, business and small business loans, project finance loans, airplane leases, and leases of various other types of real and personal property (including those relating to railcars, containers, or telecommunication, energy, and/or other infrastructure assets and infrastructure-related assets), and other non-mortgage-related income streams, such as income from renewable energy projects and franchise rights. Asset-backed securities are "pass-through" securities, meaning that principal and interest payments – net of expenses – made by the borrower on the underlying assets (such as credit card receivables) are passed through to the investor. The value of asset-backed securities based on debt instruments, like that of traditional debt instruments, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, these asset-backed securities differ from traditional debt instruments because of their potential for prepayment. A home equity sharing agreement is an agreement between a financial services company and a homeowner which allows a homeowner to access some of the equity in their home in exchange for a specified equity stake in the property. Unlike a mortgage, a home equity sharing agreement is not a loan and does not require a monthly payment. Instead, at the conclusion of the agreement term, the homeowner pays back the equity advance and a percentage of any appreciation in the property value. The price paid for asset-backed securities, the yield expected from such securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying assets more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the asset-backed security. Moreover, when the proceeds of a prepayment are reinvested in these circumstances, a rate of interest will likely be received that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that asset-backed securities are purchased at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If such securities are bought at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments generally will also result in the recognition of income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying assets may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer term security. Since the value of longer-term asset-backed securities generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than the value of shorter-term asset-backed securities maturity extension risk could increase volatility. When interest rates decline, the value of an asset-backed security with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other debt instruments, and as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or retard prepayments and thus affect maturities. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment, delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to securitizations involving loans, sales contracts, receivables and other obligations underlying asset-backed securities. The effects of COVID-19, and governmental responses to the effects of the pandemic may result in increased delinquencies and losses and may have other, potentially unanticipated, adverse effects on such investments and the markets for those investments.

The credit quality of asset-backed securities depends primarily on the quality of the underlying assets, the rights of recourse available against the underlying assets and/or the issuer, the level of credit enhancement, if any, provided for the securities, and the credit quality of the credit-support provider, if any. The values of asset-backed securities may be affected by other factors, such as the availability of information concerning the pool of assets and its structure, the market's perception of the asset backing the security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool of assets, the originator of the underlying assets, or the entities providing the credit enhancement. The market values of asset-backed securities also can depend on the ability of their servicers to service the underlying assets and are, therefore, subject to risks associated with servicers' performance. In some circumstances, a servicer's or originator's mishandling of documentation related to the underlying assets (*e.g.*, failure to document a security interest in the underlying assets properly) may affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying assets. In addition, the insolvency of an entity that generated the assets underlying an asset-backed security is likely to result in a decline in the market price of that security as well as costs and delays. Asset-backed securities that do not have the benefit of a security interest in the underlying assets present certain additional risks that are not present with asset-backed securities that do have a security interest in the underlying assets. For example, many securities backed by credit card receivables are unsecured. Additionally, asset-backed securities may be "subordinated" to other interests in the same pool, and a holder of those "subordinated" securities would receive payments only after any obligations to other more "senior" investors have been satisfied.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>: Collateralized Debt Obligations ("CDOs") are a type of asset-backed security and include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs"), and other similarly structured securities. A CBO is an obligation of a trust or other special purpose vehicle backed by a pool of bonds. A CLO is an obligation of a trust or other special purpose vehicle typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include senior secured and unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade, or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may incur management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, which vary in risk and yield. The riskier portions are the residual, equity, and subordinate tranches, which bear some or all of the risk of default by the debt instruments or loans in the trust, and therefore protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches of a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than junior tranches. Despite the protection from the riskier tranches, senior CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults (including collateral default), the total loss of the riskier tranches due to losses in the collateral, market anticipation of defaults, fraud by the trust, and the illiquidity of CBO or CLO securities.

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The risks of an investment in a CDO largely depend on the type of underlying collateral securities and the tranche in which there are investments. Typically, CBOs, CLOs, and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized as illiquid. CDOs are subject to the typical risks associated with debt instruments discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Prospectus, including interest rate risk, prepayment and extension risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk. Additional risks of CDOs include: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will be insufficient to make interest or other payments; (ii) the possibility that the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default, due to factors such as the availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying collateral, remoteness of those collateral assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral, and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets; and (iii) market and liquidity risks affecting the price of a structured finance investment, if required to be sold, at the time of sale. In addition, due to the complex nature of a CDO, an investment in a CDO may not perform as expected. An investment in a CDO also is subject to the risk that the issuer and the investors may interpret the terms of the instrument differently, giving rise to disputes.

**Bank Instruments:** Bank instruments include certificates of deposit ("CDs"), fixed-time deposits, and other debt and deposit-type obligations (including promissory notes that earn a specified rate of return) issued by: (i) a U.S. branch of a U.S. bank; (ii) a non-U.S. branch of a U.S. bank; (iii) a U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank; or (iv) a non-U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank. Bank instruments may be structured as fixed-, variable- or floating-rate obligations.

CDs typically are interest-bearing debt instruments issued by banks and have maturities ranging from a few weeks to several years. Yankee dollar certificates of deposit are negotiable CDs issued in the United States by branches and agencies of non-U.S. banks. Eurodollar certificates of deposit are CDs issued by non-U.S. banks with interest and principal paid in U.S. dollars. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar CDs typically have maturities of less than two years and have interest rates that typically are pegged to SOFR. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Bankers' acceptances are a customary means of effecting payment for merchandise sold in import-export transactions and are a general source of financing. A fixed-time deposit is a bank obligation payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. There are generally no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed-time deposit to a third party, although there is generally no market for such deposits. Typically, there are penalties for early withdrawals of time deposits. Promissory notes are written commitments of the maker to pay the payee a specified sum of money either on demand or at a fixed or determinable future date, with or without interest.

Certain bank instruments, such as some CDs, are insured by the FDIC up to certain specified limits. Many other bank instruments, however, are neither guaranteed nor insured by the FDIC or the U.S. government. These bank instruments are "backed" only by the creditworthiness of the issuing bank or parent financial institution. U.S. and non-U.S. banks are subject to different governmental regulation. They are subject to the risks of investing in the particular issuing bank and of investing in the banking and financial services sector generally. Certain obligations of non-U.S. banks, including Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations, involve different and/or heightened investment risks than those affecting obligations of U.S. banks, including, among others, the possibilities that: (i) their liquidity could be impaired because of political or economic developments; (ii) the obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks; (iii) a non-U.S. jurisdiction might impose withholding and other taxes at high levels on interest income; (iv) non-U.S. deposits may be seized or nationalized; (v) non-U.S. governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be imposed, which could adversely affect the payment of principal and/or interest on those obligations; (vi) there may be less publicly available information concerning non-U.S. banks issuing the obligations; and (vii) the reserve requirements and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to non-U.S. banks may differ (including those that are less stringent) from those applicable to U.S. banks. Non-U.S. banks generally are not subject to examination by any U.S. government agency or instrumentality.

**Borrowing:** Borrowing may result in leveraging of a Fund's assets. This borrowing may be secured or unsecured. Borrowing, like other forms of leverage, will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased, if any. A Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. Provisions of the 1940 Act require a Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell holdings at that time.

From time to time, a Fund may enter into, and make borrowings for temporary purposes related to the redemption of shares under, a credit agreement with third-party lenders. Borrowings made under such credit agreements will be allocated pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board.

A Fund may engage in other transactions that may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund's portfolio, including, by way of example, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, and derivatives transactions. A Fund will generally not treat such transactions as borrowings of money.

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**Commercial Paper:** Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies. Commercial paper may consist of U.S. dollar- or foreign currency-denominated obligations of U.S. or non-U.S. issuers, and may be rated or unrated. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.

Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper is commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act ("Section 4(a)(2) paper"). Section 4(a)(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the U.S. federal securities laws, and generally is sold to investors who agree that they are purchasing the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. Section 4(a)(2) paper is normally resold to other investors through or with the assistance of the issuer or dealers who make a market in Section 4(a)(2) paper, thus providing liquidity.

**Commodities:** A Fund may gain exposure to commodity markets by investing in commodity-related instruments. Such instruments include, (i) commodity-linked derivatives such as futures contracts and options, that are designed to provide a Fund with exposure to the commodities market without necessarily investing directly in physical commodities; and (ii) exchange traded investment vehicles that are designed to provide exposure to the investment return of assets that trade in the commodities markets, without investing directly in physical commodities. Commodities values may be highly volatile, and may decline rapidly and without warning. The values of commodity related instruments will typically be substantially affected by changes in the values of their underlying commodity, commodity index, futures contract, or other economic variable to which they are related. Additionally, economic leverage will increase the volatility of these instruments as they may increase or decrease in value more quickly than the underlying commodity or other relevant economic variable.

**Common Stocks:** Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. A common stock may decline in value due to an actual or perceived deterioration in the prospects of the issuer, an actual or anticipated reduction in the rate at which dividends are paid, or other factors affecting the value of an investment, or due to a decline in the values of stocks generally or of stocks of issuers in a particular industry or market sector. The values of common stocks may be highly volatile. If an issuer of common stock is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of debt instruments and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock, and as a result the common stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that combine the investment characteristics of debt instruments and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt instruments or preferred stock that may be converted (on a voluntary or mandatory basis) within a specified period of time (normally for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. Convertible securities also include debt instruments with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt instruments and equity securities. Other convertible securities with additional or different features and risks may become available in the future. Convertible securities involve risks similar to those of both debt instruments and equity securities. In a corporation's capital structure, convertible securities are senior to common stock but are usually subordinated to senior debt instruments of the issuer.

The market value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" and its "conversion value." A security's "investment value" represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (*i.e*., a nonconvertible debt instrument). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer, and the seniority of the security in the issuer's capital structure. A security's "conversion value" is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like a nonconvertible debt instruments or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that circumstance, the convertible security takes on the characteristics of a debt instrument, and the price moves in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that case, the convertible security's price may be as volatile as that of common stock. Because both interest rates and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security generally is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar debt instrument, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying equity security. Convertible securities are often rated below investment grade or are not rated, and they are generally subject to greater levels of credit risk and liquidity risk.

<u>Contingent Convertible Securities (</u><u>"CoCos"):</u> CoCos are a form of hybrid debt instrument. They are subordinated instruments that are designed to behave like bonds or preferred equity in times of economic health for the issuer, yet absorb losses when a pre-determined trigger event affecting the issuer occurs. CoCos are either convertible into equity at a predetermined share price or written down if a pre-specified trigger event occurs. Trigger events vary by individual security and are defined by the documents governing the contingent convertible security. Such trigger events may include a decline in the issuer's capital below a specified threshold level, an increase in the issuer's risk-weighted assets, the share price of the issuer falling to a particular level for a certain period of time, and certain regulatory events. CoCos are subject to credit, interest rate, high-yield securities, foreign investments and market risks associated with both debt instruments and equity securities. In March 2023, a Swiss regulator required a write-down of outstanding CoCos to zero, notwithstanding the fact that the equity shares continued to exist and have economic value. It is currently unclear whether regulators of issuers in other jurisdictions will take similar actions. In addition, CoCos have no stated maturity and have fully discretionary coupons. If the CoCos are converted into the issuer's underlying equity securities following a conversion event, each holder will be subordinated due to their conversion from being the holder of a debt instrument to being the holder of an equity instrument, hence worsening the holder's standing in a bankruptcy proceeding.

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**Corporate Debt Instruments:** Corporate debt instruments are long and short-term debt instruments typically issued by businesses to finance their operations. Corporate debt instruments are issued by public or private issuers, as distinct from debt instruments issued by a government or its agencies. The issuer of a corporate debt instrument typically has a contractual obligation to pay interest at a stated rate on specific dates and to repay principal periodically or on a specified maturity date. The broad category of corporate debt instruments includes debt issued by U.S. or non-U.S. issuers of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. The category also includes bank loans, as well as assignments, participations and other interests in bank loans. Corporate debt instruments may be rated investment grade or below investment grade and may be structured as fixed-, variable or floating-rate obligations or as zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and step-coupon securities and may be privately placed or publicly offered. They may also be senior or subordinated obligations. Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt instruments, as well as the range of creditworthiness of issuers, corporate debt instruments can have widely varying risk/return profiles.

Corporate debt instruments carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that an investor could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt instrument is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt instruments that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher rated debt instruments. The credit risk of a particular issuer's debt instrument may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher-ranking (senior) debt instruments have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) debt instruments. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated debt instruments while continuing to make payments on senior debt instruments. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior debt instruments may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. The market value of corporate debt instruments may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. In general, corporate debt instruments with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt instruments with shorter terms. The value of a corporate debt instrument may also be affected by supply and demand for similar or comparable securities in the marketplace. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in NAV. Corporate debt instruments generally trade in the over-the-counter market and can be less liquid than other types of investments, particularly during adverse market and economic conditions.

**Credit-Linked Notes:** Credit-linked notes are privately negotiated obligations whose returns are linked to the returns of one or more designated securities or other instruments that are referred to as "reference securities," such as an emerging market bond. A credit-linked note typically is issued by a special purpose trust or similar entity and is a direct obligation of the issuing entity. The entity, in turn, invests in debt instruments or derivative contracts in order to provide the exposure set forth in the credit-linked note. The periodic interest payments and principal obligations payable under the terms of the note typically are conditioned upon the entity's receipt of payments on its underlying investment. Purchasing a credit-linked note assumes the risk of the default or, in some cases, other declines in credit quality of the reference securities. There is also exposure to the issuer of the credit-linked note in the full amount of the purchase price of the note and the note is often not secured by the reference securities or other collateral.

The market for credit-linked notes may be or may become illiquid. The number of investors with sufficient understanding to support transacting in the notes may be quite limited, and may include only the parties to the original purchase/sale transaction. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the value for credit-linked notes. In certain cases, a market price for a credit-linked note may not be available and it may be difficult to determine a fair value of the note.

**Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates:** Custodial receipts and trust certificates, which may be underwritten by securities dealers or banks, represent interests in instruments held by a custodian or trustee. The instruments so held may include U.S. government securities or other types of instruments. The custodial receipts or trust certificates may evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on the underlying instruments, or, in some cases, the payment obligation of a third party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other arrangement with the custodian or trustee. The holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. There may also be investments in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates. Custodial receipts may be issued in multiple tranches, representing different interests in the payment streams in the underlying instruments (including as to priority of payment).

In the event an underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, a holder could be required to assert its rights through the custodian bank, and assertion of those rights may be subject to delays, expenses, and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the holder had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying instruments have been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation instead of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying instruments would be reduced by the amount of any taxes paid.

Certain custodial receipts and trust certificates may be synthetic or derivative instruments that pay interest at rates that reset inversely to changing short-term rates and/or have embedded interest rate floors and caps that require the issuer to pay an adjusted interest rate if market rates fall below, or rise above, a specified rate. These instruments include inverse and range floaters. Because some of these instruments represent relatively recent innovations and the trading market for these instruments is less developed than the markets for traditional types of instruments, it is uncertain how these instruments will perform under different economic and interest-rate scenarios. Also, because these instruments may be leveraged, their market values may be more volatile than other types of instruments and may present greater potential for capital gain or loss, including potentially loss of the entire principal investment. The possibility of default by an issuer or the issuer's credit provider may be greater for these derivative instruments than for other types of instruments. In some cases, it may be difficult to determine the fair value of a derivative instrument because of a lack of reliable objective information, and an established secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the IRS has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest or payments received on such derivative instruments.

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**Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities:** Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are borrowing arrangements in which the lender agrees to make loans, up to a maximum amount, upon demand by the borrower during a specified term. A revolving credit facility differs from a delayed funding loan in that, as the borrower repays the loan, an amount equal to the repayment may be borrowed again during the term of the revolving credit facility (whereas, in the case of a delayed funding loan, such amounts may not be "re-borrowed"). Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities usually provide for floating or variable rates of interest. Agreeing to participate in a delayed fund loan or a revolving credit facility may have the effect of requiring an increased investment in an issuer at a time when such investment might not otherwise have been made (including at a time when the issuer's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that there is such a commitment to advancing additional funds, assets that are determined to be liquid by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board will at times be segregated, in an amount sufficient to meet such commitments.

Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities may be subject to restrictions on transfer and only limited opportunities may exist to resell such instruments. As a result, such investments may not be sold at an opportune time or may have to be resold at less than fair market value.

**Depositary Receipts:** Depositary receipts are typically trust receipts issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evince an indirect interest in underlying securities issued by a foreign entity, and are in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs").

Generally, ADRs are publicly traded on a U.S. stock exchange or in the OTC market, and are denominated in U.S. dollars, and the depositaries are usually a U.S. financial institution, such as a bank or trust company, but the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer.

GDRs may be traded in any public or private securities markets in U.S dollars or other currencies and generally represent securities held by institutions located anywhere in the world. For GDRs, the depositary may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S issuer.

EDRs are generally issued by a European bank and traded on local exchanges.

Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Although the two types of depositary receipt facilities are similar, there are differences regarding a holder's rights and obligations and the practices of market participants. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depositary), although most sponsored depositary receipt holders may bear costs such as deposit and withdrawal fees. Depositaries of most sponsored depositary receipts agree to distribute notices of shareholder meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and financial information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuer's request. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts, which are created independently of the issuer of the underlying security, generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depositary usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights with respect to the underlying securities to depositary receipt holders. As a result, available information concerning the issuer of an unsponsored depositary receipt may not be as current as for sponsored depositary receipts, and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer.

In addition, a depositary or issuer may unwind its depositary receipt program, or the relevant exchange may require depositary receipts to be delisted, which could require a Fund to sell its depositary receipts (potentially at disadvantageous prices) or to convert them into shares of the underlying non-U.S. security (which could adversely affect their value or liquidity). Depositary receipts also may be subject to illiquidity risk, and trading in depositary receipts may be suspended by the relevant exchange.

ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are subject to many of the same risks associated with investing directly in foreign issuers. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities it will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying securities. The value of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivatives are financial contracts whose values change based on changes in the values of one or more underlying assets or the difference between underlying assets. Underlying assets may include a security or other financial instrument, asset, currency, interest rate, credit rating, commodity, volatility measure, or index. Examples of derivative instruments include swap agreements, forward commitments, futures contracts, and options. Derivatives may be traded on contract markets or exchanges, or may take the form of contractual arrangements between private counterparties. Investing in derivatives involves counterparty risk, particularly with respect to contractual arrangements between private counterparties. Derivatives can be highly volatile and involve risks in addition to, and potentially greater than, the risks of the underlying asset(s). Gains or losses from derivatives can be substantially greater than the derivatives' original cost and can sometimes be unlimited. Derivatives typically involve leverage. Derivatives can be complex instruments and can involve analysis and processing that differs from that required for other investment types. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class the derivative is intended to provide exposure to, the derivative may not have the effect intended. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gains or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives can be less liquid than other types of investments. Legislation and regulation of derivatives in the United States and other countries, including margin, clearing, trading, reporting, and position limits, may make derivatives more costly and/or less liquid, limit the availability of certain types of derivatives, cause changes in the use of derivatives, or otherwise adversely affect the use of derivatives.

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Certain derivative transactions require margin or collateral to be posted to and/or exchanged with a broker, prime broker, futures commission merchant, exchange, clearing house, or other third party, whether directly or through a segregated custodial account. If an entity holding the margin or collateral becomes bankrupt or insolvent or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, there could be delays and/or losses in liquidating open positions purchased or sold through such entity and/or recovering amounts owed, including a loss of all or part of its collateral or margin deposits with such entity.

Some derivatives may be used for "hedging," meaning that they may be used when the manager seeks to protect investments from a decline in value, which could result from changes in interest rates, market prices, currency fluctuations, and other market factors. Derivatives may also be used when the manager seeks to increase liquidity; implement a cash management strategy; invest in a particular stock, bond, or segment of the market in a more efficient or less expensive way; modify the characteristics of portfolio investments; and/or to enhance return. However, when derivatives are used, their successful use is not assured and will depend upon the manager's ability to predict and understand relevant market movements.

<u>Derivatives Regulation</u>: The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The EU, the UK, and certain other jurisdictions have implemented or are in the process of implementing similar requirements, which will affect derivatives transactions with a counterparty organized in, or otherwise subject to, the EU's or other jurisdiction's derivatives regulations. Clearing rules and other rules and regulations could, among other things, restrict a registered investment company's ability to engage in, or increase the cost of, derivatives transactions, for example, by eliminating the availability of some types of derivatives, increasing margin or capital requirements, or otherwise limiting liquidity or increasing transaction costs. While these rules and regulations and central clearing of some derivatives transactions are designed to reduce systemic risk (e.g., the risk that the interdependence of large derivatives dealers could cause them to suffer liquidity, solvency, or other challenges simultaneously), there is no assurance that they will achieve that result, and in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements may expose investors to different kinds of costs and risks. For example, in the event of a counterparty's (or its affiliate's) insolvency, a Fund's ability to exercise remedies (such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral) could be stayed or eliminated under new special resolution regimes adopted in the United States, the EU, the UK and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, the liabilities of counterparties who are subject to such proceedings in the EU and the UK could be reduced, eliminated, or converted to equity in such counterparties (sometimes referred to as a "bail in").

Additionally, U.S. regulators, the EU, the UK, and certain other jurisdictions have adopted minimum margin and capital requirements for uncleared derivatives transactions. These regulations have had a material impact on the use of uncleared derivatives. These rules impose minimum margin requirements on derivatives transactions between a registered investment company and its counterparties and in certain cases increase the amount of margin required. They impose regulatory requirements on the timing of transferring margin and the types of collateral that parties are permitted to exchange.

Short sales are subject to certain SEC regulations and certain EU and UK regulations (under which there are restrictions on net short sales in certain securities). If the SEC or regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions were to adopt additional restrictions regarding short sales, they could restrict a Fund's ability to engage in short sales in certain circumstances, and the Fund may be unable to execute its investment strategy as a result. In response to market events, the SEC and regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions may adopt (and in certain cases, have adopted) bans or other restrictions on short sales of certain securities or on derivatives and other hedging instruments used to achieve a similar economic effect. Such bans or other restrictions may make it impossible for a Fund to execute certain investment strategies and may have a material adverse effect on a Fund's ability to generate returns. See also "Risks of transactions in futures contracts and related options" for more information.

The SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act ("Rule 18f-4"), related to the use of derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements, and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC withdrew prior guidance requiring compliance with an asset segregation framework for covering certain derivative instruments and related transactions. Rule 18f-4, like the prior guidance, provides a mechanism by which a Fund is able to engage in derivatives transactions, even if the derivatives are considered to be "senior securities" for purposes of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and it is expected that a Fund will continue to rely on that exemption, to the extent applicable. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires a fund to apply value-at-risk ("VaR") leverage limits to its investments in derivatives transactions and certain other transactions that create future payment and delivery obligations as well as implement a derivatives risk management program. Generally, these requirements apply unless a fund satisfies Rule 18f-4's "limited derivatives users" exception. When a fund invests in reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, Rule 18f-4 requires the fund to either aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the fund's asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions.

<u>Exclusions of the Investment Adviser from commodity pool operator definition</u>: With respect to each Fund, the Investment Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" ("CPO") under the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA") and the rules thereunder and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to each Fund, the Investment Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of "commodity trading advisor" under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

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The terms of the CPO exclusion require each Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its exposure to "commodity interests." Commodity interests include futures, options on futures, and certain swaps, which, in turn, include non-deliverable forward currency contracts. Compliance with the terms of the CPO exclusion may limit the ability of the Investment Adviser to manage the investment program of each Fund in the same manner as it would in the absence of the exclusion. Each Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity interests markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Investment Adviser's reliance on the exclusion, or each Fund, its investment strategies, or this SAI.

**Emerging Markets Investments:** Investments in emerging markets are generally subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This may be due to, among other things, the possibility of greater market volatility, lower trading volume and liquidity, greater risk of expropriation, nationalization, and social, political and economic instability, greater reliance on a few industries, international trade or revenue from particular commodities, less developed accounting, legal and regulatory systems, higher levels of inflation, deflation or currency devaluation, greater risk of market shut down, and more significant governmental limitations on investment activity as compared to those typically found in a developed market. In addition, issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may have less financial stability than in other countries. As a result, there will tend to be an increased risk of price volatility in investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to a base currency. Settlement and asset custody practices for transactions in emerging markets may differ from those in developed markets. Such differences may include possible delays in settlement and certain settlement practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increases the likelihood of a "failed settlement." Failed settlements can result in losses. For these and other reasons, investments in emerging markets are often considered speculative.

<u>Investing through Bond Connect</u>: Chinese debt instruments trade on the China Interbank Bond Market ("CIBM") and may be purchased through a market access program that is designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("Bond Connect"). There are significant risks inherent in investing in Chinese debt instruments, similar to the risks of other debt instruments markets in emerging markets. The prices of debt instruments traded on the CIBM may fluctuate significantly due to low trading volume and potential lack of liquidity. The rules to access debt instruments that trade on the CIBM through Bond Connect are relatively new and subject to change, which may adversely affect a Fund's ability to invest in these instruments and to enforce its rights as a beneficial owner of these instruments. Trading through Bond Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect a Fund's investments and returns.

Investments made through Bond Connect are subject to order, clearance and settlement procedures that are relatively untested in China, which could pose risks to a Fund. CIBM does not support all trading strategies (such as short selling) and investments in Chinese debt instruments that trade on the CIBM are subject to the risks of suspension of trading without cause or notice, trade failure or trade rejection and default of securities depositories and counterparties. Furthermore, Chinese debt instruments purchased via Bond Connect will be held via a book entry omnibus account in the name of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Central Money Markets Unit ("CMU") maintained with a China-based depository (either the China Central Depository & Clearing Co. ("CDCC") or the Shanghai Clearing House ("SCH")). A Fund's ownership interest in these Chinese debt instruments will not be reflected directly in book entry with CDCC or SCH and will instead only be reflected on the books of a Fund's Hong Kong sub-custodian. Therefore, a Fund's ability to enforce its rights as a bondholder may depend on CMU's ability or willingness as record-holder of the bonds to enforce the Fund's rights as a bondholder. Additionally, the omnibus manner in which Chinese debt instruments are held could expose a Fund to the credit risk of the relevant securities depositories and a Fund's Hong Kong sub-custodian. While a Fund holds a beneficial interest in the instruments it acquires through Bond Connect, the mechanisms that beneficial owners may use to enforce their rights are untested. In addition, courts in China have limited experience in applying the concept of beneficial ownership. Moreover, Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through Bond Connect in accordance with applicable rules.

A Fund's investments in Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect are generally subject to a number of regulations and restrictions, including Chinese securities regulations and listing rules, loss recovery limitations and disclosure of interest reporting obligations. A Fund will not benefit from access to Hong Kong investor compensation funds, which are set up to protect against defaults of trades, when investing through Bond Connect. Bond Connect can only operate when both China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. The rules applicable to taxation of Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect remain subject to further clarification. Uncertainties in the Chinese tax rules governing taxation of income and gains from investments via Bond Connect could result in unexpected tax liabilities for a Fund, which may negatively affect investment returns for shareholders.

<u>Investing through Stock Connect</u>: A Fund may, directly or indirectly (through, for example, participation notes or other types of equity-linked notes), purchase shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, a Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance. PRC regulations require that a Fund that wishes to sell its China A-Shares pre-deliver the China A-Shares to a broker. If the China A-Shares are not in the broker's possession before the market opens on the day of sale, the sell order will be rejected. This requirement could also limit a Fund's ability to dispose of its China A-Shares purchased through Stock Connect in a timely manner. Additionally, Stock Connect is subject to daily quota limitations on purchases of China A Shares. Once the daily quota is reached, orders to purchase additional China A-Shares through

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Stock Connect will be rejected. A Fund's investment in China A-Shares may only be traded through Stock Connect and is not otherwise transferable. Stock Connect utilizes an omnibus clearing structure, and the Fund's shares will be registered in its custodian's name on the Central Clearing and Settlement System. This may limit the ability of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser to effectively manage a Fund, and may expose the Fund to the credit risk of its custodian or to greater risk of expropriation. Investment in China A-Shares through Stock Connect may be available only through a single broker that is an affiliate of the Fund's custodian, which may affect the quality of execution provided by such broker. Stock Connect restrictions could also limit the ability of a Fund to sell its China A-Shares in a timely manner, or to sell them at all. Further, different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring China A-Shares acquired through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure. Stock Connect trades are settled in Renminbi ("RMB"), the official currency of PRC, and investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of RMB in Hong Kong, which cannot be guaranteed.

**Equity-Linked Notes:** An equity-linked note ("ELN") is an investment whose value is based on the value of a single equity security, basket of equity securities, or an index of equity securities (each, an "underlying equity"). Generally, when purchasing an ELN, a Fund pays the counterparty (usually a bank or brokerage firm) the current value of the underlying equity plus a commission. Upon the maturity of the ELN, a Fund generally is entitled to receive the par value plus a return based on the appreciation of the underlying equity. If the underlying equity has depreciated in value or if the price fluctuates outside of a preset range, depending on the type of ELN in which a Fund invested, the Fund may receive only the principal amount of the note, or may lose the principal invested in the ELN entirely.

ELNs are available with an assortment of features, such as periodic coupon payments (*e.g.*, monthly, quarterly, or semiannually); varied participation rates (the rate at which a Fund participates in the appreciation of the underlying equity); limitations on the appreciation potential of the underlying equity by a maximum payment or call right; and different protection levels on a Fund's principal investment. In addition, when the underlying equity is foreign securities or indices, an ELN may be priced with or without currency exposure. A Fund may engage in all types of ELNs, including those that: (1) provide for protection of the Fund's principal in exchange for limited participation in the appreciation of the underlying equity, and (2) do not provide for such protection and subject the Fund to the risk of loss of the Fund's principal investment.

An ELN may provide interest income, thereby offering a yield advantage over investing directly in the underlying equity. ELNs also may enable a Fund to obtain a return (the coupon payment) without risk to principal (in principal-protected ELNs) if the general price movement of the underlying equity is correctly anticipated. A Fund's successful use of ELNs will usually depend on the Sub-Adviser's ability to accurately assess the terms of the ELN and forecast the credit quality of the issuer and the movements in the value of the underlying equity. Should the prices of the underlying equity move in an unexpected manner, a Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the investment in the ELN, and it may realize losses, which could be significant and could include the Fund's entire principal investment.

In addition, an investment in an ELN possesses the risks associated with the underlying equity, such as management risk, market risk, and as applicable, foreign securities and currency risks. In addition, because ELNs are in note form, ELNs are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. An ELN also bears the risk that the issuer of the ELN will default or become bankrupt. In such an event, a Fund may have difficulty being repaid, or fail to be repaid, the principal amount of, or income from, its investment. A downgrade or impairment to the credit rating of the issuer may also negatively impact the value of the ELN, regardless of the price of the underlying equity.

A Fund may also experience liquidity issues when investing in ELNs. The secondary market for ELNs may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in the secondary market may make ELNs difficult to sell and value. The market for those ELNs that are exchange traded may be thinly traded and no assurance of liquidity is provided.

ELNs may exhibit price behavior that does not correlate with the underlying equity. In addition, the performance of an ELN is the responsibility only of the issuer of the ELN and not the issuer of the underlying equity. As the holder of an ELN, a Fund generally has no rights to the underlying equity, including no voting rights or rights to receive dividends, although the amount of expected dividends to be paid during the term of the instrument are factored into the pricing and valuation of the underlying equity at inception.

An ELN is a form of Structured Note. See "Structured Notes" for more information.

<u>Europe:</u> European financial markets are vulnerable to volatility and losses arising from concerns about the potential exit of member countries from the EU and/or the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the "EMU") and, in the latter case, the reversion of those countries to their national currencies. Defaults by EMU member countries on sovereign debt, as well as any future discussions about exits from the EMU, may negatively affect a Fund's investments in the defaulting or exiting country, in issuers, both private and governmental, with direct exposure to that country, and in European issuers generally. The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 (commonly known as "Brexit"). The UK and the EU entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement that sets out the agreement for certain parts of the future relationship from January 1, 2021, but uncertainty remains in certain areas regarding the future UK-EU relationship.

From January 1, 2021, EU laws ceased to apply in the UK, with many being assimilated into UK law. The UK government has enacted legislation to repeal, replace or make substantial amendments to these laws, with a view to them being replaced by purely domestic legislation. The process of revoking EU laws and replacing them with bespoke UK laws has already begun, creating unpredictable consequences for financial markets and investments. Brexit could significantly impact the UK, European, and global macroeconomic conditions, leading to prolonged political, legal, regulatory, tax, and economic uncertainty. This uncertainty may affect opportunities, pricing, availability, and cost of financing, regulation, values, or exit opportunities of companies or assets based in, doing business with, or having significant relationships in the UK or EU.

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**Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments:** Eurodollar instruments are bonds that pay interest and principal in U.S. dollars held in banks outside the United States, primarily in Europe. Eurodollar instruments are usually issued on behalf of multinational companies and foreign governments by large underwriting groups composed of banks and issuing houses from many countries. The Eurodollar market is relatively free of regulations resulting in deposits that may pay somewhat higher interest than onshore markets. Their offshore locations make them subject to political and economic risk in the country of their domicile. Yankee dollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated bonds issued in the United States by foreign banks and corporations. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities issued by U.S. issuers and may carry the same risks as investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities.

**Event-Linked Bonds:** Event-linked exposure typically results in gains or losses depending on the occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities. If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time period specified in a bond, there may be a loss of a portion, or all, of the principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the principal plus interest will be recovered. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on issuer-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices, or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Event-linked bonds often provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional, at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred.

**Floating or Variable Rate Instruments:** Variable and floating rate instruments are a type of debt instrument that provides for periodic adjustments in the interest rate paid on the instrument. Variable rate instruments provide for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates, while floating rate instruments provide for an automatic adjustment in the interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes. Variable rate instruments will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.

There is a risk that the current interest rate on variable and floating rate instruments may not accurately reflect current market interest rates or adequately compensate the holder for the current creditworthiness of the issuer. Some variable or floating rate instruments are structured with liquidity features such as: (1) put options or tender options that permit holders (sometimes subject to conditions) to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries; or (2) auction rate features, remarketing provisions, or other maturity-shortening devices designed to enable the issuer to refinance or redeem outstanding debt instruments (market-dependent liquidity features). The market-dependent liquidity features may not operate as intended as a result of the issuer's declining creditworthiness, adverse market conditions, or other factors or the inability or unwillingness of a participating broker-dealer to make a secondary market for such instruments. As a result, variable or floating rate instruments that include market-dependent liquidity features may lose value and the holders of such instruments may be required to retain them for an extended period of time or indefinitely.

Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate instruments than on the market value of comparable debt instruments. Thus, investing in variable and floating rate instruments generally allows less potential for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable debt instruments.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Currencies:** Investments in issuers in different countries are often denominated in foreign currencies. Changes in the values of those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar may have a positive or negative effect on the values of investments denominated in those currencies. Investments may be made in currency exchange contracts or other currency-related transactions (including derivatives transactions) to manage exposure to different currencies. Also, these contracts may reduce or eliminate some or all of the benefits of favorable currency fluctuations. The values of foreign currencies may fluctuate in response to, among other factors, interest rate changes, intervention (or failure to intervene) by national governments, central banks, or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, the imposition of currency controls, and other political or regulatory developments. Currency values can decrease significantly both in the short term and over the long term in response to these and other developments. Continuing uncertainty as to the status of the Euro and the EMU has created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU, or any continued uncertainty as to its status, could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of portfolio investments. Some foreign countries have managed currencies, which do not float freely against the U.S. dollar.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments:** Investments in non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) entail risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. Similar risks may apply to instruments traded on a U.S. exchange that are issued by issuers with significant exposure to non-U.S. countries. The less developed a country's securities market is, the greater the level of risk. In certain countries, legal remedies available to investors may be more limited than those available with regard to U.S. investments. Because non-U.S. instruments are normally denominated and traded in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the value of the assets may be affected favorably or unfavorably by currency exchange rates, exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of non-U.S. currencies. Income and gains with respect to investments in certain countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and many non-U.S. issuers are not subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, regulatory framework and practices comparable to those in the United States. The securities of some non-U.S. issuers are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Foreign (non-U.S.) security trading, settlement, and custodial practices (including those involving securities settlement where the assets may be released prior to receipt of payment) are often less well developed than those in U.S. markets, and may result in increased risk of substantial delays in the event of a failed trade or in insolvency of, or breach of obligation by, a foreign broker-dealer, securities depository, or foreign sub-custodian. Non-U.S. transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and custody costs, may be higher than in the United States. In addition, there may be a possibility of nationalization or expropriation of assets, imposition of currency exchange controls, imposition of tariffs or

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other economic and trade sanctions, entering or exiting trade or other intergovernmental agreements, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability, and diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the values of the investments in certain non-U.S. countries. In certain foreign markets an issuer's securities are blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level for a specified number of days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where such shares are voted. This is referred to as "share blocking." The blocking period can last up to several weeks. Share blocking may prevent buying or selling securities during this period, because during the time shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. It may be difficult or impossible to lift blocking restrictions, with the particular requirements varying widely by country. Economic or other sanctions imposed on a foreign country or issuer by the U.S., or on the U.S. by a foreign country, could impair a Fund's ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain securities. Sanctions could also affect the value and/or liquidity of a foreign (non-U.S.) security. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign countries. Investors in foreign countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign issuers or foreign persons is limited.

**Forward Commitments:** Forward commitments are contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. A forward commitment may be disposed of prior to settlement. Such a disposition would result in the realization of short-term profits or losses.

Payment for the securities pursuant to one of these transactions is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the risks of ownership (including the risks of price and yield fluctuations) and the risk that the security will not be issued or delivered as anticipated. If a Fund makes additional investments while a delayed delivery purchase is outstanding, this may result in a form of leverage. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, or if the other party fails to complete the transaction.

<u>Forward Currency Contracts</u>: A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specified currency against another currency at a future date and price as agreed upon by the parties. Forward contracts usually are entered into with banks and broker-dealers and usually are for less than one year, but may be renewed. Forward contracts may be held to maturity and make the contemplated payment and delivery, or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Secondary markets generally do not exist for forward currency contracts, with the result that closing transactions generally can be made for forward currency contracts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty. Thus, there can be no assurance that a Fund would be able to close out a forward currency contract at a favorable price or time prior to maturity.

Forward currency transactions may be used for hedging purposes. For example, a Fund might sell a particular currency forward if it holds bonds denominated in that currency but the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) anticipates, and seeks to protect the Fund against, a decline in the currency against the U.S. dollar. Similarly, a Fund might purchase a currency forward to "lock in" the dollar price of securities denominated in that currency which the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) anticipates purchasing for the Fund.

Hedging against a decline in the value of a currency does not limit fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities or prevent losses to the extent they arise from factors other than changes in currency exchange rates. In addition, hedging transactions may limit opportunities for gain if the value of the hedged currency should rise. Moreover, it may not be possible to hedge against a devaluation that is so generally anticipated that no contracts are available to sell the currency at a price above the devaluation level it anticipates. The cost of engaging in currency exchange transactions varies with such factors as the currency involved, the length of the contract period, and prevailing market conditions. Because currency exchange transactions are usually conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.

**Futures Contracts:** A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy or sell in the future a specific quantity of an underlying asset at a specific price and time agreed upon when the contract is made. Futures contracts are traded in the U.S. only on commodity exchanges or boards of trade - known as "contract markets" - approved for such trading by the CFTC, and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (also referred to herein as a "broker") which is a member of the relevant contract market. Futures are subject to the creditworthiness of the futures commission merchant(s) and clearing organizations involved in the transaction.

Certain futures contracts are physically settled (*i.e*., involve the making and taking of delivery of a specified amount of an underlying asset). For instance, the sale of physically settled futures contracts on foreign currencies or financial instruments creates an obligation of the seller to deliver a specified quantity of an underlying foreign currency or financial instrument called for in the contract for a stated price at a specified time. Conversely, the purchase of such futures contracts creates an obligation of the purchaser to pay for and take delivery of the underlying asset called for in the contract for a stated price at a specified time. In some cases, the specific instruments delivered or taken, respectively, on the settlement date are not determined until on or near that date. That determination is made in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the sale or purchase was made.

Some futures contracts are cash settled (rather than physically settled), which means that the purchase price is subtracted from the current market value of the instrument and the net amount, if positive, is paid to the purchaser by the seller of the futures contract and, if negative, is paid by the purchaser to the seller of the futures contract. See, for example, "Index Futures Contracts" below.

The value of a futures contract typically fluctuates in correlation with the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying asset. The buyer of a futures contract enters into an agreement to purchase the underlying asset on the settlement date and is said to be "long" the contract. The seller of a futures contract enters into an agreement to sell the underlying asset on the settlement date and is said to be "short" the contract.

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The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying asset unless the contract is held until the settlement date. The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures commission merchant when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin is typically calculated as a percentage of the contract's notional amount. A futures contract is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day cash is paid or received, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. The minimum initial margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Additional margin may be required by the futures commission merchant.

The risk of loss in trading futures contracts can be substantial, because of the low margin required, the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures pricing, and the potential high volatility of the futures markets. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) to the investor. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in unlimited losses. In the event of adverse price movements, an investor would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In addition, on the settlement date, an investor may be required to make or take delivery of the assets underlying the futures positions it holds.

Futures can be held until their settlement dates, or can be closed out by offsetting purchases or sales of futures contracts before then if a liquid market is available. It may not be possible to liquidate or close out a futures contract at any particular time or at an acceptable price and an investor would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. Moreover, most futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially resulting in substantial losses. The inability to close futures positions could require maintaining a futures positions under circumstances where the manager would not otherwise have done so, resulting in losses.

If a Fund buys or sells a futures contract as a hedge to protect against a decline in the value of a portfolio investment, changes in the value of the futures position may not correlate as expected with changes in the value of the portfolio investment. As a result, it is possible that the futures position will not provide the desired hedging protection, or that money will be lost on both the futures position and the portfolio investment.

<u>Index Futures Contracts</u>: An index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell specified units of an index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. The value of a unit is based on the current value of the index. Under such contracts no delivery of the actual securities or other assets making up the index takes place. Rather, upon expiration of the contract, settlement is made by exchanging cash in an amount equal to the difference between the contract price and the closing price of the index at expiration, net of variation margin previously paid.

<u>Interest Rate Futures Contracts</u>: An interest rate futures contract is an agreement to take or make delivery of either: (i) an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of a particular interest rate index, debt instrument, or index of debt instruments at the beginning and at the end of the contract period; or (ii) a specified amount of a particular debt instrument at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Interest rate futures contracts may be bought or sold in an attempt to protect against the effects of interest rate changes on current or intended investments in debt instruments or generally to adjust the duration and interest rate sensitivity of an investment portfolio. For example, if a Fund owned long-term bonds and interest rates were expected to increase, the Fund might enter into interest rate futures contracts for the sale of debt instruments. Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling some of the long-term bonds in a Fund's portfolio. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt instruments in the portfolio would decline, but the value of the interest rate futures contracts would be expected to increase, subject to the correlation risks described below, thereby keeping the NAV of a Fund from declining as much as it otherwise would have.

Similarly, if interest rates were expected to decline, interest rate futures contracts may be purchased to hedge in anticipation of subsequent purchases of long-term bonds at higher prices. Since the fluctuations in the value of the interest rate futures contracts should be similar to that of long-term bonds, an interest rate futures contract may protect against the effects of the anticipated rise in the value of long-term bonds until the necessary cash becomes available or the market stabilizes. At that time, the interest rate futures contracts could be liquidated and cash could then be used to buy long-term bonds on the cash market. Similar results could be achieved by selling bonds with long maturities and investing in bonds with short maturities when interest rates are expected to increase. However, the futures market may be more liquid than the cash market in certain cases or at certain times.

<u>Gold Futures Contracts</u>: A gold futures contract is a standardized contract which is traded on a regulated commodity futures exchange, and which provides for the future sale of a specified amount of gold at a specified date, time, and price. If a Fund purchases a gold futures contract, it becomes obligated to pay for the gold from the seller in accordance with the terms of the contract. If a Fund sells a gold futures contract, it becomes obligated to sell the gold to the purchaser in accordance with the terms of the contract.

A Fund's ability to invest directly in commodities and commodity-linked instruments may be limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC and could adversely affect the Fund's ability to so qualify. If a Fund's investments in such instruments were to exceed applicable limits or if such investments were to be recharacterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund might be unable to qualify as a RIC for one or more years, which would adversely affect the value of the Fund.

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<u>Foreign Currency Futures</u>: Currency futures contracts are similar to currency forward contracts (described above), except that they are traded on exchanges (and always have margin requirements) and are standardized as to contract size and settlement date. Most currency futures call for payment in U.S. dollars. A foreign currency futures contract is a standardized exchange-traded contract for the future sale of a specified amount of a foreign currency at a price set at the time of the contract. Foreign currency futures contracts traded in the U.S. are designed by and traded on exchanges regulated by the CFTC, such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and have margin requirements.

At the maturity of a deliverable currency futures contract, a Fund either may accept or make delivery of the currency specified in the contract, or at or prior to maturity enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to futures contracts may be effected only on a commodities exchange or board of trade which provides a market in such contracts. There is no assurance that a liquid market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures position and, in the event of adverse price movements, a Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin.

<u>Margin Payments</u>: If a Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it is required to deposit with a futures commission merchant an amount of cash, U.S. Treasury bills, or other permissible collateral equal to a percentage of the amount of the futures contract. This amount is known as "initial margin." The nature of initial margin is different from that of margin in security transactions in that it does not involve borrowing money to finance transactions. Rather, initial margin is similar to a performance bond or good faith deposit that is returned to a Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming the Fund satisfies its contractual obligations.

Subsequent payments to and from the broker occur on a daily basis in a process known as "marking to market." These payments are called "variation margin" and are made as the value of the futures contract fluctuates. For example, when a Fund sells a futures contract and the price of the underlying asset rises above the contract price, the Fund's position declines in value. A Fund then pays the broker a variation margin payment generally equal to the difference between the contract price of the futures contract and the market price of the underlying asset. Conversely, if the price of the underlying asset falls below the contract price of the contract, a Fund's futures position increases in value. The broker then must make a variation margin payment generally equal to the difference between the contract price of the futures contract and the market price of the underlying asset. If an exchange or futures commission merchant raises initial margin rates, a Fund would have to provide additional capital to cover the higher margin rates which could require closing out other positions earlier than anticipated.

If a Fund terminates a position in a futures contract, a final determination of variation margin would be made, additional cash would be paid by or to the Fund, and the Fund would realize a loss or a gain. Such closing transactions involve additional commission costs.

<u>Options on Futures Contracts</u>: Options on futures contracts generally operate in the same manner as options purchased or written directly on the underlying assets. A futures option gives the holder, in return for the premium paid, the right, but not the obligation, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option (or on a specified date, depending on its terms). Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer's futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to its expiration date, the settlement will be made entirely in cash. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the expiration date suffer a loss of the premium paid (plus transaction costs).

Like the buyer or seller of a futures contract, the holder or writer of an option has the right to terminate its position prior to the scheduled expiration of the option by selling or purchasing an option of the same series, at which time the person entering into the closing sale or purchase transaction will realize a gain or loss. There is no guarantee that such closing sale or purchase transactions can be effected.

A Fund would be required to deposit initial margin and maintenance margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to brokers' requirements similar to those described above in connection with the discussion on futures contracts. See "Margin Payments" above.

<u>Risks of transactions in futures contracts and related options</u>: Successful use of futures contracts is subject to the ability of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) to predict movements in various factors affecting financial markets. Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of call or put options on futures contracts involves less potential risk to a Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). However, there may be circumstances when the purchase of a call or put option on a futures contract would result in a loss when the purchase or sale of a futures contract would not result in a loss, such as when there is no movement in the prices of the underlying futures contracts. The writing of an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those risks relating to the sale of futures contracts.

The use of futures and related options involves the risk of imperfect correlation among movements in the prices of the assets underlying the futures and options, of the options and futures contracts themselves, and, in the case of hedging transactions, of the underlying assets which are the subject of a hedge. The successful use of these strategies further depends on the ability of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) to forecast market movements such as movements in interest rates correctly. It is possible that, where a Fund has purchased puts on futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the securities or index on which the puts are purchased may increase in value and the value of securities held in the portfolio may decline. If this occurred, a Fund would lose money on the puts and also experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. In addition, the prices of futures, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the underlying asset due to certain market distortions. For example, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationship between the underlying asset and futures markets. The margin

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requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result the futures markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in the futures markets may also cause temporary price distortions.

There is no assurance that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not, at times, render certain market clearing facilities inadequate, and thereby result in the institution by exchanges of special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of customer orders.

The ability to establish and close out positions will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will develop or continue to exist for a particular futures contract or option. A Fund's futures commission merchant may limit a Fund's ability to invest in certain futures contracts. Such restrictions may adversely affect a Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

The CFTC, certain foreign (non-U.S.) regulators, and many futures exchanges have established (and continue to evaluate and monitor) limits, referred to as "position limits," on the maximum net long or net short positions which any person may hold or control in particular options and futures contracts. In addition, U.S. federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts on certain agricultural, energy, and metals commodities. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of complying with these limits, unless an exemption applies. Thus, even if a Fund's holding does not exceed applicable position limits, it is possible that some or all of the positions in client accounts managed by the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) and its affiliates may be aggregated for this purpose. It is possible that the trading decisions of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) may be affected by the sizes of such aggregate positions. The modification of investment decisions or the elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the performance of a Fund. A violation of position limits could also lead to regulatory action materially adverse to a Fund's investment strategy. A Fund may also be affected by other regimes, including those of the EU and UK, and trading venues that impose position limits on commodity derivative contracts.

**Guaranteed Investment Contracts:** Guaranteed Investment Contracts ("GICs") are issued by insurance companies. An insurance company issuing a GIC typically agrees, in return for the purchase price of the contract, to pay interest at an agreed upon rate (which may be a fixed or variable rate) and to repay principal. GICs typically guarantee that the interest rate will not be less than a certain minimum rate. The insurance company may assess periodic charges against a GIC for expense and service costs allocable to it, and the charges will be deducted from the value of the deposit fund. A GIC is a general obligation of the issuing insurance company and not a separate account. The purchase price paid for a GIC becomes part of the general assets of the insurance company, and the contract is paid from the insurance company's general assets. Generally, a GIC is not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuing insurance company, and an active secondary market in GICs does not currently exist. In addition, the issuer may not be able to pay the principal amount to a Fund on seven days' notice or less, at which time the investment may be considered illiquid securities. GICs are not backed by the U.S. government nor are they insured by the FDIC. GICs are generally guaranteed only by the insurance companies that issue them.

**High-Yield Securities:** High-yield securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") are debt instruments that are rated below investment grade. Investing in high-yield securities involves special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher rated debt instruments. While investments in high-yield securities generally provide greater income and increased opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, investments in high-yield securities typically entail greater price volatility as well as principal and income risk. High-yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high-yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt instruments.

High-yield securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities. The prices of high-yield securities are likely to be sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual corporate developments. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high-yield security prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged issuer to make principal and interest payments on its debt instruments. If an issuer of high-yield securities defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, additional expenses to seek recovery may be incurred.

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the price at which a high-yield security could be sold, and could adversely affect daily NAV. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high-yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. When secondary markets for high-yield securities are less liquid than the market for higher grade securities, it may be more difficult to value lower rated securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of lower-quality securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the securities. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. Each credit rating agency applies its own methodology in measuring creditworthiness and uses a specific rating scale to publish its ratings. For more information on credit agency ratings, please see Appendix A. Furthermore, high-yield debt instruments may not be registered under the 1933 Act, and, unless so registered, a Fund will not be able to sell such high-yield debt instruments except pursuant to an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. This may further limit a Fund's ability to sell high-yield debt instruments or to obtain the desired price for such securities.

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Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high-yield securities structured as zero-coupon or pay-in-kind instruments. Income accrues on these instruments prior to the receipt of cash payments, which income must be distributed to shareholders when it accrues, potentially requiring the liquidation of other investments, including at times when such liquidation may not be advantageous, in order to comply with the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

**Hybrid Instruments:** A hybrid instrument may be a debt instrument, preferred stock, depositary share, trust certificate, warrant, convertible security, certificate of deposit or other evidence of indebtedness on which a portion of or all interest payments, and/or the principal or stated amount payable at maturity, redemption or retirement, is determined by reference to prices, changes in prices, or differences between prices, of securities, currencies, intangibles, goods, commodities, indexes, economic factors or other measures, including interest rates, currency exchange rates, or commodities or securities indices, or other indicators. Thus, hybrid instruments may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, debt instruments with interest or principal payments or redemption terms determined by reference to the value of a currency or commodity or securities index at a future point in time, preferred stocks with dividend rates determined by reference to the value of a currency, or convertible securities with the conversion terms related to a particular commodity.

Hybrid instruments can be an efficient means of creating exposure to a particular market, or segment of a market, with the objective of enhancing total return. For example, a Fund may wish to take advantage of expected declines in interest rates in several European countries, but avoid the transaction costs associated with buying and currency-hedging the foreign bond positions. One solution would be to purchase a U.S. dollar-denominated hybrid instrument whose redemption price is linked to the average three-year interest rate in a designated group of countries. The redemption price formula would provide for payoffs of greater than par if the average interest rate was lower than a specified level and payoffs of less than par if rates were above the specified level. Furthermore, a Fund could limit the downside risk of the security by establishing a minimum redemption price so that the principal paid at maturity could not be below a predetermined minimum level if interest rates were to rise significantly. The purpose of this arrangement, known as a structured security with an embedded put option, would be to give a Fund the desired European bond exposure while avoiding currency risk, limiting downside market risk, and lowering transactions costs. Of course, there is no guarantee that the strategy would be successful, and a Fund could lose money if, for example, interest rates do not move as anticipated or credit problems develop with the issuer of the hybrid instrument.

<u>Risks of Investing in Hybrid Instruments</u>: The risks of investing in hybrid instruments reflect a combination of the risks of investing in securities, swaps, options, futures and currencies. An investment in a hybrid instrument may entail significant risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional debt instrument. The risks of a particular hybrid instrument will depend upon the terms of the instrument, but may include the possibility of significant changes in the benchmark(s) or the prices of the underlying assets to which the instrument is linked. Such risks generally depend upon factors unrelated to the operations or credit quality of the issuer of the hybrid instrument, which may not be foreseen by the purchaser, such as economic and political events, the supply and demand profiles of the underlying assets and interest rate movements. Hybrid instruments may be highly volatile.

The return on a hybrid instrument will be reduced by the costs of the swaps, options, or other instruments embedded in the instrument.

Hybrid instruments are potentially more volatile and carry greater market risks than traditional debt instruments. Depending on the structure of the particular hybrid instrument, changes in an underlying asset may be magnified by the terms of the hybrid instrument and have an even more dramatic and substantial effect upon the value of the hybrid instrument. Also, the prices of the hybrid instrument and the underlying asset may not move in the same direction or at the same time.

Hybrid instruments may bear interest or pay preferred dividends at below market (or even nominal) rates. Alternatively, hybrid instruments may bear interest at above market rates but bear an increased risk of principal loss (or gain). Leverage risk occurs when the hybrid instrument is structured so that a given change in an underlying asset is multiplied to produce a greater value change in the hybrid instrument, thereby magnifying the risk of loss as well as the potential for gain.

If a hybrid instrument is used as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the hybrid instrument may not correlate as expected with the portfolio investment, resulting in losses. While hedging strategies involving hybrid instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other investments.

Hybrid instruments may also carry liquidity risk since the instruments are often "customized" to meet the portfolio needs of a particular investor. A Fund may be prohibited from transferring a hybrid instrument, or the number of possible purchasers may be limited by applicable law or because few investors have an interest in purchasing such a customized product. Because hybrid instruments are typically privately negotiated contracts between two parties, the value of a hybrid instrument will depend on the willingness and ability of the issuer of the instrument to meet its obligations. Hybrid instruments also may not be subject to regulation by the CFTC, which generally regulates the trading of futures, options on futures, and certain swaps.

<u>Synthetic Convertible Securities</u>: Synthetic convertible securities are derivative positions composed of two or more different securities whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities. For example, a Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt instrument and a warrant or option, which enables the Fund to have a convertible-like position with respect to a company, group of companies, or stock index. Synthetic convertible securities are typically offered by financial institutions and investment banks in private placement transactions. Upon conversion, a Fund generally receives an amount in cash equal to the difference between the conversion price and the then-current value of the underlying security. Unlike a true convertible security, a synthetic convertible security comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the market value of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its debt component and its convertible component. For this reason, the value of a synthetic convertible security and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

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**Illiquid Securities:** Illiquid investment means any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. A Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. With the exception of money market funds, Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires a Fund to adopt a liquidity risk management program to assess and manage its liquidity risk. Under its program, a Fund is required to classify its investments into specific liquidity categories and monitor compliance with limits on investments in illiquid securities. While the liquidity risk management program attempts to assess and manage liquidity risk, there is no guarantee it will be effective in its operations and it may not reduce the liquidity risk inherent in a Fund's investments.

**Inflation-Indexed Bonds:** Inflation-indexed bonds are debt instruments whose principal and/or interest value are adjusted periodically according to a rate of inflation (usually a consumer price index). Two structures are most common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the inflation accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") currently are issued with maturities of five, ten, or thirty years, although it is possible that bonds with other maturities will be issued in the future. The principal amount of TIPS adjusts for inflation, although the inflation-adjusted principal is not paid until maturity. Semi-annual coupon payments are determined as a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal at the time the payment is made.

If the rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these bonds (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. At maturity, TIPS are redeemed at the greater of their inflation-adjusted principal or at the par amount at original issue. If an inflation-indexed bond does not provide a guarantee of principal at maturity, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

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

While these bonds, if held to maturity, are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If nominal interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to an expansion of non-inflationary economic activity), investors in these bonds may not be protected to the extent that the increase in rates is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The inflation adjustment of TIPS is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of price changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation, and energy.

Other issuers of inflation-protected bonds include other U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, corporations, and foreign governments. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these bonds may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

Any increase in principal for an inflation-protected bond resulting from inflation adjustments is considered to be taxable income in the year it occurs. For direct holders of inflation-protected bonds, this means that taxes must be paid on principal adjustments even though these amounts are not received until the bond matures. Similarly, with respect to inflation-protected instruments held by each Fund, both interest income and the income attributable to principal adjustments must currently be distributed to shareholders in the form of cash or reinvested shares.

**Initial Public Offerings:** The value of an issuer's securities may be highly unstable at the time of its IPO and for a period thereafter due to factors such as market psychology prevailing at the time of the IPO, the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available, and limited availability of investor information. Securities purchased in an IPO may be held for a very short period of time. As a result, investments in IPOs may increase portfolio turnover, which increases brokerage and administrative costs and may result in additional distributions to shareholders. Investors in IPOs can be adversely affected by substantial dilution of the value of their shares due to sales of additional shares, and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.

Investments in IPOs may have a substantial beneficial effect on investment performance. Investment returns earned during a period of substantial investment in IPOs may not be sustained during other periods of more-limited, or no, investments in IPOs. In addition, as an investment portfolio increases in size, the impact of IPOs on performance will generally decrease. Investment in securities offered in an IPO may lose money. There can be no assurance that investments in IPOs will be available or improve performance. Investments in secondary public offerings may be subject to certain of the foreign risks. A Fund will not necessarily participate in an IPO in which other mutual funds or accounts managed by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser participate.

**Inverse Floating Rate Securities:** Inverse floaters have variable interest rates that typically move in the opposite direction from movements in prevailing interest rates, most often short-term rates. Accordingly, the values of inverse floaters, or other instruments or certificates structured to have similar features, generally move in the opposite direction from interest rates. The value of an inverse floater can be

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considerably more volatile than the value of other debt instruments of comparable maturity and quality. Inverse floaters incorporate varying degrees of leverage. Generally, greater leverage results in greater price volatility for any given change in interest rates. Inverse floaters may be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale and therefore may be less liquid than other types of instruments.

**Master Limited Partnerships:** MLPs typically are characterized as "publicly traded partnerships" that qualify to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are typically engaged in one or more aspects of the exploration, production, processing, transmission, marketing, storage or delivery of energy-related commodities, such as natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal, crude oil or refined petroleum products. Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership.

Investments in MLPs are generally subject to many of the risks that apply to partnerships. For example, holders of the units of MLPs may have limited control and limited voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. There may be fewer corporate protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Conflicts of interest may exist among unit holders, subordinated unit holders, and the general partner of an MLP, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. Investments held by MLPs may be illiquid. MLP units may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based issuers.

The manner and extent of direct and indirect investments in MLPs and limited liability companies may be limited by a Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC under the Code, and any such investments may adversely affect the ability of a Fund to so qualify.

**Mortgage-Related Securities:** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. There may also be investments in debt instruments which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

Financial downturns (particularly an increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment) may adversely affect the market for mortgage-related securities. Many so-called sub-prime mortgage pools become distressed during periods of economic distress and may trade at significant discounts to their face value during such periods. In addition, for mortgage-related securities, when market conditions result in an increase in the default rates on the underlying mortgages and the foreclosure values of the underlying real estate are below the outstanding amount of the underlying mortgages, collection of the full amount of accrued interest and principal on these investments may be doubtful. Such market conditions may significantly impair the value and liquidity of these investments and may result in a lack of correlation between their credit ratings and value. Certain types of real estate may be adversely affected by changing usage trends, such as office buildings as a result of work-from-home practices and commercial facilities as a result of an increase in online shopping, which could in turn result in defaults and declines in value of mortgage-related securities secured by such properties. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors may cause certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economy experience another downturn. Further, legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk of losses on mortgage-related securities.

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

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The residential mortgage market in the United States has in the past experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased in the past and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has occurred in the past and which may continue to occur in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Due largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

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<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>: Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARM MBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARM MBSs permits participation in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARM MBSs are based. Such ARM MBSs generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional debt instruments of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, there can be reinvestment in the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARM MBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, there is no benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e*., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARM MBSs behave more like debt instruments and less like adjustable rate debt instruments and are subject to the risks associated with debt instruments. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>: The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA"). Government-related guarantors (*i.e*., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation. FNMA purchases conventional (*i.e*., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. FHLMC is a government-sponsored corporation that issues Participation Certificates ("PCs"), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC.

FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of FNMA's and FHLMC's ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA's plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the "Reform Act"), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA's appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA's or FHLMC's affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver.

FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMA's or FHLMC's assets available therefor.

In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders.

Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed

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securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

To the extent third party entities involved with mortgage-backed securities issued by private issuers are involved in litigation relating to the securities, actions may be taken that are adverse to the interests of holders of the mortgage-backed securities, including each Fund. For example, third parties may seek to withhold proceeds due to holders of the mortgage-related securities, including each Fund, to cover legal or related costs. Any such action could result in losses to each Fund.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations</u>: Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams. The issuer of a series of mortgage pass-through securities may elect to be treated as a REMIC. REMICs include governmental and/or private entities that issue a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they issue multiple classes of securities, but unlike CMOs, which are required to be structured as debt instruments, REMICs may be structured as indirect ownership interests in the underlying assets of the REMICs themselves. Although CMOs and REMICs differ in certain respects, characteristics of CMOs described below apply in most cases to REMICs as well.

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

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

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

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances, the initial investment in a CMO residual may never be fully recouped.

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

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

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

Mortgage-related securities include, among other things, securities that reflect an interest in reverse mortgages. In a reverse mortgage, a lender makes a loan to a homeowner based on the homeowner's equity in his or her home. While a homeowner must be age 62 or older to qualify for a reverse mortgage, reverse mortgages may have no income restrictions. Repayment of the interest or principal for the loan is generally not required until the homeowner dies, sells the home, or ceases to use the home as his or her primary residence.

There are three general types of reverse mortgages: (1) single-purpose reverse mortgages, which are offered by certain state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations; (2) federally-insured reverse mortgages, which are backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and (3) proprietary reverse mortgages, which are privately offered loans. A mortgage-related security may be backed by a single type of reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage-related securities include agency and privately issued mortgage-related securities. The principal government guarantor of reverse mortgage-related securities is GNMA.

Reverse mortgage-related securities may be subject to risks different than other types of mortgage-related securities due to the unique nature of the underlying loans. The date of repayment for such loans is uncertain and may occur sooner or later than anticipated. The timing of payments for the corresponding mortgage-related security may be uncertain. Because reverse mortgages are offered only to persons 62 and older and there may be no income restrictions, the loans may react differently than traditional home loans to market events.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>: SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO class"), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO class"). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, there may be failure to recoup some or all of the initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a

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greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

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

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

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the investment restrictions related to industry concentration by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. government securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. government securities nor U.S. government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Tiered Index Bonds</u>: Tiered index bonds are relatively new forms of mortgage-related securities. The interest rate on a tiered index bond is tied to a specified index or market rate. So long as this index or market rate is below a predetermined "strike" rate, the interest rate on the tiered index bond remains fixed. If, however, the specified index or market rate rises above the "strike" rate, the interest rate of the tiered index bond will decrease. Thus, under these circumstances, the interest rate on a tiered index bond, like an inverse floater, will move in the opposite direction of prevailing interest rates, with the result that the price of the tiered index bond may be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond.

**Municipal Securities:** Municipal securities are debt instruments issued by state and local governments, municipalities, territories and possessions of the United States, regional government authorities, and their agencies and instrumentalities of states, and multi-state agencies or authorities, the interest of which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer at the time of issuance, is exempt from U.S. federal income tax. Municipal securities include both notes (which have maturities of less than one (1) year) and bonds (which have maturities of one (1) year or more) that bear fixed or variable rates of interest.

In general, municipal securities are issued to obtain funds for a variety of public purposes such as the construction, repair, or improvement of public facilities including airports, bridges, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, water and sewer works. Municipal securities may be issued to refinance outstanding obligations as well as to raise funds for general operating expenses and lending to other public institutions and facilities.

The two principal classifications of municipal securities are "general obligation" securities and "revenue" securities. General obligation securities are obligations secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Characteristics and methods of enforcement of general obligation bonds vary according to the law applicable to a particular issuer, and the taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt instruments may be limited or unlimited as to rates or amounts of special assessments. Revenue securities are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility, a class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including, among others: electric, gas, water, and sewer systems; highways, bridges, and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Conditions in those sectors may affect the overall municipal securities markets.

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Some longer-term municipal bonds give the investor the right to "put" or sell the security at par (face value) to the issuer within a specified number of days following the investor's request. This demand feature enhances a security's liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, the longer-term securities still held could experience substantially more volatility.

Insured municipal debt involves scheduled payments of interest and principal guaranteed by a private, non-governmental or governmental insurance company. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal debt or the value of the shares.

Municipal securities are subject to credit and market risk. Generally, prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate less with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues. The secondary market for municipal bonds typically has been less liquid than that for taxable debt instruments, and this may affect a Fund's ability to sell particular municipal bonds at then-current market prices, especially in periods when other investors are attempting to sell the same securities.

Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money-market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded.

Securities, including municipal securities, are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the federal Bankruptcy Code (including special provisions related to municipalities and other public entities), and laws, if any, that may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power, ability or willingness of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal securities may be materially affected or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable. Such litigation or conditions may from time to time have the effect of introducing uncertainties in the market for municipal securities or certain segments thereof, or of materially affecting the credit risk with respect to particular securities. Adverse economic, business, legal or political developments might affect all or a substantial portion of a Fund's municipal securities in the same manner.

From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that, if enacted, would have the effect of restricting or eliminating the U.S. federal income tax exemption for interest on debt instruments issued by states and their political subdivisions. U.S. federal tax laws limit the types and amounts of tax-exempt bonds issuable for certain purposes, especially industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Such limits may affect the future supply and yields of these types of municipal securities. Further proposals limiting the issuance of municipal securities may well be introduced in the future.

<u>Industrial Development and Pollution Control Bonds</u>: Industrial development bonds and pollution control bonds, which in most cases are revenue bonds and generally are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of an issuer, are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance privately operated facilities for business, manufacturing, housing, sport complexes, and pollution control. The principal security for these bonds is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue sources. Consequently, the credit quality of these securities is dependent upon the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds and any guarantor to meet its financial obligations.

<u>Moral Obligation Securities</u>: Moral obligation securities are usually issued by special purpose public authorities. A moral obligation security is a type of state issued municipal bond which is backed by a moral, not a legal, obligation. If the issuer of a moral obligation security cannot fulfill its financial responsibilities from current revenues, it may draw upon a reserve fund, the restoration of which is a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality that created the issuer.

<u>Municipal Lease Obligations and Certificates of Participation</u>: Municipal lease obligations and participations in municipal leases are undivided interests in an obligation in the form of a lease or installment purchase or conditional sales contract which is issued by a state, local government, or a municipal financing corporation to acquire land, equipment, and/or facilities (collectively hereinafter referred to as "Lease Obligations"). Generally Lease Obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the municipality's taxing power is pledged. Instead, a Lease Obligation is ordinarily backed by the municipality's covenant to budget for, appropriate, and make the payments due under the Lease Obligation. As a result of this structure, Lease Obligations are generally not subject to state constitutional debt limitations or other statutory requirements that may apply to other municipal securities.

Lease Obligations may contain "non-appropriation" clauses, which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for that purpose on a yearly basis. If the municipality does not appropriate in its budget enough to cover the payments on the Lease Obligation, the lessor may have the right to repossess and relet the property to another party. Depending on the property subject to the lease, the value of the property may not be sufficient to cover the debt.

In addition to the risk of "non-appropriation," municipal lease securities may not have as highly liquid a market as conventional municipal bonds.

<u>Short-Term Municipal Obligations</u>: Short-term municipal securities include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, construction loan notes and short-term discount notes. Tax anticipation notes are used to finance working capital needs of municipalities and are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenues, to be payable from these specific future taxes. They are usually general obligations of the issuer, secured by the taxing power of the municipality for the payment of principal and interest when due. Revenue anticipation notes are generally issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as the revenues expected to be generated

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from a particular project. Bond anticipation notes normally are issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. The long-term bonds then provide the money for the repayment of the notes. Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing for specific projects. After successful completion and acceptance, many such projects may receive permanent financing through another source. Short-term Discount notes (tax-exempt commercial paper) are short-term (365 days or less) promissory notes issued by municipalities to supplement their cash flow. Revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, and short-term discount notes may, but will not necessarily, be general obligations of the issuer.

**Options:** An option gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) a specific amount or value of a particular underlying asset at a specific price (called the "exercise" or "strike" price) at one or more specific times before the option expires. The underlying asset of an option contract can be a security, currency, index, future, swap, commodity, or other type of financial instrument. The seller of an option is called an option writer. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option purchaser is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case, for example, if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date.

Options can be traded either through established exchanges ("exchange-traded options") or privately negotiated transactions OTC options. Exchange-traded options are standardized with respect to, among other things, the underlying asset, expiration date, contract size and strike price. The terms of OTC options are generally negotiated by the parties to the option contract which allows the parties greater flexibility in customizing the agreement, but OTC options are generally less liquid than exchange-traded options.

All option contracts involve credit risk if the counterparty to the option contract (*e.g*., the clearing house or OTC counterparty) or the third party effecting the transaction in the case of cleared options (*e.g*., futures commission merchant or broker/dealer) fails to perform. The value of an OTC option that is not cleared is dependent on the credit worthiness of the individual counterparty to the contract and may be greater than the credit risk associated with cleared options.

The purchaser of a put option obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell a specific amount or value of a particular asset to the option writer at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the option premium. The purchaser of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if the price of the underlying asset falls. However, if the underlying asset's price does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, the purchaser of a put option can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The purchaser of a call option obtains the right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specified amount or value of an underlying asset from the option writer at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the option premium. The purchaser of a typical call option can expect to realize a gain if the price of the underlying asset rises. However, if the underlying asset's price does not rise enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, the buyer of a call option can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The purchaser of a call or put option may terminate its position by allowing the option to expire, exercising the option or closing out its position by entering into an offsetting option transaction if a liquid market is available. If the option is allowed to expire, the purchaser will lose the entire premium. If the option is exercised, the purchaser would complete the purchase or sale, as applicable, of the underlying asset to the option writer at the strike price.

The writer of a put or call option takes the opposite side of the transaction from the option's purchaser. In return for receipt of the premium, the writer assumes the obligation to buy or sell (depending on whether the option is a put or a call) a specified amount or value of a particular asset at the strike price if the purchaser of the option chooses to exercise it. A call option written on a security or other instrument held by the Fund (commonly known as "writing a covered call option") limits the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying asset above the exercise price of the option. A call option written on securities that are not currently held by the Fund is commonly known as "writing a naked call option." During periods of declining securities prices or when prices are stable, writing these types of call options can be a profitable strategy to increase income with minimal capital risk. However, when securities prices increase, a Fund would be exposed to an increased risk of loss, because if the price of the underlying asset or instrument exceeds the option's exercise price, the Fund would suffer a loss equal to the amount by which the market price exceeds the exercise price at the time the call option is exercised, minus the premium received. Calls written on securities that a Fund does not own are riskier than calls written on securities owned by the Fund because there is no underlying asset held by the Fund that can act as a partial hedge. When such a call is exercised, a Fund must purchase the underlying asset to meet its call obligation or make a payment equal to the value of its obligation in order to close out the option. Calls written on securities that a Fund does not own have speculative characteristics and the potential for loss is theoretically unlimited. There is also a risk, especially with less liquid preferred and debt instruments, that the asset may not be available for purchase.

Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option purchaser. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer's potential loss is equal to the amount the option is "in-the-money" when the option is exercised offset by the premium received when the option was written. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying asset exceeds the strike price of the option, and so the call option writer's loss is theoretically unlimited. A put option is in-the-money if the strike price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying asset, and so the put option writer's loss is limited to the strike price. Generally, any profit realized by an option purchaser represents a loss for the option writer. The writer of an option may seek to terminate a position in the option before exercise by closing out its position by entering into an offsetting option transaction if a liquid market is available. If the market is not liquid for an offsetting option, however, the writer must continue to be prepared to sell or purchase the underlying asset at the strike price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes.

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If a Fund is the writer of a cleared option, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin. Additional variation margin may also be required. If a Fund is the writer of an uncleared option, the Fund may be required to deposit initial margin and additional variation margin.

A physical delivery option gives its owner the right to receive physical delivery (if it is a call), or to make physical delivery (if it is a put) of the underlying asset when the option is exercised. A cash-settled option gives its owner the right to receive a cash payment based on the difference between a determined value of the underlying asset at the time the option is exercised and the fixed exercise price of the option. In the case of physically settled options, it may not be possible to terminate the position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. A cash-settled call conveys the right to receive a cash payment if the determined value of the underlying asset at exercise exceeds the exercise price of the option, and a cash-settled put conveys the right to receive a cash payment if the determined value of the underlying asset at exercise is less than the exercise price of the option.

Combination option positions are positions in more than one option at the same time. A spread involves being both the buyer and writer of the same type of option on the same underlying asset but different exercise prices and/or expiration dates. A straddle consists of purchasing or writing both a put and a call on the same underlying asset with the same exercise price and expiration date.

The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying asset in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying asset and the remaining period to the expiration date.

If a trading market in particular options were illiquid, investors in those options would be unable to close out their positions until trading resumes, and option writers may be faced with substantial losses if the value of the underlying asset moves adversely during that time. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular options product at any specific time. Lack of investor interest, changes in volatility, or other factors or conditions might adversely affect the liquidity, efficiency, continuity, or even the orderliness of the market for particular options. Exchanges or other facilities on which options are traded may establish limitations on options trading, may order the liquidation of positions in excess of these limitations, or may impose other sanctions that could adversely affect parties to an options transaction.

Many options, in particular OTC options, are complex and often valued based on subjective factors. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a Fund.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>: Put and call options on foreign currencies may be bought or sold either on exchanges or in the OTC market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of a Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options.

<u>Index Options:</u> An index option is a put or call option on a securities index or other (typically securities-related) index. In contrast to an option on a security, the holder of an index option has the right to receive a cash settlement amount upon exercise of the option. This settlement amount is equal to: (i) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a call) or is below (in the case of a put) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied; by (ii) a fixed "index multiplier." The index underlying an index option may be a "broad-based" index, such as the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index or the NYSE Composite Index, the changes in value of which ordinarily will reflect movements in the stock market in general. In contrast, certain options may be based on narrower market indices, such as the S&P 100 Index, or on indices of securities of particular industry groups, such as those of oil and gas or technology issuers. A stock index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks so included. The composition of the index is changed periodically. The risks of purchasing and selling index options are generally similar to the risks of purchasing and selling options on securities.

**Other Investment Companies and Pooled Investment Vehicles:** Securities of other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles, including shares of closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, ETFs, open-end investment companies, and private investment funds represent interests in managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments. Investing in another investment company or pooled investment vehicle exposes a Fund to all the risks of that other investment company or pooled investment vehicle as well as additional expenses at the other investment company or pooled investment vehicle-level, such as a proportionate share of portfolio management fees and operating expenses. Such expenses are in addition to the expenses a Fund pays in connection with its own operations. Investing in a pooled investment vehicle involves the risk that the vehicle will not perform as anticipated. The amount of assets that may be invested in another investment company or pooled investment vehicle or in other investment companies or pooled investment vehicles generally may be limited by applicable law.

The securities of other investment companies, particularly closed-end funds, may be leveraged and, therefore, will be subject to the risks of leverage. The securities of closed-end investment companies and ETFs carry the risk that the price paid or received may be higher or lower than their NAV. Closed-end investment companies and ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including the risks of illiquidity and of possible trading halts due to market conditions or other factors.

In making decisions on the allocation of the assets in other investment companies, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser are subject to several conflicts of interest when they serve as the investment adviser and sub-adviser to one or more of the other investment companies. These conflicts could arise because the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser or their affiliates earn higher net advisory fees (the advisory fee received less any sub-advisory fee paid and fee waivers or expense subsidies) on some of the other investment companies than others. For example, where the other investment companies have a sub-adviser that is affiliated with the Investment Adviser, the entire advisory fee is retained by a Voya company. Even where the net advisory fee is not higher for other investment companies sub-advised

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by an affiliate of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may have an incentive to prefer affiliated sub-advisers for other reasons, such as increasing assets under management or supporting new investment strategies, which in turn would lead to increased income to Voya. Further, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may believe that redemption from another investment company will be harmful to that investment company, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser or an affiliate. Therefore, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may have incentives to allocate and reallocate in a fashion that would advance its own economic interests, the economic interests of an affiliate, or the interests of another investment company.

The Investment Adviser has informed the Board that its investment process may be influenced by an affiliated insurance company that issues financial products in which a Fund may be offered as an investment option. In certain of those products an affiliated insurance company may offer guaranteed lifetime income or death benefits. The Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's investment decisions, including their allocation decisions with respect to the other investment companies, may benefit the affiliated insurance company issuing such benefits. For example, selecting and allocating assets to other investment companies which invest primarily in debt instruments or in a more conservative or less volatile investment style, may reduce the regulatory capital requirements which the affiliated insurance company must satisfy to support its guarantees under its products, may help reduce the affiliated insurance company's risk from the lifetime income or death benefits, or may make it easier for the insurance company to manage its risk through the use of various hedging techniques.

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser have adopted various policies and procedures that are intended to identify, monitor, and address actual or potential conflicts of interest. Nonetheless, investors bear the risk that the Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's allocation decisions may be affected by their conflicts of interest.

<u>Exchange-Traded Funds</u>: ETFs are investment companies whose shares trade like a stock throughout the day. Certain ETFs use a "passive" investment strategy and will not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets. Other ETFs are actively managed (*i.e*., they do not seek to replicate the performance of a particular index). The value of an ETF's shares will change based on changes in the values of the investments it holds. The value of an ETF's shares will also likely be affected by factors affecting trading in the market for those shares, such as illiquidity, exchange or market rules, and overall market volatility. The market price for ETF shares may be higher or lower than the ETF's NAV. The timing and magnitude of cash flows in and out of an ETF could create cash balances that act as a drag on the ETF's performance. An active secondary market in an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained and may be halted or interrupted due to actions by its listing exchange, unusual market conditions or other reasons. Substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs could adversely affect the liquidity and value of the shares of a Fund to the extent it invests in ETFs. There can be no assurance an ETF's shares will continue to be listed on an active exchange.

<u>Holding Company Depositary Receipts</u>: Holding Company Depositary Receipts ("HOLDRs") are securities that represent beneficial ownership in a group of common stocks of specified issuers in a particular industry. HOLDRs are typically organized as grantor trusts, and are generally not required to register as investment companies under the 1940 Act. Each HOLDR initially owns a set number of stocks, and the composition of a HOLDR does not change after issue, except in special cases like corporate mergers, acquisitions or other specified events. As a result, stocks selected for those HOLDRs with a sector focus may not remain the largest and most liquid in their industry, and may even leave the industry altogether. If this happens, HOLDRs invested may not provide the same targeted exposure to the industry that was initially expected. Because HOLDRs are not subject to concentration limits, the relative weight of an individual stock may increase substantially, causing the HOLDRs to be less diversified and creating more risk.

<u>Private Funds</u>: Private funds are private investment funds, pools, vehicles, or other structures, including hedge funds and private equity funds. They may be organized as corporations, partnerships, trusts, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, or any other form of business organization (collectively, "Private Funds"). Investments in Private Funds may be highly speculative and highly volatile and may produce gains or losses at rates that exceed those of a Fund's other holdings and of publicly offered investment pools. Private Funds may engage actively in short selling. Private Funds may utilize leverage without limit and, to the extent a Fund invests in Private Funds that utilize leverage, a Fund will indirectly be exposed to the risks associated with that leverage and the values of its shares may be more volatile as a result.

Many Private Funds invest significantly in issuers in the early stages of development, including issuers with little or no operating history, issuers operating at a loss or with substantial variation in operation results from period to period, issuers with the need for substantial additional capital to support expansion or to maintain a competitive position, or issuers with significant financial leverage. Such issuers may also face intense competition from others including those with greater financial resources or more extensive development, manufacturing, distribution or other attributes, over which a Fund will have no control.

Interests in a Private Fund will be subject to substantial restrictions on transfer and, in some instances, may be non-transferable for a period of years. Private Funds may participate in only a limited number of investments and, as a consequence, the return of a particular Private Fund may be substantially adversely affected by the unfavorable performance of even a single investment. Certain Private Funds may pay their investment managers a fee based on the performance of the Private Fund, which may create an incentive for the manager to make investments that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case if the manager was paid a fixed fee. Many Private Funds are not registered under the 1940 Act and, consequently, such funds are not subject to the restrictions on affiliated transactions and other protections applicable to registered investment companies. The valuations of securities held by Private Funds, which are generally unlisted and illiquid, may be very difficult and will often depend on the subjective valuation of the managers of the Private Funds, which may prove to be inaccurate. Inaccurate valuations of a Private Fund's portfolio holdings will affect the ability of a Fund to calculate its NAV accurately.

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**Participation on Creditors' Committees:** A Fund may from time to time participate on committees formed by creditors to negotiate with the management of financially troubled issuers of securities held by a Fund. Such participation may incur additional expenses such as legal fees and may make a Fund an "insider" of the issuer for purposes of the federal securities laws, which may restrict such Fund's ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation on such committees may also expose a Fund to potential liabilities under the federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing the rights of creditors and debtors.

**Participatory Notes:** A Fund may invest in instruments that have economic characteristics similar to equity securities, such as participatory notes or other structured notes or instruments that may be developed from time to time. Participatory notes are a type of derivative instrument used by foreign investors to access local markets and to gain exposure to, primarily, equity securities of issuers listed on a local exchange. Rather than purchasing securities directly, a Fund may purchase a participatory note from a broker-dealer, which holds the securities on behalf of the noteholders.

Participatory notes are similar to depositary receipts except that: (1) brokers, not U.S. banks, are depositories for the securities; and (2) noteholders may remain anonymous to market regulators.

The value of the participatory notes will be directly related to the value of the underlying securities. Any dividends or capital gains collected from the underlying securities are remitted to the noteholder.

The risks of investing in participatory notes include derivatives risk and foreign investments risk. The foreign investments risk associated with participatory notes is similar to those of investing in depositary receipts. However, unlike depositary receipts, participatory notes are subject to counterparty risk based on the uncertainty of the counterparty's (*i.e.*, the broker's) ability to meet its obligations.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock represents an equity interest in an issuer that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the issuer.

Preferred stocks may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, fixed, participating, auction rate or other. If interest rates rise, a fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the value of preferred stocks to decline either absolutely or relative to alternative investments. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions that allow the issuer to redeem or call the stock.

Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, because a substantial portion of the return on a preferred stock may be the dividend, its value may react similarly to that of a debt instrument to changes in interest rates. An issuer's preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the issuer makes required payments to holders of its debt instruments and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than debt instruments to actual or perceived changes in the issuer's financial condition or prospects. Preferred stocks of smaller issuers may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger issuers.

**Private Investments in Public Companies:** In a typical private placement by a publicly-held company ("PIPE") transaction, a buyer will acquire, directly from an issuer seeking to raise capital in a private placement pursuant to Regulation D under the 1933 Act, common stock or a security convertible into common stock, such as convertible notes or convertible preferred stock. The issuer's common stock is usually publicly traded on a U.S. securities exchange or in the OTC market, but the securities acquired will be subject to restrictions on resale imposed by U.S. securities laws absent an effective registration statement. In recognition of the illiquid nature of the securities being acquired, the purchase price paid in a PIPE transaction (or the conversion price of the convertible securities being acquired) will typically be fixed at a discount to the prevailing market price of the issuer's common stock at the time of the transaction. As part of a PIPE transaction, the issuer usually will be contractually obligated to seek to register within an agreed upon period of time for public resale under the U.S. securities laws the common stock or the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the convertible securities. If the issuer fails to so register the shares within that period, the buyer may be entitled to additional consideration from the issuer (*e.g*., warrants to acquire additional shares of common stock), but the buyer may not be able to sell its shares unless and until the registration process is successfully completed. Thus PIPE transactions present certain risks not associated with open market purchases of equities.

Among the risks associated with PIPE transactions is the risk that the issuer may be unable to register the shares for public resale in a timely manner or at all, in which case the shares may be saleable only in a privately negotiated transaction at a price less than that paid, assuming a suitable buyer can be found. Disposing of the securities may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and selling them promptly at an acceptable price may be difficult or impossible. Even if the shares are registered for public resale, the market for the issuer's securities may nevertheless be "thin" or illiquid, making the sale of securities at desired prices or in desired quantities difficult or impossible.

While private placements may offer attractive opportunities not otherwise available in the open market, the securities purchased are usually "restricted securities" or are "not readily marketable." Restricted securities cannot be sold without being registered under the 1933 Act, unless they are sold pursuant to an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144 or 144A under the 1933 Act). Securities that are not readily marketable are subject to other legal or contractual restrictions on resale.

**Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investments in equity securities of issuers that are principally engaged in the real estate industry are subject to certain risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds or other limitations on access to capital; overbuilding; risks associated with leverage; market illiquidity; extended vacancies of properties; increase in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws or other governmental regulation; costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting from, other acts that destroy real property; tenant bankruptcies or other credit problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured

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damages from floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents, including decreases in market rates for rents; investment in developments that are not completed or that are subject to delays in completion; and changes in interest rates. In addition, certain types of real estate may be adversely affected by changing usage trends, such as office buildings as a result of work-from-home practices and commercial facilities as a result of an increase in online shopping, which could in turn result in defaults and declines in value of mortgage-backed securities secured by such properties. To the extent that assets underlying a Fund's investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the Fund may be subject to certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent. Investments by a Fund in securities of issuers providing mortgage servicing will be subject to the risks associated with refinancing and their impact on servicing rights.

The prices of real estate-related assets generally have not decreased as much as may be expected based on historical correlations between rising interest rates and prices of real estate-related assets. This presents an increased risk of a correction or severe downturn in real estate-related asset prices, which could adversely impact the value of other investments as well (such as loans, securitized debt, and other debt instruments). This risk is particularly present with respect to commercial real estate-related asset prices, and the value of other investments with a connection to the commercial real estate sector. In addition, if a Fund receives rental income or income from the disposition of real property acquired as result of a default on securities the Fund owns, the receipt of such income may adversely affect the Fund's ability to qualify as a RIC because of certain income source requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. The affairs of REITs are managed by the REIT's sponsor and, as such, the performance of the REIT is dependent on the management skills of the REIT's sponsor. REITs are not diversified, and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs possess certain risks which differ from an investment in common stocks. REITs are financial vehicles that pool investor's capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, *i.e*., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so a Fund that invests in REITs will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations. There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans; the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. The market value of REIT shares and the ability of the REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including rising interest rates, changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions, perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owners to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance, the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, increased competition from new properties, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, failing to maintain their eligibility for favorable tax-treatment under the Code and for exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act, changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, adverse changes in zoning laws and other factors beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs.

REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risk. Rising interest rates may cause REIT investors to demand a higher annual yield, which may, in turn, cause a decline in the market price of the equity securities issued by a REIT. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of investments in REITs to decline. During periods when interest rates are declining, mortgages are often refinanced. Refinancing may reduce the yield on investments in mortgage REITs. In addition, since REITs depend on payment under their mortgage loans and leases to generate cash to make distributions to their shareholders, investments in REITs may be adversely affected by defaults on such mortgage loans or leases.

Investing in certain REITs, which often have small market capitalizations, may also involve the same risks as investing in other small-capitalization issuers. REITs may have limited financial resources and their securities may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger issuer securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks such as those included in the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index. The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which the REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may involve significant amounts of leverage.

**Repurchase Agreements:** A repurchase agreement is a contract under which a Fund acquires a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. The value of the underlying securities in such transactions will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including the interest factor. If the seller defaults, a Fund could realize a loss on the sale of the underlying security to the extent that the proceeds of sale including accrued interest are less than the resale price provided in the agreement including interest. In addition, if the seller should be involved in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, a Fund may incur delay and costs in selling the underlying security or may suffer a loss of principal and interest if the Fund is treated as an unsecured creditor and required to return the underlying collateral to the seller's estate. To the extent that a Fund has invested a substantial portion of its assets in repurchase agreements, the investment return on such assets, and potentially the ability to achieve the investment objectives, will depend on the counterparties' willingness and ability to perform their obligations under the repurchase agreements. The SEC has finalized new rules requiring the central clearing of

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certain repurchase transactions involving U.S. Treasuries and compliance with these rules is expected to be required in the middle of 2027. The mandatory clearing of such repurchase transactions could increase the cost of repurchase transactions and impose added operational complexity which could make it more difficult for a Fund to execute certain investment strategies.

**Restricted Securities:** Securities that are legally restricted as to resale (such as those issued in private placements), including securities governed by Rule 144A and Regulation S, and securities that are offered in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, are referred to as "restricted securities." Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. Due to the absence of a public trading market, restricted securities may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to value than publicly- traded securities. The price realized from the sale of these securities could be less than the amount originally paid or less than their fair value if they are resold in privately negotiated transactions. In addition, these securities may not be subject to disclosure and other investment protection requirements that are afforded to publicly-traded securities. Certain restricted securities represent investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risk. The Fund may incur additional expenses when disposing of restricted securities, including costs to register the sale of the securities. The Board has delegated to Fund management the responsibility for monitoring and determining the liquidity of restricted securities, subject to the Board's oversight.

**Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Roll Transactions:** Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales of portfolio securities to another party and an agreement by a Fund to repurchase the same securities at a later date at a fixed price. During the reverse repurchase agreement period, a Fund continues to receive principal and interest payments on the securities and also has the opportunity to earn a return on the collateral furnished by the counterparty to secure its obligation to redeliver the securities.

Dollar rolls involve selling securities (*e.g.,* mortgage-backed securities or U.S. Treasury securities) and simultaneously entering into a commitment to purchase those or similar securities on a specified future date and price from the same party. Mortgage-dollar rolls and U.S. Treasury rolls are types of dollar rolls. During the roll period, principal and interest paid on the securities is not received but proceeds from the sale can be invested.

Reverse repurchase agreement and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities to be repurchased under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar rolls files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such a buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the obligation to repurchase the securities and use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Additionally, reverse repurchase agreements entail many of the same risks as OTC derivatives. These include the risk that the counterparty to the reverse repurchase agreement may not be able to fulfill its obligations, that the parties may disagree as to the meaning or application of contractual terms, or that the instrument may not perform as expected. The SEC has finalized new rules requiring the central clearing of certain reverse repurchase transactions involving U.S. Treasuries and compliance with these rules is expected to be required in the middle of 2027. The mandatory clearing of such transactions could increase the cost of such transactions and impose added operational complexity which could make it more difficult for a Fund to execute certain investment strategies.

**Rights and Warrants:** Warrants and rights are types of securities that give a holder a right to purchase shares of common stock. Warrants usually are issued in conjunction with a bond or preferred stock and entitle a holder to purchase a specified amount of common stock at a specified price typically for a period of years. Rights are instruments, frequently distributed to an issuer's shareholders as a dividend, that usually entitle the holder to purchase a specified amount of common stock at a specified price on a specific date or during a specific period of time (typically for a period of only weeks). The exercise price on a right is normally at a discount from the market value of the common stock at the time of distribution.

Warrants may be used to enhance the marketability of a bond or preferred stock. Rights are frequently used outside of the United States as a means of raising additional capital from an issuer's current shareholders.

Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or to vote, do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer and may or may not be transferable. Investments in warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and expires worthless if it is not exercised on or prior to its expiration date, if any.

Bonds issued with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock. Bonds also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional debt instruments.

Equity-linked warrants are purchased from a broker, who in turn is expected to purchase shares in the local market. If a Fund exercises its warrant, the shares are expected to be sold and the warrant redeemed with the proceeds. Typically, each warrant represents one share of the underlying stock. Therefore, the price and performance of the warrant are directly linked to the underlying stock, less transaction costs. In addition to the market risk related to the underlying holdings, a Fund bears counterparty risk with respect to the issuing broker. There is currently no active trading market for equity-linked warrants, and they may be highly illiquid.

Index-linked warrants are put and call warrants where the value varies depending on the change in the value of one or more specified securities indices. Index-linked warrants are generally issued by banks or other financial institutions and give the holder the right, at any time during the term of the warrant, to receive upon exercise of the warrant a cash payment from the issuer based on the value of the underlying index at the time of exercise. In general, if the value of the underlying index rises above the exercise price of the index-linked warrant, the holder of a call warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the warrant; if the value of the underlying index falls, the holder of a put warrant

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will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the exercise price of the warrant and the value of the index. The holder of a warrant would not be entitled to any payments from the issuer at any time when, in the case of a call warrant, the exercise price is greater than the value of the underlying index, or, in the case of a put warrant, the exercise price is less than the value of the underlying index. If a Fund were not to exercise an index-linked warrant prior to its expiration, then the Fund would lose the amount of the purchase price paid by it for the warrant.

Index-linked warrants are normally used in a manner similar to its use of options on securities indices. The risks of index-linked warrants are generally similar to those relating to its use of index options. Unlike most index options, however, index-linked warrants are issued in limited amounts and are not obligations of a regulated clearing agency, but are backed only by the credit of the bank or other institution that issues the warrant. Also, index-linked warrants may have longer terms than index options. Index-linked warrants are not likely to be as liquid as certain index options backed by a recognized clearing agency. In addition, the terms of index-linked warrants may limit a Fund's ability to exercise the warrants at such time, or in such quantities, as the Fund would otherwise wish to do.

Indirect investment in foreign equity securities may be made through international warrants, local access products, participation notes, or low exercise price warrants. International warrants are financial instruments issued by banks or other financial institutions, which may or may not be traded on a foreign exchange. International warrants are a form of derivative security that may give holders the right to buy or sell an underlying security or a basket of securities from or to the issuer for a particular price or may entitle holders to receive a cash payment relating to the value of the underlying security or basket of securities. International warrants are similar to options in that they are exercisable by the holder for an underlying security or the value of that security, but are generally exercisable over a longer term than typical options. These types of instruments may be American style exercise, which means that they can be exercised at any time on or before the expiration date of the international warrant, or European style exercise, which means that they may be exercised only on the expiration date. International warrants have an exercise price, which is typically fixed when the warrants are issued.

Low exercise price warrants are warrants with an exercise price that is very low relative to the market price of the underlying instrument at the time of issue (*e.g*., one cent or less). The buyer of a low exercise price warrant effectively pays the full value of the underlying common stock at the outset. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the price of the common stock relating to exercise or the settlement date is determined, during which time the price of the underlying security could change significantly. These warrants entail substantial credit risk, since the issuer of the warrant holds the purchase price of the warrant (approximately equal to the value of the underlying investment at the time of the warrant's issue) for the life of the warrant.

The exercise or settlement date of the warrants and other instruments described above may be affected by certain market disruption events, such as difficulties relating to the exchange of a local currency into U.S. dollars, the imposition of capital controls by a local jurisdiction or changes in the laws relating to foreign investments. These events could lead to a change in the exercise date or settlement currency of the instruments, or postponement of the settlement date. In some cases, if the market disruption events continue for a certain period of time, the warrants may become worthless, resulting in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants.

Investments in these instruments involve the risk that the issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to deliver the underlying security or cash in lieu thereof. These instruments may also be subject to liquidity risk because there may be a limited secondary market for trading the warrants. They are also subject, like other investments in foreign (non-U.S.) securities, to foreign risk and currency risk.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves lending of portfolio securities to qualified broker/dealers, banks or other financial institutions who may need to borrow securities in order to complete certain transactions, such as covering short sales, avoiding failure to deliver securities, or completing arbitrage operations. Securities are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement approved by the Board and under the terms, structure and the aggregate amount of such loans consistent with the 1940 Act. Lending portfolio securities increases the lender's income by receiving a fixed fee or a percentage of the collateral, in addition to receiving the interest or dividend on the securities loaned. As collateral for the loaned securities, the borrower gives the lender collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The collateral may consist of cash (including U.S. dollars and foreign currency), securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, or such other collateral as may be approved by the Board. The borrower must also agree to increase the collateral if the value of the loaned securities increases but may request some of the collateral be returned if the market value of the loaned securities goes down.

During the existence of the loan, the lender will receive from the borrower amounts equivalent to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, as well as interest on such amounts. Loans are subject to termination by the lender or a borrower at any time. A Fund may choose to terminate a loan in order to vote in a proxy solicitation.

During the time a security is on loan and the issuer of the security makes an interest or dividend payment, the borrower pays the lender a substitute payment equal to any interest or dividends the lender would have received directly from the issuer of the security if the lender had not loaned the security. When a lender receives dividends directly from domestic or certain foreign corporations, a portion of the dividends paid by the lender itself to its shareholders and attributable to those dividends (but not the portion attributable to substitute payments) may be eligible for (i) treatment as "qualified dividend income" in the hands of individuals or (ii) the U.S. federal dividends received deduction in the hands of corporate shareholders. The Investment Adviser expects generally to follow the practice of causing a Fund to terminate a securities loan – and forego any income on the loan after the termination – in anticipation of a dividend payment. By doing so, a lender would receive the dividend directly from the issuer of the securities, rather than a substitute payment from the borrower of the securities, and thereby preserve the possibility of those tax benefits for certain shareholders. A lender's shares may be held by affiliates of the Investment Adviser, and the Investment Adviser's termination of securities loans under these circumstances (resulting in the lender's foregoing income from the loans after the termination) may provide an economic benefit to those affiliates.

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Securities lending involves counterparty risk, including the risk that a borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or return the loaned securities in a timely manner. Counterparty risk also includes a potential loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower or the Lending Agent defaults or fails financially. This risk is increased if loans are concentrated with a single borrower or limited number of borrowers. There are no limits on the number of borrowers that may be used and securities may be loaned to only one or a small group of borrowers. Participation in securities lending also incurs the risk of loss in connection with investments of cash collateral received from the borrowers. Cash collateral is invested in accordance with investment guidelines contained in the Securities Lending Agreement and approved by the Board. Some or all of the cash collateral received in connection with the securities lending program may be invested in one or more pooled investment vehicles, including, among other vehicles, money market funds managed by the Lending Agent (or its affiliates). The Lending Agent shares in any income resulting from the investment of such cash collateral, and an affiliate of the Lending Agent may receive asset-based fees for the management of such pooled investment vehicles, which may create a conflict of interest between the Lending Agent (or its affiliates) and a Fund with respect to the management of such cash collateral. To the extent that the value or return on investments of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to a borrower, a Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Lending Agent will indemnify a Fund from losses resulting from a borrower's failure to return a loaned security when due, but such indemnification does not extend to losses associated with declines in the value of cash collateral investments. The Investment Adviser is not responsible for any loss incurred by a Fund in connection with the securities lending program.

**Senior and Other Bank Loans:** Investments in variable or floating rate loans or notes ("Senior Loans") are typically made by purchasing an assignment of a portion of a Senior Loan from a third party, either in connection with the original loan transaction (*i.e.*, the primary market) or after the initial loan transaction (*i.e.*, in the secondary market). A Fund may also make its investments in Senior Loans through the use of derivative instruments as long as the reference obligation for such instrument is a Senior Loan. In addition, a Fund has the ability to act as an agent in originating and administering a loan on behalf of all lenders or as one of a group of co-agents in originating loans.

<u>Investment Quality and Credit Analysis</u>: The Senior Loans in which a Fund may invest generally are rated below investment grade credit quality or are unrated. In acquiring a loan, the manager will consider some or all of the following factors concerning the borrower: ability to service debt from internally generated funds; adequacy of liquidity and working capital; appropriateness of capital structure; leverage consistent with industry norms; historical experience of achieving business and financial projections; the quality and experience of management; and adequacy of collateral coverage. The manager performs its own independent credit analysis of each borrower. In so doing, the manager may utilize information and credit analyses from agents that originate or administer loans, other lenders investing in a loan, and other sources. The manager also may communicate directly with management of the borrowers. These analyses continue on a periodic basis for any Senior Loan held by a Fund.

<u>Senior Loan Characteristics</u>: Senior Loans are loans that are typically made to business borrowers to finance leveraged buy-outs, recapitalizations, mergers, stock repurchases, and internal growth. Senior Loans generally hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower and are usually secured by liens on the assets of the borrowers; including tangible assets such as cash, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, common and/or preferred stocks of subsidiaries; and intangible assets including trademarks, copyrights, patent rights, and franchise value. They may also provide guarantees as a form of collateral. Senior Loans are typically structured to include two or more types of loans within a single credit agreement. The most common structure is to have a revolving loan and a term loan. A revolving loan is a loan that can be drawn upon, repaid fully or partially, and then the repaid portions can be drawn upon again. A term loan is a loan that is fully drawn upon immediately and once repaid it cannot be drawn upon again.

Sometimes there may be two or more term loans and they may be secured by different collateral, have different repayment schedules and maturity dates. In addition to revolving loans and term loans, Senior Loan structures can also contain facilities for the issuance of letters of credit and may contain mechanisms for lenders to pre-fund letters of credit through credit-linked deposits.

By virtue of their senior position and collateral, Senior Loans typically provide lenders with the first right to cash flows or proceeds from the sale of a borrower's collateral if the borrower becomes insolvent (subject to the limitations of bankruptcy law, which may provide higher priority to certain claims such as employee salaries, employee pensions, and taxes). This means Senior Loans are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders.

Senior Loans typically pay interest, at least quarterly, at rates which equal a fixed percentage spread over a base rate such as SOFR. For example, if SOFR were 3% and the borrower was paying a fixed spread of 2.50%, the total interest rate paid by the borrower would be 5.50%. Base rates, and therefore the total rates paid on Senior Loans, float, *i.e.*, they change as market rates of interest change.

Although a base rate such as SOFR can change every day, loan agreements for Senior Loans typically allow the borrower the ability to choose how often the base rate for its loan will change. A single loan may have multiple reset periods at the same time, with each reset period applicable to a designated portion of the loan. Such periods can range from one day to one year, with most borrowers choosing monthly or quarterly reset periods. During periods of rising interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose longer reset periods, and during periods of declining interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose shorter reset periods. The fixed spread over the base rate on a Senior Loan typically does not change.

<u>Agents</u>: Senior Loans generally are arranged through private negotiations between a borrower and several financial institutions represented by an agent who is usually one of the originating lenders. In larger transactions, it is common to have several agents; however, generally only one such agent has primary responsibility for ongoing administration of a Senior Loan. Agents are typically paid fees by the borrower for their services.

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The agent is primarily responsible for negotiating the loan agreement which establishes the terms and conditions of the Senior Loan and the rights of the borrower and the lenders. An agent for a loan is required to administer and manage the loan and to service or monitor the collateral. The agent is also responsible for the collection of principal, interest, and fee payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all lenders which are parties to the loan agreement. The agent is charged with the responsibility of monitoring compliance by the borrower with the restrictive covenants in the loan agreement and of notifying the lenders of any adverse change in the borrower's financial condition. In addition, the agent generally is responsible for determining that the lenders have obtained a perfected security interest in the collateral securing the loan.

Loan agreements may provide for the termination of the agent's agency status in the event that it fails to act as required under the relevant loan agreement, becomes insolvent, enters FDIC receivership or, if not FDIC insured, enters into bankruptcy. Should such an agent, lender or assignor with respect to an assignment inter-positioned between a Fund and the borrower become insolvent or enter FDIC receivership or bankruptcy, any interest in the Senior Loan of such person and any loan payment held by such person for the benefit of the fund should not be included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate. If, however, any such amount were included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate, a Fund would incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment or could suffer a loss of principal or interest. In this event, a Fund could experience a decrease in the NAV.

Typically, under loan agreements, the agent is given broad discretion in enforcing the loan agreement and is obligated to use the same care it would use in the management of its own property. The borrower compensates the agent for these services. Such compensation may include special fees paid on structuring and funding the loan and other fees on a continuing basis. The precise duties and rights of an agent are defined in the loan agreement.

When a Fund is an agent it has, as a party to the loan agreement, a direct contractual relationship with the borrower and, prior to allocating portions of the loan to the lenders if any, assumes all risks associated with the loan. The agent may enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement. Agents also have voting and consent rights under the applicable loan agreement. Action subject to agent vote or consent generally requires the vote or consent of the holders of some specified percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the loan, which percentage varies depending on the relative loan agreement. Certain decisions, such as reducing the amount or increasing the time for payment of interest on or repayment of principal of a loan, or relating collateral therefor, frequently require the unanimous vote or consent of all lenders affected.

Pursuant to the terms of a loan agreement, the agent typically has sole responsibility for servicing and administering a loan on behalf of the other lenders. Each lender in a loan is generally responsible for performing its own credit analysis and its own investigation of the financial condition of the borrower. Generally, loan agreements will hold the agent liable for any action taken or omitted that amounts to gross negligence or willful misconduct. In the event of a borrower's default on a loan, the loan agreements provide that the lenders do not have recourse against a Fund for its activities as agent. Instead, lenders will be required to look to the borrower for recourse.

At times a Fund may also negotiate with the agent regarding the agent's exercise of credit remedies under a Senior Loan.

<u>Additional Costs</u>: When a Fund purchases a Senior Loan in the primary market, it may share in a fee paid to the original lender. When a Fund purchases a Senior Loan in the secondary market, it may pay a fee to, or forego a portion of the interest payments from, the lending making the assignment.

A Fund may be required to pay and receive various fees and commissions in the process of purchasing, selling, and holding loans. The fee component may include any, or a combination of, the following elements: arrangement fees, non-use fees, facility fees, letter of credit fees, and ticking fees. Arrangement fees are paid at the commencement of a loan as compensation for the initiation of the transaction. A non-use fee is paid based upon the amount committed but not used under the loan. Facility fees are on-going annual fees paid in connection with a loan. Letter of credit fees are paid if a loan involves a letter of credit. Ticking fees are paid from the initial commitment indication until loan closing or for an extended period. The amount of fees is negotiated at the time of closing.

<u>Loan Participation and Assignments</u>: A Fund's investment in loan participations typically will result in the fund having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. A Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing participation, a Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any right of set-off against the borrower, and a Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, a Fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the participation, a Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower.

When a Fund is a purchaser of an assignment, it succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. These rights include the ability to vote along with the other lenders on such matters as enforcing the terms of the loan agreement (*e.g*., declaring defaults, initiating collection action, etc.). Taking such actions typically requires at least a vote of the lenders holding a majority of the investment in the loan and may require a vote by lenders holding two-thirds or more of the investment in the loan. Because a Fund usually does not hold a majority of the investment in any loan, it will not be able by itself to control decisions that require a vote by the lenders.

Because assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by a Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. Because there is no liquid market for such assets, a Fund anticipates that such assets could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such assets and a Fund's ability

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to dispose of particular assignments or participations when necessary to meet redemption of fund shares, to meet a Fund's liquidity needs or, in response to a specific economic event such as deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for a Fund to value these assets for purposes of calculating its NAV.

<u>Additional Information on Loans</u>: The loans in which a Fund may invest usually include restrictive covenants which must be maintained by the borrower. Such covenants, in addition to the timely payment of interest and principal, may include mandatory prepayment provisions arising from free cash flow and restrictions on dividend payments, and usually state that a borrower must maintain specific minimum financial ratios as well as establishing limits on total debt. A breach of covenant, that is not waived by the agent, is normally an event of acceleration, *i.e.*, the agent has the right to call the loan. In addition, loan covenants may include mandatory prepayment provisions stemming from free cash flow. Free cash flow is cash that is in excess of capital expenditures plus debt service requirements of principal and interest. The free cash flow shall be applied to prepay the loan in an order of maturity described in the loan documents. Under certain interests in loans, a Fund may have an obligation to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. A Fund generally ensures its ability to satisfy such demands by segregating sufficient assets in high quality short-term liquid investments or borrowing to cover such obligations.

A principal risk associated with acquiring loans from another lender is the credit risk associated with the borrower of the underlying loan. Additional credit risk may occur when a Fund acquires a participation in a loan from another lender because the fund must assume the risk of insolvency or bankruptcy of the other lender from which the loan was acquired.

Loans, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that investments, while having a stated one to ten year term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. A Fund generally holds loans to maturity unless it becomes necessary to sell them to satisfy any shareholder repurchase offers or to adjust the fund's portfolio in accordance with the manager's view of current or expected economics or specific industry or borrower conditions.

Loans frequently require full or partial prepayment of a loan when there are asset sales or a securities issuance. Prepayments on loans may also be made by the borrower at its election. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a loan to be shorter than its stated maturity. Prepayment may be deferred by a Fund. Prepayment should, however, allow a Fund to reinvest in a new loan and would require a Fund to recognize as income any unamortized loan fees. In many cases reinvestment in a new loan will result in a new facility fee payable to a Fund.

Because interest rates paid on these loans fluctuate periodically with the market, it is expected that the prepayment and a subsequent purchase of a new loan by a Fund will not have a material adverse impact on the yield of the portfolio.

<u>Bridge Loans</u>: A Fund may acquire interests in loans that are designed to provide temporary or "bridge" financing to a borrower pending the sale of identified assets or the arrangement of longer-term loans or the issuance and sale of debt obligations. Bridge loans often are unrated. A Fund may also invest in loans of borrowers that have obtained bridge loans from other parties. A borrower's use of bridge loans involves a risk that the borrower may be unable to locate permanent financing to replace the bridge loan, which may impair the borrower's perceived creditworthiness.

<u>Covenant-Lite Loans</u>: Loans in which a Fund may invest or to which a Fund may gain exposure indirectly through its investments in CDOs, CLOs or other types of structured securities may be considered "covenant-lite" loans. Covenant-lite refers to loans which do not incorporate traditional performance-based financial maintenance covenants. Covenant-lite does not refer to a loan's seniority in the borrower's capital structure nor to a lack of the benefit from a legal pledge of the borrower's assets, and it also does not necessarily correlate to the overall credit quality of the borrower. Covenant-lite loans generally do not include terms which allow the lender to take action based on the borrower's performance relative to its covenants. Such actions may include the ability to renegotiate and/or re-set the credit spread on the loan with the borrower, and even to declare a default or force a borrower into bankruptcy restructuring if certain criteria are breached. Covenant-lite loans typically still provide lenders with other covenants that restrict a company from incurring additional debt or engaging in certain actions. Such covenants can only be breached by an affirmative action of the borrower, rather than by a deterioration in the borrower's financial condition. Accordingly, a Fund may have fewer rights against a borrower when it invests in or has exposure to covenant-lite loans and, accordingly, may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with additional or more conventional covenants.

**Short Sales:** Short sales can be made "against the box" or not "against the box." A short sale that is not made "against the box" is a transaction in which a party sells a security it does not own, in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the seller must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. To borrow the security, the seller also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The seller then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. It may not be possible to liquidate or close out the short sale at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The price at such a time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the seller. The seller will incur a loss if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the seller replaced the borrowed security. Such loss may be unlimited. The seller will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will decrease, and the amount of a loss will increase, by the amount of the premium, dividends or interest the seller may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. The proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet the margin requirements, until the short position is closed out.

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The seller may also make short sales "against the box." A short sale "against the box" is a transaction in which a security identical to one owned by the seller is borrowed and sold short. If the seller enters into a short sale against the box, it is required to hold securities equivalent in-kind and in amount to the securities sold short (or securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) while the short sale is outstanding. The seller will incur transaction costs, including interest, in connection with opening, maintaining, and closing short sales against the box and will forgo an opportunity for capital appreciation in the security.

Selling short "against the box" typically limits the amount of effective leverage. Short sales "against the box" may be used to hedge against market risks when the manager believes that the price of a security may decline, causing a decline in the value of a security or a security convertible into or exchangeable for such security. In such case, any future losses in the long position would be reduced by a gain in the short position. The extent to which such gains or losses in the long position are reduced will depend upon the amount of securities sold short relative to the amount of the securities owned, either directly or indirectly, and, in the case of convertible securities, changes in the investment values or conversion premiums of such securities.

In response to market events, the SEC and regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions may adopt (and in certain cases, have adopted) bans on, and/or reporting requirements for, short sales of certain securities. See "Derivatives Regulation" for more information.

**Small- and Mid-Capitalization Issuers:** Issuers with smaller market capitalizations, including small- and mid-capitalization issuers, may have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, may lack the competitive strength of larger issuers, may have inexperienced managers or depend on a few key employees. In addition, their securities often are less widely held and trade less frequently and in lesser quantities, and their market prices are often more volatile, than the securities of issuers with larger market capitalizations. Issuers with smaller market capitalizations may include issuers with a limited operating history (unseasoned issuers). Investment decisions for these securities may place a greater emphasis on current or planned product lines and the reputation and experience of the issuer's management and less emphasis on fundamental valuation factors than would be the case for more mature issuers. In addition, investments in unseasoned issuers are more speculative and entail greater risk than do investments in issuers with an established operating record. The liquidation of significant positions in small- and mid-capitalization issuers with limited trading volume, particularly in a distressed market, could be prolonged and result in investment losses.

**Sovereign Debt:** Investments in debt instruments issued by governments or by government agencies and instrumentalities (so called sovereign debt) involve the risk that the governmental entities responsible for repayment may be unable or unwilling to pay interest and repay principal when due. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to pay interest and repay principal in a timely manner may be affected by a variety of factors, including its cash flow, the size of its reserves, its access to foreign exchange, the relative size of its debt service burden to its economy as a whole, and political constraints. A governmental entity may default on its obligations or may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payment. Any restructuring of a sovereign debt obligation will likely have a significant adverse effect on the value of the obligation. In the event of default of sovereign debt, legal action against the sovereign issuer, or realization on collateral securing the debt, may not be possible. The sovereign debt of many non-U.S. governments, including their sub-divisions and instrumentalities, is rated below investment grade. Sovereign debt risk may be greater for debt instruments issued or guaranteed by emerging and/or frontier countries.

Sovereign debt includes Brady bonds, U.S. dollar-denominated bonds issued by an emerging market and collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds. Brady bonds arose from an effort in the 1980s to reduce the debt held by less-developed countries that frequently defaulted on loans. The bonds are named for Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady, who helped international monetary organizations institute the program of debt-restructuring. Defaulted loans were converted into bonds with U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds as collateral. Because the Brady bonds were backed by zero-coupon bonds, repayment of principal was insured. The Brady bonds themselves are coupon-bearing bonds with a variety of rate options (fixed, variable, step, etc.) with maturities of between 10 and 30 years. Issued at par or at a discount, Brady bonds often include warrants for raw material available in the country of origin or other options.

**Special Purpose Acquisition Companies:** A Fund may invest in stock, rights, and warrants of special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). Also known as a "blank check company," a SPAC is a company with no commercial operations that is formed solely to raise capital from investors for the purpose of acquiring one or more existing private companies. The typical SPAC IPO involves the sale of units consisting of one share of common stock combined with one or more warrants or fractions of warrants to purchase common stock at a fixed price upon or after consummation of the acquisition. If a Fund purchases shares of a SPAC in an IPO, it will generally bear a sales commission, which may be significant. SPACs often have pre-determined time frames to make an acquisition after going public (typically two years) or the SPAC will liquidate, at which point invested funds are returned to the entity's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally holds its assets in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash. To the extent the SPAC holds cash or similar securities, this may impact a Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. SPACs generally provide their investors with the option of redeeming an investment in the SPAC at or around the time of effecting an acquisition. In some cases, a Fund may forfeit its right to receive additional warrants or other interests in the SPAC if it redeems its interest in the SPAC in connection with an acquisition. SPACs are subject to increasing scrutiny, and potential legal challenges or regulatory developments may limit their effectiveness or prevalence. For example, the SEC recently adopted additional disclosure and other rules that apply to SPACs; it is impossible to predict the potential impact of these developments on the use of SPACs.

Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of a SPAC's securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a favorable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. At the time a Fund invests in a SPAC, there may be little or no basis for the Fund to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which the SPAC may ultimately operate or the target business which the SPAC may ultimately acquire. There is no guarantee that a SPAC in which a Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable.

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It is possible that a significant portion of the funds raised by a SPAC for the purpose of identifying and effecting an acquisition or merger may be expended during the search for a target transaction. Attractive acquisition or merger targets may become scarce if the number of SPACs seeking to acquire operating businesses increases. No market, or only a thinly traded market, for shares of or interests in a SPAC may develop, leaving a Fund unable to sell its interest in a SPAC or able to sell its interest only at a price below what the Fund believes is the SPAC security's value. In addition, a Fund may be delayed in receiving any redemption or liquidation proceeds from a SPAC to which it is entitled, and an investment in a SPAC may be diluted by additional later offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing rights to purchase shares of the SPAC. The values of investments in SPACs may be highly volatile and may depreciate significantly over time.

**Special Situation Issuers:** A special situation arises when, in the opinion of the manager, the securities of a particular issuer can be purchased at prices below the anticipated future value of the cash, securities or other consideration to be paid or exchanged for such securities solely by reason of a development applicable to that issuer and regardless of general business conditions or movements of the market as a whole. Developments creating special situations might include, among others: liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, material litigation, technical breakthroughs, and new management or management policies. Investments in special situations often involve much greater risk than is inherent in ordinary investment securities, because of the high degree of uncertainty that can be associated with such events.

If a security is purchased in anticipation of a proposed transaction and the transaction later appears unlikely to be consummated or in fact is not consummated or is delayed, the market price of the security may decline sharply. There is typically asymmetry in the risk/reward payout of special situations strategies – the losses that can occur in the event of deal break-ups can far exceed the gains to be had if deals close successfully. The consummation of a proposed transaction can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including regulatory and antitrust restrictions, political developments, industry weakness, stock specific events, failed financings, and general market declines. Certain special situation investments prevent ownership interest therein from being withdrawn until the special situation investment, or a portion thereof, is realized or deemed realized, which may negatively impact Fund performance.

**Structured Notes (Debt Instruments):** Structured notes are investments, the interest rate or principal of which is linked to currencies, interest rates, commodities, indices, or other financial indicators (each, a "reference instrument"). Structured notes generally are privately negotiated debt obligations issued by corporations, including banks, or governmental agencies and frequently are assembled in the form of medium-term notes, but a variety of forms are available. The terms of structured notes normally provide that their principal and/or interest payments are to be adjusted upwards or downwards (but ordinarily not below zero) to reflect changes in the values of the reference instrument. As a result, the interest and/or principal payments made on a structured note may change and a Fund may experience losses on some or all of the amount invested in a structured note. The rate of return on a structured note may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the reference instrument or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Investment in a structured note involves certain risks, including the credit risk of the issuer and the normal risks of price changes in response to changes in interest rates. Further, in the case of certain structured notes, a decline in the reference instrument may cause the interest rate to be reduced to zero, and any further declines in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Finally, structured notes may have lower liquidity than other types of securities, and their values may be more volatile than their reference instruments. "Subordinated" structured notes, which are subordinated to the right of payment of another class of the structured note, typically have higher yields and present greater risks than "unsubordinated" structured notes.

**Supranational Entities:** Obligations of supranational entities include securities designated or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development of international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "World Bank"), the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. There is no assurance that participating governments will be able or willing to honor any commitments they may have made to make capital contributions to a supranational entity, or that a supranational entity will otherwise have resources sufficient to meet its commitments.

**Swap Transactions and Options on Swap Transactions**: Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined underlying assets, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," (*i.e*., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index). When a Fund enters into an interest rate swap, it typically agrees to make payments to its counterparty based on a specified long- or short-term interest rate, and will receive payments from its counterparty based on another interest rate. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a specified payment stream, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a specified payment stream, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. A Fund may enter into an interest rate swap in order, for example, to hedge against the effect of interest rate changes on the value of specific securities in its portfolio, or to adjust the interest rate sensitivity (duration) or the credit exposure of its portfolio overall, or otherwise as a substitute for a direct investment in debt instruments.

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In a total return swap, one party typically agrees to pay to the other a short-term interest rate in return for a payment at one or more times in the future based on the increase in the value of an underlying asset; if the underlying asset declines in value, the party that pays the short-term interest rate must also pay to its counterparty a payment based on the amount of the decline. A swap may create a long or short position in the underlying asset. A total return swap may be used to hedge against an exposure in an investment portfolio (including to adjust the duration or credit quality of a bond portfolio) or generally to put cash to work efficiently in the markets in anticipation of, or as a replacement for, cash investments. A total return swap may also be used to gain exposure to securities or markets which may not be accessed directly (in so-called market access transactions).

In a credit default swap, one party provides what is in effect insurance against a default or other adverse credit event affecting an issuer of debt instruments (typically referred to as a "reference entity"). In general, the protection "buyer" in a credit default swap is obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront amount or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap. If a "credit event" occurs, the buyer has the right to deliver to the seller bonds or other obligations of the reference entity (with a value up to the full notional value of the swap), and to receive a payment equal to the par value of the bonds or other obligations. Rather than exchange the bonds for the par value, a single cash payment may be due from the seller representing the difference between the par value of the bonds and the current market value of the bonds (which may be determined through an auction). Credit events that would trigger a request that the seller make payment are specific to each credit default swap agreement, but generally include bankruptcy, failure to pay, restructuring, obligation acceleration, obligation default, or repudiation/moratorium. If a Fund buys protection, it may or may not own securities of the reference entity. If it does own securities of the reference entity, the swap serves as a hedge against a decline in the value of the securities due to the occurrence of a credit event involving the issuer of the securities. If a Fund does not own securities of the reference entity, the credit default swap may be seen to create a short position in the reference entity. If a Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund will typically recover nothing under the swap, but will have had to pay the required upfront payment or stream of continuing payments under the swap. If a Fund sells protection under a credit default swap, the position may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund's portfolio through the Fund's indirect long exposure to the issuer or securities on which the swap is written. If a Fund sells protection, it may do so either to earn additional income or to create such a "synthetic" long position. Credit default swaps involve general market risks, illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk.

A cross-currency swap is a contract between two counterparties to exchange interest and principal payments in different currencies. A cross-currency swap normally has an exchange of principal at maturity (the final exchange); an exchange of principal at the start of the swap (the initial exchange) is optional. An initial exchange of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a spot transaction in the foreign exchange market (for an immediate exchange of foreign exchange risk). An exchange at maturity of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a forward transaction in the foreign exchange market (for a future transfer of foreign exchange risk). The currency swap market convention is to use the spot rate rather than the forward rate for the exchange at maturity. The economic difference is realized through the coupon exchanges over the life of the swap. In contrast to single currency interest rate swaps, cross-currency swaps involve both interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk.

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

An interest rate cap is a right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the cap equal to the difference between any higher actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or "cap") level. The cap buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move above the strike. An interest rate floor is the right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the floor equal to the difference between any lower actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or "floor") level. The floor buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move below the strike. The strikes are based on a reference rate chosen by the parties and are typically measured quarterly. Rights arising pursuant to both caps and floors are typically exercised automatically if the strike is in the money. Caps and floors can eliminate the risk that the buyer fails to exercise an in-the-money option.

The swap market has grown over the years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standard swap documentation, which has contributed to greater liquidity in certain areas of the swap market under normal market conditions.

An option on swap agreement ("swaption") is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Depending on the terms of the particular swaption, generally a greater degree of risk is incurred when writing a swaption than when purchasing a swaption. If a Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, if a Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

The successful use of swap agreements or swaptions depends on the manager's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, a Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because they are two-party

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contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

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

Counterparty risk with respect to derivatives has been and may continue to be affected by rules and regulations concerning the derivatives market. Some interest rate swaps and credit default index swaps are required to be centrally cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds the position. Credit risk of market participants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses and clearing members, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house or clearing member would be conducted, what effect the insolvency proceeding would have on any recovery by a Fund, and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house or clearing member would have on the financial system more generally. In some ways, cleared derivative arrangements are less favorable to a Fund than bilateral arrangements, for example, by requiring that a Fund provide more margin for its cleared derivatives positions. Also, as a general matter, in contrast to a bilateral derivatives position, following a period of notice to a Fund, the clearing house or the clearing member through which it holds its position at any time can require termination of an existing cleared derivatives position or an increase in the margin required at the outset of a transaction. Any increase in margin requirements or termination of existing cleared derivatives positions by the clearing member or the clearing house could interfere with the ability of a Fund to pursue its investment strategy.

Also, in the event of a counterparty's (or its affiliate's) insolvency, the possibility exists that a Fund's ability to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, could be stayed or eliminated under special resolution regimes adopted in the U.S., the EU, the UK, and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, the regulatory authorities could reduce, eliminate, or convert to equity the liabilities to a Fund of a counterparty who is subject to such proceedings in the EU and the UK (sometimes referred to as a "bail in").

The U.S. government, the EU, and the UK have also adopted mandatory minimum margin requirements for bilateral derivatives. Such requirements could increase the amount of margin required to be provided by a Fund in connection with its derivatives transactions and, therefore, make derivatives transactions more expensive.

The SEC has finalized new rules restricting activities that could be considered to be manipulative in connection with security-based swaps. While it is currently difficult to predict the full impact of these new rules, these rules could make it more difficult for a Fund to execute certain investment strategies and may have a material adverse affect on a Fund's ability to generate returns.

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>: Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants<sup>SM</sup> ("CEWs<sup>SM</sup>") are warrants that entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the U.S., in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (*e.g*., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed).

**To Be Announced Sale Commitments:** To be announced commitments represent an agreement to purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery or forward commitment basis through the "to-be announced" ("TBA") market. With TBA transactions, a commitment is made to either purchase or sell securities for a fixed price, without payment, and delivery at a scheduled future dated beyond the customary settlement period for securities. In addition, with TBA transactions, the particular securities to be delivered or received are not identified at the trade date; however, securities delivered to a purchaser must meet specified criteria (such as yield, duration, and credit quality) and contain similar characteristics. TBA securities may be sold to hedge positions or to dispose of securities under delayed delivery arrangements.

Although the particular TBA securities must meet industry-accepted "good delivery" standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. During the settlement period, the purchaser will still bear the risk of any decline in the value of the security to be delivered. Because these transactions do not require the purchase and sale of identical securities, the characteristics of the security delivered to the purchaser may be less favorable than the security delivered to the dealer. The purchaser of TBA securities generally is subject to increased market risk and interest rate risk because the delivered securities may be less favorable than anticipated by the purchaser. TBA securities have the effect of creating leverage.

FINRA rules that became effective in 2024 include mandatory margin requirements for the TBA market with limited exceptions. TBAs historically had not been required to be collateralized. The collateralization of TBA trades is intended to mitigate counterparty credit risk between trade and settlement, but could increase the cost of TBA transactions and impose added operational complexity.

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**Trust Preferred Securities:** Trust preferred securities have the characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Generally, trust preferred securities are issued by a trust that is wholly owned by a financial institution or other corporate entity, typically a bank holding company. The financial institution creates the trust and owns the trust's common stocks, which may typically represent a small percentage of the trust's capital structure. The remainder of the trust's capital structure typically consists of trust preferred securities, which are sold to investors. The trust uses the sale proceeds of its common stocks to purchase subordinated debt instruments issued by the financial institution. The financial institution uses the proceeds from the sale of the subordinated debt instruments to increase its capital while the trust receives periodic interest payments from the financial institution for holding the subordinated debt instruments. The interests of the holders of the trust preferred securities are senior to those of common stockholders in the event that the financial institution is liquidated, although their interests are typically subordinated to those of other holders of other debt instruments issued by the financial institution. The primary advantage of this structure to the financial institution is that the trust preferred securities issued by the trust are treated by the financial institution as debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the interest on which is generally a deductible expense for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as equity for the calculation of capital requirements.

The trust uses interest payments it receives from the financial institution to make dividend payments to the holders of the trust preferred securities. Trust preferred securities typically bear a market rate coupon comparable to interest rates available on debt of a similarly rated issuer. Typical characteristics of trust preferred securities include long-term maturities, early redemption option by the issuer, and maturities at face value. Holders of trust preferred securities have limited voting rights to control the activities of the trust and no voting rights with respect to the financial institution. The market value of trust preferred securities may be more volatile than those of conventional debt instruments. Trust preferred securities may be issued in reliance on Rule 144A and subject to restrictions on resale. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of trust preferred securities and the ability of holders to sell their holdings. The condition of the financial institution can be considered when seeking to identify the risks of trust preferred securities as the trust typically has no business operations other than to issue the trust preferred securities. If the financial institution defaults on interest payments to the trust, the trust will not be able to make dividend payments to holders of its securities.

**U.S. Government Securities and Obligations:** Some U.S. government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes, and bonds and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or enterprise. Although U.S. government-sponsored enterprises may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, and their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury, their obligations are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, and so investments in their securities or obligations issued by them involve greater risk than investments in other types of U.S. government securities. In addition, certain governmental entities have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability or investment character of securities issued or guaranteed by these entities.

From time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could: increase the risk that the U.S. government may default on payments on certain U.S. government securities; cause the credit rating of the U.S. government to be downgraded or increase volatility in both stock and bond markets; result in higher interest rates; reduce prices of U.S. Treasury securities; and/or increase the costs of certain kinds of debt. There is no assurance that the U.S. Congress will act to raise the debt ceiling; a failure to do so could cause market turmoil and substantial investment risks that cannot now be fully predicted. On May 16, 2025, Moody's Ratings downgraded the U.S. long-term issuer and senior unsecured credit rating. Similar downgrades occurred in August 2023 when Fitch Ratings downgraded the U.S. long-term credit rating and August 2011 when S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. These and other future downgrades could increase volatility in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and lower Treasury prices and increase the costs of all kinds of debt. These events and similar events in other areas of the world could have significant adverse effects on the economy generally and could result in significant adverse impacts on a Fund or issuers of securities held by a Fund. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on a Fund's portfolio. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may not timely anticipate or manage existing, new or additional risks, contingencies or developments.

<u>Government Trust Certificates</u>: Government trust certificates represent an interest in a government trust, the property of which consists of: (i) a promissory note of a foreign government, no less than 90% of which is backed by the full faith and credit guarantee issued by the federal government of the United States pursuant to Title III of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Borrowers Programs Appropriations Act of 1998; and (ii) a security interest in obligations of the U.S. Treasury backed by the full faith and credit of the United States sufficient to support the remaining balance (no more than 10%) of all payments of principal and interest on such promissory note; provided that such obligations shall not be rated less than AAA by S&P or less than Aaa by Moody's or have received a comparable rating by another NRSRO.

**When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions:** When-issued securities and delayed delivery transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities at a predetermined price or yield with payment and delivery taking place in the future after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Upon the purchase of the securities, liquid assets with an amount equal to or greater than the purchase price of the security will be set aside to cover the purchase of that security. The value of these securities is reflected in the net value as of the purchase date; however, no income accrues from the securities prior to their delivery.

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There can be no assurance that a security purchased on a when-issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold on a delayed delivery basis will be delivered. When a Fund engages in when-issued or delayed delivery transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in a Fund's incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.

The purchase of securities in this type of transaction increases an overall investment exposure and involves a risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to settlement. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, the securities may be disposed of or the transaction renegotiated after it has been entered into, and the securities sold before those securities are delivered on the settlement date.

**Zero-Coupon, Deferred Interest and Pay-in-Kind Bonds:** Zero-coupon and deferred interest bonds are debt instruments that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or par values. The values of zero-coupon and pay-in-kind bonds are more volatile in response to interest rate changes than debt instruments of comparable maturities that make regular distributions of interest. Pay-in-kind bonds allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds.

Interest income from these types of securities accrues prior to the receipt of cash payments and must be distributed to shareholders when it accrues, potentially requiring the liquidation of other investments, including at times when such liquidation may not be advantageous, in order to comply with the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

**OTHER RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS**

**Cyber Security Issues:** Cyber security incidents and cyber-attacks (referred to collectively herein as "cyber-attacks") have been occurring globally at a more frequent and severe level and will likely continue to increase in frequency in the future. The Voya family of funds, and their service providers, may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Furthermore, as a Fund's assets grow, it may become a more appealing target for cybersecurity threats such as hackers and malware. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, ransomware attacks, social engineering attempts (such as business email compromise attacks), the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting a Fund or its service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact a Fund's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber-attacks in the future. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which a Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund's investment in such companies to lose value. In addition, cyber-attacks involving a Fund's counterparty could affect such counterparty's ability to meet its obligations to the Fund, which may result in losses to the Fund and its shareholders. Furthermore, as a result of cyber-attacks, disruptions or failures, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities or the entire market, which may result in a Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or unable to accurately price its investments. While each Fund has established a business continuity plan in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, a Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Investment Adviser or the Fund, each of whom could be negatively impacted as a result. A Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. Any problems relating to the performance and effectiveness of security procedures used by a Fund or third-party service providers to protect the Fund's assets, such as algorithms, codes, passwords, multiple signature systems, encryption and telephone call-backs, may have an adverse impact on an investment in the Fund. There may be an increased risk of cyber-attacks during periods of geo-political or military conflict and new ways to carry out cyber-attacks are always developing. In addition, the rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, could exacerbate these risks. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on a Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber-attack. Cybersecurity and data protection have become top priorities for regulators around the world, and rapidly developing and changing privacy, data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations could further increase compliance costs and subject the Investment Adviser and the a Funds to enforcement risk and reputational damage. Many jurisdictions have laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, including the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU, the UK Data Protection Act and the California Privacy Rights Act, as well as recently adopted SEC rules. Additional regulatory requirements related to cybersecurity and data protection could increase compliance costs and potential regulatory liability related to cybersecurity for the Investment Adviser and a Funds. Some jurisdictions have also enacted or proposed laws requiring companies to notify individuals and government agencies of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data.

**LIBOR Transition and Reference Benchmarks:** LIBOR was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. The terms of investments, financings or other transactions (including certain derivatives transactions) to which a Fund may be a party, have historically been tied to LIBOR. In connection with the global transition away from LIBOR led by regulators and market participants,

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LIBOR was last published on a representative basis at the end of June 2023. Alternative reference rates to LIBOR have been established in most major currencies and markets in these new rates are continuing to develop. The transition away from LIBOR to the use of replacement rates has gone relatively smoothly but the full impact of the transition on a Fund or the financial instruments in which a Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined.

For example, SOFR is the replacement rate for USD-LIBOR and is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. SOFR is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement (repo) market. SOFR is published in various forms including as a daily, compounded, and forward-looking term rate. Markets in these new rates such as SOFR are continuing to develop. The transition away from LIBOR to the use of replacement rates has gone relatively smoothly although the full impact of the transition on a Fund or the financial instruments in which a Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined.

While LIBOR was an unsecured rate, SOFR is a secured rate. SOFR, unlike LIBOR, reflects actual market transactions. Accordingly, SOFR is not the economic equivalent of LIBOR. Consequently, there can be no assurance that SOFR will perform in the same way as LIBOR would have at any time, including, without limitation, as a result of changes in interest and yield rates in the market, monetary policy, bank credit risk, market volatility or global or regional economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events.

In addition, interest rates or other types of rates and indices which are classed as "benchmarks" have been the subject of ongoing national and international regulatory reform, including under the EU regulation on indices used as benchmarks in financial instruments and financial contracts (known as the "Benchmarks Regulation"). The Benchmarks Regulation has been enacted into UK law by virtue of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended), subject to amendments made by the Benchmarks (Amendment and Transitional Provision) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/657) and other statutory instruments. Following the implementation of these reforms, the manner of administration of benchmarks has changed and may further change in the future, with the result that relevant benchmarks may perform differently than in the past, the use of benchmarks that are not compliant with the new standards by certain supervised entities may be restricted, and certain benchmarks may be eliminated entirely. Such changes could cause increased market volatility and disruptions in liquidity for instruments that rely on or are impacted by such benchmarks. Additionally, there could be other consequences which cannot be predicted.

**Qualified Financial Contracts:** A Fund's investments may involve qualified financial contracts ("QFCs"). QFCs include, but are not limited to, securities contracts, commodities contracts, forward contracts, repurchase agreements, securities lending agreements and swaps agreements, as well as related master agreements, security agreements, credit enhancements, and reimbursement obligations. Under regulations adopted by federal banking regulators pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, certain QFCs with counterparties that are part of U.S. or foreign global systemically important banking organizations are required to include contractual restrictions on close-out and cross-default rights. If a covered counterparty of a Fund or certain of the covered counterparty's affiliates were to become subject to certain insolvency proceedings, the Fund may be temporarily, or in some cases permanently, unable to exercise certain default rights, and the QFC may be transferred to another entity. These requirements may impact a Fund's credit and counterparty risks.

**Redemption Risk**: A Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. A number of circumstances may cause a Fund to experience heavy redemptions, including, but not limited to, the occurrence of significant events affecting investor demand for securities or asset classes in which the Fund invests; changes in the eligibility criteria for the Fund or share class of the Fund; other announced Fund events; or changes in investment objectives, strategies, policies, risks or investment personnel. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that a Fund has investors with large shareholdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, redemption risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil. The redemption by one or more large shareholders of their holdings in a Fund could hurt performance and/or cause the remaining shareholders in the Fund to lose money. Heavy redemptions may result in taxable income and/or gains for a Fund, which may increase taxable distributions to shareholders, and may also increase transaction costs. The effects of taxable income and/or gains resulting from heavy redemptions would particularly impact non-redeeming shareholders who do not hold their Fund shares in an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged arrangement. To the extent that such redemptions result in short-term capital gains, such gains when distributed by a Fund will generally be taxed at the ordinary U.S. federal income tax rate for individual shareholders who hold Fund shares in a taxable account. A Fund's redemption risk is increased if one decision maker has control of fund shares owned by separate fund shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the Investment Adviser. If a Fund is forced to liquidate its assets under unfavorable conditions or at inopportune times, the value of your investment could decline.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER**

A change in securities held in a Fund's portfolio is known as portfolio turnover and may involve the payment by a Fund of dealer mark-ups or brokerage or underwriting commissions and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or sale of securities.

Each Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with the Fund's investment objective. Portfolio investments may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as a more favorable investment opportunity or other circumstances bearing on the desirability of continuing to hold such investments. Portfolio turnover rate for a fiscal year is the percentage determined by dividing (i) the lesser of the cost of purchases or sales of portfolio securities by (ii) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. Securities with maturities at acquisition of one year or less are excluded from this calculation. A Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate; however, the rate will be higher when the Fund finds it necessary or desirable to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events.

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A portfolio turnover rate of 100% or more is considered high, although the rate of portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making portfolio decisions. A high rate of portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses and transaction costs which are ultimately borne by a Fund's shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial capital gains.

Each Fund's historical turnover rates are included in the Financial Highlights table(s) in the Prospectus.

**Significant Portfolio Turnover During the Last Two Fiscal Years**

Voya Global Bond Fund's portfolio turnover rate decreased from 292% in 2023 to 177% in 2024. The decreased turnover rate was due to lower currency trading.

**FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS**

Unless otherwise indicated or as required by applicable law or regulation, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Fund's assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such percentage limitation or standard will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund's acquisition of such security or other asset, except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a "senior security" under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in value, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with a Fund's investment policies and limitations.

Unless otherwise stated, if a Fund's holdings of illiquid securities exceeds 15% of its net assets because of changes in the value of the Fund's investments, the Fund will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities within a time frame deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund.

Illiquid investment means any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Such securities include, but are not limited to, fixed time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under Rule 144A, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale under the 1933 Act ("Restricted Securities") shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being unregistered.

**FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS** 

Each Fund has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The term "majority" is defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of the Fund's voting securities present at a meeting of shareholders at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present in person or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.

**Voya Global Bond Fund** 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that: (i) there is no limitation with respect to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, any state or territory of the United States, or any of their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and (ii) notwithstanding this limitation or any other fundamental investment limitation, assets may be invested in the securities of one or more management investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

2. borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

3. make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund. For the purposes of this limitation, entering into repurchase agreements, lending securities and acquiring debt securities are not deemed to be making of loans;

4. underwrite any issue of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act except when it might technically be deemed to be an underwriter either: (i) in connection with the disposition of a Fund security; or (ii) in connection with the purchase of securities directly from the issuer thereof in accordance with its investment objective. This restriction shall not limit the Fund's ability to invest in securities issued by other registered management investment companies;

5. purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may: (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use; (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein; (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein; or (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

6. issue senior securities except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

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7. purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities). This limitation does not apply to foreign currency transactions, including, without limitation, forward currency contracts; or

8. purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, with respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or the Fund's ownership would be more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund's investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or investments in securities of other investment companies.

With respect to fundamental policy number (1), for sovereign debt, each sovereign country is treated as a separate industry.

**Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. invest in securities of any one issuer if more than 5% of the market value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, except that up to 25% of the Fund's total assets may be invested without regard to this restriction and the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. This restriction also does not apply to investments by the Fund in securities of the U.S. government or any of its agencies and instrumentalities;

2. purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities, or of any class of securities, of any one issuer, or purchase the securities of any issuer for the purpose of exercising control or management, except that the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies, and restrictions as the Fund;

3. invest 25% or more of the market value of its total assets in the securities of issuers in any one particular industry, except that a Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. This restriction does not apply to investments by a Fund in securities of the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities or to investments by Voya Government Money Market Fund (not included in this SAI) in obligations of domestic branches of U.S. banks and U.S. branches of foreign banks which are subject to the same regulation as U.S. banks;

4. purchase or sell real estate. However, the Fund may invest in securities secured by, or issued by companies that invest in, real estate or interests in real estate;

5. make loans of money, except that the Fund may purchase publicly distributed debt instruments and certificates of deposit and enter into repurchase agreements. The Fund reserves the authority to make loans of its portfolio securities in an aggregate amount not exceeding 30% of the value of its total assets;

6. borrow money on a secured or unsecured basis, except for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for the clearance of transactions in amounts not exceeding 20% of the value of its total assets at the time of the borrowing, provided that, pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Fund may borrow money if the borrowing is made from a bank or banks and only to the extent that the value of the Fund's total assets, less its liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings (including proposed borrowings), and provided, further that the borrowing may be made only for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for the clearance of transactions in amounts not exceeding 20% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the time of the borrowing. If such asset coverage of 300% is not maintained, the Fund will take prompt action to reduce its borrowings as required by applicable law;

7. pledge or in any way transfer as security for indebtedness any securities owned or held by it, except to secure indebtedness permitted by restriction 6 above. This restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options, futures, and foreign currency transactions, and shall not apply to Voya Government Money Market Fund (not included in this SAI);

8. underwrite securities of other issuers, except insofar as it may be deemed an underwriter under the 1933 Act in selling portfolio securities;

9. invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in securities that at the time of purchase are illiquid;

10. purchase securities on margin, except for initial and variation margin on options and futures contracts, and except that the Fund may obtain such short term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities;

11. invest in securities of other investment companies, except: (i) that the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund; (ii) in compliance with the 1940 Act and applicable state securities laws; or (iii) as part of a merger, consolidation, acquisition or reorganization involving the Fund;

12. issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow money as permitted by restrictions 5 and 6 above. This restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in short sales, options, futures, and foreign currency transactions;

13. enter into transactions for the purpose of arbitrage, or invest in commodities and commodities contracts, except that a Fund may invest in stock index, currency and financial futures contracts and related options in accordance with any rules of the CFTC; or

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14. purchase or write options on securities, except for hedging purposes and then only if: (i) aggregate premiums on call options purchased by a Fund do not exceed 5% of its net assets; (ii) aggregate premiums on put options purchased by the Fund do not exceed 5% of its net assets; (iii) not more than 25% of the Fund's net assets would be hedged; and (iv) not more than 25% of the Fund's net assets are used as cover for options written by the Fund.

For purposes of fundamental policy number (5), the Trust considers the restriction to prohibit the Fund from entering into instruments that have the character of a loan, *i.e*., instruments that are negotiated on a case-by-case basis between a lender and a borrower. The Trust considers the phrase "publicly distributed debt instruments" in that investment restriction to include, among other things, registered debt securities and unregistered debt securities that are offered pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. As a result, the Fund may invest in such securities. Further, the Trust does not consider investment policy number (5) to prevent the Fund from investing in investment companies that invest in loans.

**Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that: (i) there is no limitation with respect to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, or tax-exempt securities issued by any state or territory of the United States, or tax-exempt securities issued by any of their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and (ii) notwithstanding this limitation or any other fundamental investment limitation, assets may be invested in the securities of one or more management investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

2. purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, with respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or the Fund's ownership would be more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund's investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or investments in securities of other investment companies;

3. borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

4. make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

5. underwrite any issue of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act except when it might technically be deemed to be an underwriter either: (i) in connection with the disposition of a portfolio security; or (ii) in connection with the purchase of securities directly from the issuer thereof in accordance with its investment objective. This restriction shall not limit the Fund's ability to invest in securities issued by other registered management investment companies;

6. purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may: (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use; (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein; (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein; or (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

7. issue senior securities except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund; or

8. purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities). This limitation does not apply to foreign currency transactions, including, without limitation, forward currency contracts.

**Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that: (i) there is no limitation with respect to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, any state or territory of the United States, or any of their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and (ii) notwithstanding this limitation or any other fundamental investment limitation, assets may be invested in the securities of one or more management investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

2. purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, with respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or the Fund's ownership would be more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund's investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or investments in securities of other investment companies;

3. borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, and interpretations, thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

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

4. make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund. For the purposes of this limitation, entering into repurchase agreements, lending securities and acquiring debt securities are not deemed to be making of loans;

5. underwrite any issue of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act except when it might technically be deemed to be an underwriter either: (i) in connection with the disposition of a portfolio security; or (ii) in connection with the purchase of securities directly from the issuer thereof in accordance with its investment objective. This restriction shall not limit the Fund's ability to invest in securities issued by other registered management investment companies;

6. purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may: (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use; (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein; (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein; or (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

7. issue senior securities except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund; or

8. purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities). This limitation does not apply to foreign currency transactions, including, without limitation, forward currency contracts.

With respect to paragraph 1 above, the obligations issued by any state or territory of the United States include tax exempt securities issued by any state or territory, or any of their agencies, instrumentalities, or political subdivisions.

**Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** 

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. invest in securities of any one issuer if more than 5% of the market value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of such issuer, except that up to 25% of the Fund's total assets may be invested without regard to this restriction and the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. This restriction also does not apply to investments by the Fund in securities of the U.S. government or any of its agencies and instrumentalities;

2. purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities, or of any class of securities, of any one issuer, or purchase the securities of any issuer for the purpose of exercising control or management, except that the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund;

3. invest 25% or more of the market value of its total assets in the securities of issuers in any one particular industry, except that the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund. This restriction does not apply to investments by the Fund in securities of the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities or to investments by the Voya Government Money Market Fund (not included in this SAI) in obligations of domestic branches of U.S. banks and U.S. branches of foreign banks which are subject to the same regulation as U.S. banks;

4. purchase or sell real estate. However, the Fund may invest in securities secured by, or issued by companies that invest in, real estate or interests in real estate;

5. make loans of money, except that the Fund may purchase publicly distributed debt instruments and certificates of deposit and enter into repurchase agreements. The Fund reserves the authority to make loans of its portfolio securities in an aggregate amount not exceeding 30% of the value of its total assets;

6. borrow money on a secured or unsecured basis, except for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for the clearance of transactions in amounts not exceeding 20% of the value of its total assets at the time of the borrowing, provided that, pursuant to the 1940 Act, the Fund may borrow money if the borrowing is made from a bank or banks and only to the extent that the value of the Fund's total assets, less its liabilities other than borrowings, is equal to at least 300% of all borrowings (including proposed borrowings), and provided, further that the borrowing may be made only for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes or for the clearance of transactions in amounts not exceeding 20% of the value of the Fund's total assets at the time of the borrowing. If such asset coverage of 300% is not maintained, the Fund will take prompt action to reduce its borrowings as required by applicable law;

7. pledge or in any way transfer as security for indebtedness any securities owned or held by it, except to secure indebtedness permitted by restriction 6 above. This restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in options, futures and foreign currency transactions, and shall not apply to the Voya Government Money Market Fund (not included in this SAI);

8. underwrite securities of other issuers, except insofar as it may be deemed an underwriter under the 1933 Act in selling portfolio securities;

9. invest more than 15% of the value of its net assets in securities that at the time of purchase are illiquid;

10. purchase securities on margin, except for initial and variation margin on options and futures contracts, and except that the Fund may obtain such short term credit as may be necessary for the clearance of purchases and sales of securities;

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

11. invest in securities of other investment companies except: (i) that the Fund will be permitted to invest all or a portion of its assets in another diversified, open end management investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund; (ii) in compliance with the 1940 Act and applicable state securities laws; or (iii) as part of a merger, consolidation, acquisition or reorganization involving the Fund;

12. issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow money as permitted by restrictions 5 and 6 above. This restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from engaging in short sales, options, futures, and foreign currency transactions;

13. enter into transactions for the purpose of arbitrage, or invest in commodities and commodities contracts, except that the Fund may invest in stock index, currency and financial futures contracts and related options in accordance with any rules of the CFTC; or

14. purchase or write options on securities, except for hedging purposes and then only if: (i) aggregate premiums on call options purchased by the Fund do not exceed 5% of its net assets; (ii) aggregate premiums on put options purchased by the Fund do not exceed 5% of its net assets; (iii) not more than 25% of the Fund's net assets would be hedged; and (iv) not more than 25% of the Fund's net assets are used as cover for options written by the Fund.

For purposes of fundamental policy number (5), the Trust considers the restriction to prohibit the Fund from entering into instruments that have the character of a loan, *i.e*., instruments that are negotiated on a case-by-case basis between a lender and a borrower. The Trust considers the phrase "publicly distributed debt instruments" in that investment restriction to include, among other things, registered debt securities and unregistered debt securities that are offered pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act. As a result, the Fund may invest in such securities. Further, the Trust does not consider investment policy number (5) to prevent the Fund from investing in investment companies that invest in loans.

**NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS** 

The Board has adopted the following non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by a vote of each Fund's Board and without shareholder vote.

**Voya Global Bond Fund** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not make short sales of securities or maintain a short position if to do so could create liabilities or require collateral deposits and segregation of assets aggregating more than 25% of the Fund's total assets, taken at market value.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund's investments in fixed-time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and maturing in more than 7 days may not exceed 15% of the net assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may borrow up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of its total assets for temporary or emergency purposes or for leverage, provided that asset coverage of 300% is maintained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not engage in when-issued, forward commitment, or delayed delivery securities transactions for speculation purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The Fund will not purchase these securities if more than 15% of the Fund's total assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

**Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in fixed-income securities (which must be of high quality and short duration) for temporary and defensive or cash management purposes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit (interest bearing time deposits) issued by savings banks or savings and loan associations that have capital surplus and undivided profits in excess of $100 million, based on latest publishing reports, or less than $100 million if the principal amount of such obligations is fully insured by the U.S. government.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not invest more than 15% of the total value of its assets in high-yield bond (securities rated below BBB by S&P or Baa3 by Moody's or, if unrated, considered by the Investment Adviser of comparable quality).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Other than for temporary and defensive or cash management purposes, the Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in securities of supranational agencies. These securities are not considered government securities and are not supported directly or indirectly by the U.S. government.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in forward currency options for the purposes of hedging.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not enter into a swap agreement with any single party if the net amount owed or to be received under existing contracts with that party would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may borrow up to 20% of its total assets for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes, provided that asset coverage of 300% is maintained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 30% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may make short sales of ETFs for the purposes of hedging.

**Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund's investments in fixed-time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and maturing in more than 7 days may not exceed 15% of the net assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. Generally, no more than 25% of the Fund's assets may be hedged. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not engage in when-issued, forward commitment, or delayed delivery securities transactions for speculation purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The Fund will not purchase these securities if more than 15% of the Fund's total assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

**Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund's investments in fixed-time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and maturing in more than 7 days may not exceed 15% of the net assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. Generally, no more than 25% of the Fund's assets may be hedged. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with respect to any portfolio securities the Fund may acquire consistent with its investment objectives and policies, but it intends to enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, to meet anticipated redemptions or pending investments or reinvestment of Fund assets into portfolio securities.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not enter into repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days if the aggregate of such repurchase agreements and all other illiquid securities when taken together would exceed 15% of the total assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not engage in when-issued, forward commitment, or delayed delivery securities transactions for speculation purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The Fund will not purchase these securities if more than 15% of the Fund's total assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

**Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** 

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund's investments in fixed-time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and maturing in more than 7 days may not exceed 15% of the net assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. Generally, no more than 25% of the Fund's assets may be hedged. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may write covered call options and purchase put and call options on securities and stock indices for hedging purposes. Put and call index warrants are limited to 5% of net assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may borrow up to 20% of its total assets for temporary, extraordinary or emergency purposes, provided that asset coverage of 300% is maintained.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 30% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not engage in when-issued, forward commitment, or delayed delivery securities transactions for speculation purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The Fund will not purchase these securities if more than 15% of the Fund's total assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

**DISCLOSURE OF each Fund's PORTFOLIO SECURITIES**

Each Fund is required to file its complete portfolio holdings schedule with the SEC on a quarterly basis. This schedule is filed with each Fund's financial statements and other information on Form N-CSR for the second and fourth fiscal quarters and on Form NPORT-P for the first and third fiscal quarters. Each Fund's NPORT-P is available on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov and may be obtained, free of charge, by contacting a Fund at the address and phone number on the cover of this SAI or by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

In addition, each Fund (except Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund and Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund) posts its portfolio holdings schedule on Voya's website on a monthly basis and makes it available on the 15<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar month, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the previous calendar month.

Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund posts its portfolio holdings schedule on Voya's website on a monthly basis and makes it available on the 30<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar month, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The portfolio holdings is as of the last day of the previous calendar month.

Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund posts its portfolio holdings schedule on Voya's website on a calendar-quarter basis and makes it available on the 30<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar quarter, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The portfolio holdings is as of the last day of the previous calendar quarter.

Each Fund may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date. Each Fund may also file information on portfolio holdings with the SEC or other regulatory authority as required by applicable law.

Each Fund also compiles a list of its ten largest ("Top Ten") holdings and/or its Top Ten issuers. This information is made available on Voya's website on the 10<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar month, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The Top Ten holdings and/or issuer information shall be as of the last day of the previous calendar month.

Investors (both individual and institutional), financial intermediaries that distribute each Fund's shares, and most third parties may receive each Fund's annual or semi-annual shareholder reports, or view them on Voya's website, along with each Fund's portfolio holdings schedule.

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The Top Ten list is also provided in quarterly Fund descriptions that are included in the offering materials of variable life insurance products, variable annuity contracts and other retirement plans.

Other than in regulatory filings or on Voya's website, each Fund may provide its complete portfolio holdings to certain unaffiliated third parties and affiliates when a Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. Unless otherwise noted below, each Fund's disclosure of its portfolio holdings will be on an as-needed basis, with no lag time between the date of which the information is requested and the date the information is provided. Specifically, a Fund's disclosure of its portfolio holdings may include disclosure:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, named herein, for use in providing audit opinions, as well as to the independent registered public accounting firm of an entity affiliated with the Investment Adviser if the Fund is consolidated into the financial results of the affiliated entity;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to financial printers for the purpose of preparing Fund regulatory filings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition involving a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a new adviser or sub-adviser or a transition manager prior to the commencement of its management of a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to rating and ranking agencies such as Bloomberg L.P., Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Leaders Rating System, and S&P (such agencies may receive more raw data from a Fund than is posted on a Fund's website);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to consultants for use in providing asset allocation advice in connection with investments by affiliated funds-of-funds in a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to service providers, on a daily basis, in connection with their providing services benefiting a Fund including, but not limited to, the provision of custodial and transfer agency services, the provision of analytics for securities lending oversight and reporting, compliance oversight, and proxy voting or class action service providers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a third party for purposes of effecting in-kind redemptions of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of portfolio assets and minimal impact on remaining Fund shareholders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to certain wrap fee programs, on a weekly basis, on the first Business Day following the previous calendar week;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a third party who acts as a "consultant" and supplies the consultant's analysis of holdings (but not actual holdings) to the consultant's clients (including sponsors of retirement plans or their consultants) or who provides regular analysis of Fund portfolios. The types, frequency and timing of disclosure to such parties vary depending upon information requested; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to legal counsel to a Fund and the Trustees.

In all instances of such disclosure, the receiving party is subject to a duty or obligation of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on such information.

In addition, a Sub-Adviser may provide portfolio holdings information to third-party service providers in connection with the Sub-Adviser carrying out its duties pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement in place between the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Adviser, provided however that the Sub-Adviser is responsible for such third-party's confidential treatment of such data pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement. This portfolio holdings information may be provided on an as-needed basis, with no lag time between the date of which the information is requested and the date the information is provided. A Sub-Adviser is also obligated, pursuant to its fiduciary duty to the relevant Fund, to ensure that any third-party service provider has a duty not to trade on any portfolio holdings information it receives other than on behalf of a Fund until public disclosure by the Fund.

In addition to the situations discussed above, disclosure of a Fund's complete portfolio holdings on a more frequent basis to any unaffiliated third party or affiliates may be permitted if approved by the Chief Legal Officer of the Investment Adviser or the Chief Compliance Officer of the Funds (each, an "Authorized Party") pursuant to the Board's procedures. In each such case, the Authorized Party would determine whether the proposed disclosure of a Fund's complete portfolio holdings is for a legitimate business interest; whether such disclosure is in the best interest of Fund shareholders; whether such disclosure will create any conflicts between the interests of a Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter or any affiliated person of a Fund, its Investment Adviser, or its Principal Underwriter, on the other; and the third party must execute an agreement setting forth its duty of confidentiality with regards to the portfolio holdings, including a duty not to trade on such information. An Authorized Party would report to the Board regarding the implementation of these procedures.

The Board has authorized the senior officers of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates to authorize the release of a Fund's portfolio holdings, as necessary, in conformity with the foregoing principles and to monitor for compliance with these policies and procedures. The Investment Adviser or its affiliates report quarterly to the Board regarding the implementation of these policies and procedures.

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**MANAGEMENT OF the Trust**

The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the direction of the Trust's Board according to the applicable laws of the State of Delaware.

The Board governs each Fund and is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. The Trustees are experienced executives who oversee each Fund's activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to each Fund, and review each Fund's performance.

Set forth in the table below is information about each Trustee of each Fund.

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| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br>**with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br>**and Length** <br>**of Time** <br>**Served**<sup>1</sup> <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br>**During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br>**of Funds** <br>**in the** <br>**Fund Complex** <br>**Overseen by** <br>**Trustees**<sup>2</sup> <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br>**Positions Held** <br>**by Trustees**<br>|
| **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Colleen D. Baldwin**<br>(1960)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; November 2007 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President, Glantuam Partners, <br> LLC, a business consulting firm <br> (January 2009 – Present).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stanley Global Engineering (2020 <br> – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **John V. Boyer**<br>(1953)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; January 2005 – <br> Present<br>| Retired. | 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jody T. Foster**<br>(1969)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Founder and Chief Executive <br> Officer, Symphony Consulting, an <br> investment operations consulting <br> firm to private asset managers <br> and wealth management firm <br> (2010 – Present). Formerly, <br> Independent Director, Hussman <br> Investment Trust, a registered <br> investment company fund <br> complex (2016 – 2025); <br> Independent Director, Forum CRE <br> Income Fund, a registered <br> investment company (April 2021 <br> – January 2022).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Diamond Hill Funds (13 Funds) <br> (2022 – Present). <br>|

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br> **and Length** <br> **of Time** <br> **Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br> **During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br> **of Funds** <br> **in the** <br> **Fund Complex** <br> **Overseen by** <br> **Trustees**<sup>2</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br> **Positions Held** <br> **by Trustees**<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Dennis A. Johnson**<br>(1960)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Non-Executive Director, Namib <br> Minerals (April 2025 – Present). <br> Formerly, Independent Director, <br> EasyKnock, a real estate <br> company (December 2023 – <br> November 2024); Director of <br> Investments, West Coast <br> Financial (May 2022 – December <br> 2023); Independent Director, <br> Glass Lewis & Co., a provider of <br> of governance, proxy research <br> and stewardship services (March <br> 2022 – November 2023).<br>| 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Joseph E. Obermeyer**<br>(1957)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chairperson<br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; January 1, 2025 – <br> Present<br> May 2013 – Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Retired. Formerly, President, <br> Obermeyer & Associates, Inc., a <br> provider of financial and <br> economic consulting services <br> (November 1999 – December <br> 2024).<br>| 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christopher P.** <br> **Sullivan**<br>(1954)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; October 2015 – <br> Present<br>| Retired. | 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Mark R. Wetzel**<br>(1961)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Retired. Formerly, President, <br> Fiducient Advisors, an <br> investment adviser (April 2006 – <br> May 2024).<br>| 127 | None. |
| **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br> **and Length** <br> **of Time** <br> **Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br> **During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br> **of Funds** <br> **in the** <br> **Fund Complex** <br> **Overseen by** <br> **Trustees**<sup>2</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br> **Positions Held** <br> **by Trustees**<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christian G. Wilson**<sup>3</sup><br>(1968)<br>5780 Powers Ferry <br> Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia <br> 30327<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President and Chief Executive <br> Officer, Voya Funds Services, <br> LLC, Voya Capital, LLC, and Voya <br> Investments, LLC (September <br> 2024 – Present); Head of <br> Product and Strategy, Voya <br> Investment Management (June <br> 2024 – Present). Formerly, Head <br> of Global Client Portfolio <br> Management, Voya Investment <br> Management (March 2023 – <br> June 2024); Head of Fixed <br> Income Client Portfolio <br> Management, Voya Investment <br> Management (July 2017 – March <br> 2023).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director, President, and Chief <br> Executive Officer, Voya Funds <br> Services, LLC, Voya Capital, LLC <br> and Voya Investments, LLC <br> (September 2024 – Present).<br>|

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Trustees serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The tenure of each Trustee who is not an "interested person" as defined in the 1940 Act, of each Fund (as defined below, "Independent Trustee") is subject to the Board's retirement policy, which states that each duly elected or appointed Independent Trustee shall retire from and cease to be a member of the Board of Trustees at the close of business on December 31 of the calendar year in which the Independent Trustee attains the age of 75. A majority vote of the Board's other Independent Trustees may extend the retirement date of an Independent Trustee if the retirement would trigger a requirement to hold a meeting of shareholders of the Trust under applicable law, whether for the purposes of appointing a successor to the Independent Trustee or otherwise complying under applicable law, in which case the extension would apply until such time as the shareholder meeting can be held or is no longer required (as determined by a vote of a majority of the other Independent Trustees).

For the purposes of this table, "Fund Complex" includes the following investment companies: Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund; Voya Credit Income Fund; Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund; Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund; Voya Equity Trust; Voya Funds Trust; Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund; Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund; Voya Government Money Market Portfolio; Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund; Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio; Voya Investors Trust; Voya Mutual Funds; Voya Partners, Inc.; Voya Separate Portfolios Trust; Voya Variable Funds; Voya Variable Insurance Trust; Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.; and Voya Variable Products Trust. The number of funds in the Fund Complex is as of December 31, 2025.

Mr. Wilson is deemed to be an interested person of the Trust, as defined by the 1940 Act, because of his current affiliation with Voya Financial, Inc. and Voya Financial, Inc.'s affiliates.

**Information Regarding Officers of the Trust** 

Set forth in the table below is information for each Officer of the Trust.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup> <br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christian G. Wilson**<br>(1968)<br>5780 Powers Ferry <br> Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia <br> 30327 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President and <br> Chief/Principal <br> Executive Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2024 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Voya Funds Services, LLC, Voya Capital, <br> LLC, and Voya Investments, LLC (September 2024 – Present); Head of Product and <br> Strategy, Voya Investment Management (June 2024 – Present). Formerly, Head of Global <br> Client Portfolio Management, Voya Investment Management (March 2023 – June 2024); <br> Head of Fixed Income Client Portfolio Management, Voya Investment Management (July <br> 2017 – March 2023).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jonathan Nash**<br>(1967)<br>200 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York <br> 10166 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Executive Vice <br> President and <br> Chief Investment <br> Risk Officer<br>| March 2020 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Head of Investment Risk for Equity and Funds, Voya Investment Management (April 2024 – <br> Present); Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Risk Officer, Voya Investments, <br> LLC (March 2020 – Present); Formerly, Senior Vice President, Investment Risk <br> Management, Voya Investment Management (March 2017 – March 2024) <br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Steven Hartstein**<br>(1963)<br>200 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York <br> 10166 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chief Compliance <br> Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; December 2022 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investment Management (December 2022 – Present). <br> Formerly, Head of Funds Compliance, Brighthouse Financial, Inc.; and Chief Compliance <br> Officer, Brighthouse Funds and Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC (March 2017 – <br> December 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Todd Modic**<br>(1967)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President, <br> Chief/Principal <br> Financial Officer <br> and Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| March 2005 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director and Senior Vice President, Voya Capital, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC <br> (September 2022 – Present); Director, Voya Investments, LLC (September 2022 – <br> Present); Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (April 2005 – Present). Formerly, <br> President, Voya Funds Services, LLC (March 2018 – September 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Kimberly A. Anderson**<br>(1964)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; November 2003 – <br> Present<br>| Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (September 2003 – Present). |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Sara M. Donaldson**<br>(1959)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (February 2022 – Present); Senior Vice <br> President, Head of Active Ownership, Voya Investment Management (September 2021 – <br> Present). Formerly, Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – February <br> 2022); Vice President, Head of Proxy Voting, Voya Investment Management (October 2015 <br> – August 2021).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jason Kadavy**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2023 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC (September <br> 2023 – Present). Formerly, Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – <br> September 2023); Vice President, Voya Funds Services, LLC (July 2007 – September <br> 2023).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Joanne F. Osberg**<br>(1982)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President and <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 2023 – Present<br>September 2020 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund <br> Legal Department, and Senior Vice President and Secretary, Voya Investments, LLC, Voya <br> Capital, LLC, and Voya Funds Services, LLC (March 2023-Present). Formerly, Secretary, <br> Voya Capital, LLC (August 2022 – March 2023); Vice President and Secretary, Voya <br> Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC and Vice President and Senior Counsel, <br> Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal Department (September 2020 – March <br> 2023); Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (January 2013 – September 2020). <br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Andrew K. Schlueter**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Head of Investment Operations Support, Voya Investment <br> Management (April 2023 - Present); Vice President, Voya Investments Distributor, LLC <br> (April 2018 - Present); Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, <br> LLC (March 2018 - Present). Formerly, Senior Vice President, Head of Mutual Fund <br> Operations, Voya Investment Management (March 2022 - March 2023); Vice President, <br> Head of Mutual Fund Operations, Voya Investment Management (February 2018 - February <br> 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Fred Bedoya**<br>(1973)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, <br> Principal <br> Accounting Officer <br> and Treasurer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2012 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – Present); Vice President, <br> Voya Funds Services, LLC (July 2012 – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Robyn L. Ichilov**<br>(1967)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Vice President | May 1999 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President Voya Investments, LLC (August 1997 – Present); Vice President, Voya Funds <br> Services, LLC (November 1995 – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Erica McKenna**<br>(1972)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Vice President | June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Head of Mutual Fund Compliance and Chief Compliance Officer, Voya <br> Investments, LLC (May 2022 – Present). Formerly, Vice President, Fund Compliance <br> Manager, Voya Investments, LLC (March 2021 – May 2022); Assistant Vice President, <br> Fund Compliance Manager, Voya Investments, LLC (December 2016 – March 2021).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Caitlin Robinson**<br>(1983)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President <br> and Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (August 2024 – Present). Formerly, Senior Counsel, Putnam Investments <br> (January 2015 – July 2024).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Craig Wheeler**<br>(1969)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Vice President | May 2013 – Present | Vice President – Director of Tax, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – Present).  |

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Gizachew Wubishet**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President<br>Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 2024 – Present<br>June 2022 – Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (March 2024 – Present). Formerly, Assistant Vice President and Counsel, Voya <br> Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal Department (May 2019 – February 2024).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Monia Piacenti**<br>(1976)<br>One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut <br> 06095 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anti-Money <br> Laundering <br> Officer<br>| June 2018 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Compliance Manager, Voya Financial, Inc. (March 2023 – Present); Anti-Money Laundering <br> Officer, Voya Investments Distributor, LLC, Voya Investment Management, and Voya <br> Investment Management Trust Co. (June 2018 – Present); Formerly, Compliance <br> Consultant Voya Financial, Inc. (January 2019 – February 2023).<br>|

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The Officers hold office until the next annual meeting of the Board of Trustees and until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

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**The Board of Trustees** 

The Trust and each Fund are governed by the Board, which oversees the Trust's business and affairs. The Board delegates the day-to-day management of the Trust and each Fund to the Trust's Officers and to various service providers that have been contractually retained to provide such day-to-day services. The Voya entities that render services to the Trust and each Fund do so pursuant to contracts that have been approved by the Board. The Trustees are experienced executives who, among other duties, oversee the Trust's activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to each Fund, and review each Fund's investment performance.

**The Board Leadership Structure and Related Matters** 

The Board is comprised of eight (8) members, seven (7) of whom are independent or disinterested persons, which means that they are not "interested persons" of each Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the "Independent Trustees").

The Trust is one of 19 registered investment companies (with a total of approximately 127 separate series) in the Voya family of funds, and all of the Trustees serve as members of, as applicable, each investment company's Board of Directors or Board of Trustees. The Board employs substantially the same leadership structure with respect to each of these investment companies.

One of the Independent Trustees, currently Joseph E. Obermeyer, serves as the Chairperson of the Board of the Trust. The responsibilities of the Chairperson of the Board include: coordinating with management in the preparation of agendas for Board meetings; presiding at Board meetings; between Board meetings, serving as a primary liaison with other Trustees, officers of the Trust, management personnel, and legal counsel to the Independent Trustees; and such other duties as the Board periodically may determine. Mr. Obermeyer does not hold a position with any firm that is a sponsor of the Trust. The designation of an individual as the Chairperson does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liabilities greater than the duties, obligations or liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the Board, generally.

The Board performs many of its oversight and other activities through the committee structure described below in the "Board Committees" section. Each Committee operates pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board. The Board currently conducts regular meetings eight (8) times a year. In addition, during the course of a year, the Board and many of its Committees typically hold special meetings by telephone, video conference, or in person to discuss specific matters that require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The Board believes that its committee structure is an effective means of empowering the Trustees to perform their fiduciary and other duties. For example, the Board's committee structure facilitates, as appropriate, the ability of individual Board members to receive detailed presentations on topics under their review and to develop increased familiarity with respect to such topics and with key personnel at relevant service providers. At least annually, with guidance from its Nominating and Governance Committee, the Board analyzes whether there are potential means to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Board's operations.

**Board Committees** 

***Audit Committee***. The Board has established an Audit Committee whose functions include, among other things: (i) meeting with the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust to review the scope of the Trust's audit, the Trust's financial statements and accounting controls; (ii) meeting with management concerning these matters, internal audit activities, reports under the Trust's whistleblower procedures, the services rendered by various service providers, and other matters; and (iii) overseeing the implementation of the Voya funds' valuation procedures and the fair value determinations made with respect to securities held by the Voya funds for which market value quotations are not readily available. The Audit Committee currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Audit Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Sullivan and Wetzel. Mr. Wetzel currently serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. All Committee members have been designated as Audit Committee Financial Experts under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Audit Committee typically meets five (5) times per year, and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Audit Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Compliance Committee***. The Board has established a Compliance Committee for the purpose of, among other things: (i) providing oversight with respect to compliance by the funds in the Voya family of funds and their service providers with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies and procedures affecting the operations of the funds; (ii) receiving reports of evidence of possible material violations of applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws and breaches of fiduciary duty arising under U.S. federal or state laws; (iii) coordinating activities between the Board and the Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") of the funds; (iv) facilitating information flow among Board members and the CCO between Board meetings; (v) working with the CCO and management to identify the types of reports to be submitted by the CCO to the Compliance Committee and the Board; (vi) making recommendations regarding the role, performance, compensation, and oversight of the CCO; (vii) overseeing the cybersecurity practices of the funds and their key service providers; (viii) overseeing management's administration of proxy voting; (ix) overseeing the effectiveness of brokerage usage by the Trust's advisers or sub-advisers, as applicable, and compliance with regulations regarding the allocation of brokerage for services; and (x) overseeing the implementation of the funds' liquidity risk management program.

The Compliance Committee currently consists of three (3) Independent Trustees: Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, and Obermeyer. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Chairperson of the Compliance Committee. The Compliance Committee typically meets four (4) times per year, and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Compliance Committee held four (4) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

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***Contracts Committee***. The Board has established a Contracts Committee for the purpose of overseeing the annual renewal process relating to investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements, distribution agreements, and Rule 12b-1 Plans and, at the discretion of the Board, other service agreements or plans involving the Voya funds (including each Fund). The responsibilities of the Contracts Committee include, among other things: (i) identifying the scope and format of information to be provided by service providers in connection with applicable contract approvals or renewals; (ii) providing guidance to independent legal counsel regarding specific information requests to be made by such counsel on behalf of the Trustees; (iii) evaluating regulatory and other developments that might have an impact on applicable approval and renewal processes; (iv) reporting to the Trustees its recommendations and decisions regarding the foregoing matters; (v) assisting in the preparation of a written record of the factors considered by Trustees relating to the approval and renewal of advisory and sub-advisory agreements; (vi) recommending to the Board specific steps to be taken by it regarding the contracts approval and renewal process, including, for example, proposed schedules of certain actions to be taken; and (vii) otherwise providing assistance in connection with Board decisions to renew, reject, or modify agreements or plans.

The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Contracts Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Obermeyer, Sullivan and Wetzel. Mr. Boyer currently serves as the Chairperson of the Contracts Committee. The Contracts Committee typically meets five (5) times per year and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Contracts Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Investment Review Committees***. The Board has established, for all of the funds under its direction, the following two Investment Review Committees (each an "IRC" and together, the "IRCs"): (i) the Investment Review Committee E ("IRC E"); and (ii) the Investment Review Committee F ("IRC F"). The funds are allocated among IRCs periodically by the Board as the Board deems appropriate to balance the workloads of the IRCs and to have similar types of funds or funds with the same investment sub-adviser or the same portfolio management team assigned to the same IRC. Each IRC performs the following functions, among other things: (i) monitoring the investment performance of the funds in the Voya family of funds that are assigned to that Committee; (ii) making recommendations to the Board with respect to investment management activities performed by the investment advisers and/or sub-advisers on behalf of such Voya funds, and reviewing and making recommendations regarding proposals by management to retain new or additional sub-advisers for these Voya funds; and (iii) making recommendations to the Board regarding the role, performance, compensation, and oversight of the Chief Investment Risk Officer. Each Fund is monitored by the IRCs, as indicated below. Each committee is described below.

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **IRC E** | **IRC F** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |  |

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The IRC E currently consists of three (3) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the IRC E: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Mr. Obermeyer. Ms. Baldwin currently serves as the Chairperson of the IRC E. The IRC E typically meets five (5) times per year and on an as-needed basis. The IRC E held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

The IRC F currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the IRC F: Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Sullivan, and Wetzel. Mr. Sullivan currently serves as the Chairperson of the IRC F. The IRC F typically meets five (5) times per year and on an as-needed basis. The IRC F held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

IRC E and IRC F sometimes meet jointly to consider matters that are reviewed by both Committees. The Committees held four (4) such additional joint meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Nominating and Governance Committee***. The Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee for the purpose of, among other things: (i) identifying and recommending to the Board candidates it proposes for nomination to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board; (ii) reviewing workload and capabilities of Independent Trustees and recommending changes to the size or composition of the Board, as necessary; (iii) monitoring regulatory developments and recommending modifications to the Committee's responsibilities; (iv) considering and, if appropriate, recommending the creation of additional committees or changes to Trustee policies and procedures based on rule changes and "best practices" in corporate governance; (v) conducting an annual review of the membership and chairpersons of all Board committees and of practices relating to such membership and chairpersons; (vi) undertaking a periodic study of compensation paid to independent board members of investment companies and making recommendations for any compensation changes for the Independent Trustees; (vii) overseeing the Board's annual self-evaluation process; (viii) developing (with assistance from management) an annual meeting calendar for the Board and its committees; (ix) overseeing actions to facilitate attendance by Independent Trustees at relevant educational seminars and similar programs; and (x) overseeing insurance arrangements for the funds.

In evaluating potential candidates to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider a variety of factors. Specific qualifications of candidates for Board membership will be based on the needs of the Board at the time of nomination. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominations received from shareholders and shall assess shareholder nominees in the same manner as it reviews nominees that it identifies as potential candidates. A shareholder nominee for Trustee should be submitted in writing to the Trust's Secretary at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. Any such shareholder nomination should include at least the following information as to each individual proposed for nomination as Trustee: such person's written consent to be named in a proxy statement as a nominee (if nominated) and to serve as a Trustee (if

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elected), and all information relating to such individual that is required to be disclosed in the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees, or is otherwise required, in each case under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and regulations, including such information as the Board may reasonably deem necessary to satisfy its oversight and due diligence duties.

The Secretary shall submit all nominations received in a timely manner to the Nominating and Governance Committee. To be timely in connection with a shareholder meeting to elect Trustees, any such submission must be delivered to the Trust's Secretary not earlier than the 90th day prior to such meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to such meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made, by either the disclosure in a press release or in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the SEC.

The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Obermeyer, Sullivan and Wetzel. Ms. Foster currently serves as the Chairperson of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee conducts meetings as needed or appropriate.The Nominating and Governance Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

**The Board's Risk Oversight Role** 

The day-to-day management of various risks relating to the administration and operation of the Trust is the responsibility of management and other service providers retained by the Board or by management, most of whom employ professional personnel who have risk management responsibilities. The Board oversees this risk management function consistent with and as part of its oversight duties. The Board performs this risk management oversight function directly and, with respect to various matters, through its committees. The following description provides an overview of many, but not all, aspects of the Board's oversight of risk management for each Fund. In this connection, the Board has been advised that it is not practicable to identify all of the risks that may impact each Fund or to develop procedures or controls that are designed to eliminate all such risk exposures, and that applicable securities law regulations do not contemplate that all such risks be identified and addressed.

The Board, working with management personnel and other service providers, has endeavored to identify the primary risks that confront each Fund. In general, these risks include, among others: (i) investment risks; (ii) credit risks; (iii) liquidity risks; (iv) valuation risks; (v) operational risks; (vi) reputational risks; (vii) regulatory risks; (viii) risks related to potential legislative changes; (ix) the risk of conflicts of interest affecting Voya affiliates in managing each Fund; and (x) cybersecurity risks. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews various policies and procedures that are designed to address these and other risks confronting each Fund. In addition, many service providers to each Fund have adopted their own policies, procedures, and controls designed to address particular risks to each Fund. The Board and persons retained to render advice and service to the Board periodically review and/or monitor changes to, and developments relating to, the effectiveness of these policies and procedures.

The Board oversees risk management activities in part through receipt and review by the Board or its committees of regular and special reports, presentations and other information from Officers of the Trust, including the CCOs for the Trust and the Investment Adviser and the Trust's Chief Investment Risk Officer ("CIRO"), and from other service providers. For example, management personnel and the other persons make regular reports and presentations to: (i) the Compliance Committee regarding compliance with regulatory requirements and oversight of cybersecurity practices by each Fund and key service providers; (ii) the IRCs regarding investment activities and strategies that may pose particular risks; (iii) the Audit Committee with respect to financial reporting controls and internal audit activities; (iv) the Nominating and Governance Committee regarding corporate governance and best practice developments; and (v) the Contracts Committee regarding regulatory and related developments that might impact the retention of service providers to the Trust. The CIRO oversees an Investment Risk Department ("IRD") that provides an additional source of analysis and research for Board members in connection with their oversight of the investment process and performance of portfolio managers. Among its other duties, the IRD seeks to identify and, where practicable, measure the investment risks being taken by each Fund's portfolio managers. Although the IRD works closely with management of the Trust in performing its duties, the CIRO is directly accountable to, and maintains an ongoing dialogue with, the Independent Trustees.

**Qualifications of the Trustees** 

The Board believes that each of its Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on its review of the experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills of each Trustee. The Board bases this conclusion on its consideration of various criteria, no one of which is controlling. Among others, the Board has considered the following factors with respect to each Trustee: strong character and high integrity; an ability to review, evaluate, analyze, and discuss information provided; the ability to exercise effective business judgment in protecting shareholder interests while taking into account different points of views; a background in financial, investment, accounting, business, regulatory, or other skills that would be relevant to the performance of a Trustee's duties; the ability and willingness to commit the time necessary to perform his or her duties; and the ability to work in a collegial manner with other Board members. Each Trustee's ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her: experience in the investment management business; related consulting experience; other professional experience; experience serving on the boards of directors/trustees of other public companies; educational background and professional training; prior experience serving on the Board, as well as the boards of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds and/or of other investment companies; and experience as attendees or participants in conferences and seminars that are focused on investment company matters and/or duties that are specific to board members of registered investment companies.

Information indicating certain of the specific experience and qualifications of each Trustee relevant to the Board's belief that the Trustee should serve in this capacity is provided in the table above that provides information about each Trustee. That table includes, for each Trustee, positions held with the Trust, the length of such service, principal occupations during the past five (5) years, the number of

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series within the Voya family of funds for which the Trustee serves as a Board member, and certain directorships held during the past five (5) years. Set forth below are certain additional specific experiences, qualifications, attributes, or skills that the Board believes support a conclusion that each Trustee should serve as a Board member in light of the Trust's business and structure.

**Independent Trustees**

*Colleen D. Baldwin* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2007. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E since January 1, 2025, and prior to that, she served as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya family of funds from 2020 to 2024. Prior to that, she served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E from 2014 to 2019 and as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee from 2009 through 2013. Ms. Baldwin has been a Board member of Stanley Global Engineering since 2020 and President of Glantuam Partners, LLC, a business consulting firm, since 2009. Prior to that, she served in senior positions at the following financial services firms: Chief Operating Officer for Ivy Asset Management, Inc. (2002-2004), a hedge fund manager; Chief Operating Officer and Head of Global Business and Product Development for AIG Global Investment Group (1995-2002), a global investment management firm; Senior Vice President at Bankers Trust Company (1994-1995); and Senior Managing Director at J.P. Morgan & Company (1987-1994). Ms. Baldwin began her career in 1981 at AT&T/Bell Labs as a systems analyst. Ms. Baldwin holds a B.S. from Fordham University and an M.B.A. from Pace University.

*John V. Boyer* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 1997. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Contracts Committee since January 1, 2026, and prior to that, as the Chairperson of the Trust's Compliance Committee from 2020 to 2025. Prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya funds from 2014 to 2019, as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC F from 2006 to 2013, and as the Chairperson of the Compliance Committee for other funds in the Voya family of funds. Mr. Boyer was the President and CEO of the Bechtler Arts Foundation from 2008 until 2019 for which, among his other duties, Mr. Boyer oversaw all fiduciary aspects of the Foundation and assisted in the oversight of the Foundation's endowment fund. Previously, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (2006-2007) and as Executive Director of The Mark Twain House & Museum (1989-2006) where he was responsible for overseeing business operations, including endowment funds. He also served as a board member of certain predecessor mutual funds of the Voya family of funds (1997-2005). Mr. Boyer holds a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.F.A. from Princeton University.

*Jody T. Foster* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Ms. Foster currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee since January 1, 2026. She was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until her election to the Board in September 2025. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Symphony Consulting since 2010 where she has overseen the development and launch of a variety of public and private investment product offerings. Previously, she served as Director of Risk Management and Strategy at JPMorgan in Chicago and London (2003 - 2007); International Research Manager for Driehaus Capital Management (2001 - 2003) and a Partner, Equity Analysis at Burridge Growth Partners (1999 - 2001) and Equity Analyst at Clover Capital Management (1996 - 1999). She served as an Independent Trustee and Audit Committee Chair for the Hussman Funds (2016 - 2025) and currently serves as a director for the Diamond Hill Funds (2022-present). Ms. Foster holds a B.A. in Political Science from Pace University, a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

*Dennis Johnson CFA* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Compliance Committee since January 1, 2026. Mr. Johnson was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until his election to the Board in September 2025. He is a non-executive director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Namib Minerals, a publicly-traded mining company focused on investing in high-growth opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa (April 2025 - Present). Previously, he served as an independent director and executive committee member on the Board of Directors for EasyKnock, a venture capital-backed fintech company (December 2023-November 2024). Formerly, he was Director of Investments for West Coast Financial, a registered investment advisor (May 2022-December 2023); independent director on the Board of Glass Lewis & Co., (March 2022-November 2023); Chief Strategy Officer at Public Investment Fund, a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based sovereign wealth fund (September 2018-December 2019), and Chief Investment Officer at TIAA, a U.S. financial services company (October 2016-August 2019). Mr. Johnson was Chief Investment Officer for Comerica, a U.S. financial services company (June 2010-August 2016), Managing Director for the Roy E. Disney, Jr. Family Office (2008-2010), a member of the Board of Directors for Texas Industries, a U.S. company in the cement and aggregates businesses (2009-2010), Head of Global Corporate Governance for the California Public Employees' Retirement System. the largest U.S. public pension fund (2005-2008), and Managing Director for Citigroup (1994-2005). Previously, Mr. Johnson served in investment roles with increasing responsibilities and complexity for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, Crestar Bank and SunTrust from 1981-1994. Mr. Johnson is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charter-holder. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business with a degree in Finance and the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in Economics.

*Joseph E. Obermeyer* has been a Trustee of the Trust since May 21, 2013, and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2003. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya family of funds since January 1, 2025, and prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E in 2024 and as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee from 2018 to 2023. Prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Trust's former Joint IRC from 2014 through 2017. Mr. Obermeyer was the founder and President of Obermeyer & Associates, Inc., a provider of financial and economic consulting services, for which he served as President from 1999 through 2024. Prior to founding Obermeyer & Associates, Mr. Obermeyer had more than 15 years of experience in accounting, including serving as a Senior Manager at Arthur Andersen LLP from 1995 until 1999. Previously, Mr. Obermeyer served as a Senior Manager at Coopers & Lybrand LLP from 1993 until 1995, as a Manager at Price Waterhouse from 1988 until 1993, Second Vice President from 1985 until 1988 at Smith Barney, and as a consultant with Arthur Andersen & Co. from 1984 until 1985. Mr. Obermeyer holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati, an M.B.A.

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from Indiana University, and post graduate certificates from the University of Tilburg and INSEAD.

*Christopher P. Sullivan* has been a Trustee of the Trust since October 2015. He also has served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC F since January 1, 2018. He retired from Fidelity Management & Research in October 2012, following three years as first the President of the Bond Group and then the Head of Institutional Fixed Income. Previously, Mr. Sullivan served as Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Fixed Income at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (2001-2009) and prior to that, Senior Vice President at PIMCO (1997-2001). He currently serves as a Director of Rimrock Funds (since 2013), a fixed-income hedge fund. He is also a Senior Advisor to Asset Grade (since 2013), a private wealth management firm, and serves as a Trustee of the Overlook Foundation, a foundation that supports Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey. In addition to his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, Mr. Sullivan holds an M.A. degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

*Mark Wetzel* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Mr. Wetzel currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Audit Committee since January 1, 2026. Mr. Wetzel was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until his election to the Board in September 2025. Mr. Wetzel was the President of Fiducient Advisors, an investment advisor (April 2021-May 2024). Formerly, he was the President of Fiduciary Investment Advisors (April 2006-March 2020), which merged in April 2020 with DiMeo Schneider & Associates ("DiMeo Schneider"), where he became President (April 2020-April 2021). In April 2021, DiMeo Schneider rebranded as Fiducient Advisors. Previously, Mr. Wetzel served as Senior Vice President at UBS Financial Services (2000-2006), Senior Vice President at Paine Webber (1994-2000), and Senior Vice President at Kidder Peabody (1990-1994). Mr. Wetzel served on the 401(k) Investment Committee of Paine Webber and on the Pension Committee of Novartis Corp. (2006-2021). Mr. Wetzel holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and an M.B.A from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

**Interested Trustee**

*Christian G. Wilson* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2025. He is also President and Chief/Principal Executive Officer of the Funds (2024 to present), Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Voya Funds Services, LLC, Voya Capital, LLC, and Voya Investments, LLC (2024 to present), and Head of IM Product and Strategy at Voya Investment Management (2024 to present). Mr. Wilson previously served as Head of Global Client Portfolio Management at Voya Investment Management (2023 to 2024), Head of Fixed Income Client Portfolio Management at Voya Investment Management (2017-2023), and several other senior management positions in various aspects of the financial services business. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Wilson with extensive investment management, distribution, and oversight experience.

**Trustee Ownership of Securities** 

In order to further align the interests of the Independent Trustees with shareholders, it is the policy of the Board for Independent Trustees to own, beneficially, shares of one or more funds in the Voya family of funds at all times (the "Ownership Policy"). For this purpose, beneficial ownership of shares of a Voya fund includes, in addition to direct ownership of Voya fund shares, ownership of a variable contract whose proceeds are invested in a Voya fund within the Voya family of funds, as well as deferred compensation payments under the Board's deferred compensation arrangements pursuant to which the future value of such payments is based on the notional value of designated funds within the Voya family of funds.

The Ownership Policy requires the initial value of investments in the Voya family of funds that are directly or indirectly owned by the Trustees to equal or exceed the annual retainer fee for Board services (excluding any annual retainers for service as chairpersons of the Board or its committees or as members of committees), as such retainer shall be adjusted from time to time.

The Ownership Policy provides that existing Trustees shall have a reasonable amount of time from the date of any recent or future increase in the minimum ownership requirements in order to satisfy the minimum share ownership requirements. In addition, the Ownership Policy provides that a new Trustee shall satisfy the minimum share ownership requirements within a reasonable amount of time of becoming a Trustee. For purposes of the Ownership Policy, a reasonable period of time will be deemed to be, as applicable, no more than three years after a Trustee has assumed that position with the Voya family of funds or no more than one year after an increase in the minimum share ownership requirement due to changes in annual Board retainer fees. A decline in value of any fund investments will not cause a Trustee to have to make any additional investments under the Ownership Policy.

Investment in mutual funds of the Voya family of funds by the Trustees pursuant to the Ownership Policy is subject to: (i) policies, applied by the mutual funds of the Voya family of funds to other similar investors, that are designed to prevent inappropriate market timing trading practices; and (ii) any provisions of the Code of Ethics for the Voya family of funds that otherwise apply to the Trustees.

**Trustees' Fund Equity Ownership Positions** 

The following table sets forth information regarding each Trustee's beneficial ownership of equity securities of each Fund and the aggregate holdings of shares of equity securities of all the funds in the Voya family of funds for the calendar year ended December 31, 2025.

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Colleen D. Baldwin** | **John V. Boyer** | **Jody T. Foster**<sup>1</sup> | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $10001-$50000<sup>2</sup> |  |  |  |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Colleen D. Baldwin** | **John V. Boyer** | **Jody T. Foster**<sup>1</sup> | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $50001-$100000<sup>2</sup> |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Aggregate Dollar Range of <br> Equity Securities in All <br> Registered Investment <br> Companies Overseen by <br> Trustee in the Voya family of <br> funds<br>| Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> | Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> | Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> |  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in each Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Joseph E. Obermeyer** | **Christopher P. Sullivan** | **Mark R. Wetzel**<sup>1</sup> | **Christian G. Wilson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Global Bond Fund |  |  |  |  |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Aggregate Dollar Range of <br> Equity Securities in All <br> Registered Investment <br> Companies Overseen by <br> Trustee in the Voya family of <br> funds<br>| Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> | Over $100,000 |  | Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> |

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Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson, Wetzel, and Wilson were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

Includes the value of shares in which a Trustee has an indirect interest through a deferred compensation plan and/or a 401(k) plan.

**Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities of the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, and their Affiliates** 

The following table sets forth information regarding each Independent Trustee's (and his/her immediate family members) share ownership, beneficially or of record, in securities of the Investment Adviser or Principal Underwriter, and the ownership of securities in an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Adviser or Principal Underwriter of each Fund (not including registered investment companies) as of December 31, 2025.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Name of Owners** <br>**and Relationship** <br>**to Trustee**<br>| **Company** | **Title of** <br>**Class**<br>| **Value of** <br>**Securities**<br>| **Percent of** <br>**Class**<br>|
| Colleen D. Baldwin | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| John V. Boyer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Jody T. Foster<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Dennis A. Johnson<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Joseph E. Obermeyer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Christopher P. Sullivan | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mark R. Wetzel<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |

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Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson and Wetzel were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

**Trustee Compensation** 

Each Trustee is reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with each meeting of the Board or any of its Committee meetings attended. Each Independent Trustee is compensated for his or her services, on a quarterly basis, according to a fee schedule adopted by the Board. The Board may from time to time designate other meetings as subject to compensation.

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Effective January 1, 2026, each Fund pays each Trustee who is not an interested person of the Fund his or her *pro rata* share, as described below, of: (i) an annual retainer of $360,000; (ii) Mr. Obermeyer, as the Chairperson of the Board, receives an additional annual retainer of $115,000; (iii) Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Sullivan, and Wetzel, as the Chairpersons of Committees of the Board, each receives an additional annual retainer of $40,000, $40,000, $52,500, $40,000, $40,000 and $40,000, respectively; and (iv) out-of-pocket expenses. The Board at its discretion may from time to time designate other special meetings as subject to compensation in such amounts as the Board may reasonably determine on a case-by-case basis.

The *pro rata* share paid by each Fund is based on each Fund's average net assets as a percentage of the average net assets of all the funds managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliate for which the Trustees serve in common as Trustees.

**Future Compensation Payment** 

Certain future payment arrangements apply to certain Trustees. More particularly, each non-interested Trustee who will have served as a non-interested Trustee for five or more years for one or more funds in the Voya family of funds is entitled to a future payment ("Future Payment"), if such Trustee: (i) retires in accordance with the Board's retirement policy; (ii) dies; or (iii) becomes disabled. The Future Payment shall be made promptly to, as applicable, the Trustee or the Trustee's estate, in an amount equal to two (2) times the annual compensation payable to such Trustee, as in effect at the time of his or her retirement, death or disability if the Trustee had served as Trustee for at least five years as of May 9, 2007, or in a lesser amount calculated based on the proportion of time served by such Trustee (as compared to five years) as of May 9, 2007. The annual compensation determination shall be based upon the annual Board membership retainer fee in effect at the time of that Trustee's retirement, death or disability (but not any separate annual retainer fees for chairpersons of committees and of the Board), provided that the annual compensation used for this purpose shall not exceed the annual retainer fees as of May 9, 2007. This amount shall be paid by the Voya fund or Voya funds on whose Board the Trustee was serving at the time of his or her retirement, death, or disability. Each applicable Trustee may elect to receive payment of his or her benefit in a lump sum or in three substantially equal payments.

**Compensation Table** 

The following table sets forth information provided by the Investment Adviser regarding compensation of Trustees by each Fund and other funds managed by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025. Officers of the Trust and Trustees who are interested persons of the Trust do not receive any compensation from the Trust or any other funds managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** |
| **Fund** | **Colleen D. Baldwin** | **John V. Boyer** | **Jody T. Foster**<sup>1</sup> | **Martin J. Gavin**<sup>2</sup> | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $752 | $712 | $29 | $750 | $29 |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| $1162 | $1111 | $57 | $1177 | $57 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $951 | $907 | $46 | $960 | $46 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| $2457 | $2348 | $122 | $2487 | $122 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| $1452 | $1395 | $83 | $1481 | $83 |
| Pension or Retirement <br> Benefits Accrued as Part of <br> Fund Expenses<sup>3</sup><br>| N/A | $0 | NA | NA | NA |
| Estimated Annual Benefits <br> Upon Retirement<sup>4</sup><br>| N/A | $400000 | NA | NA | NA |
| Total Compensation from the <br> Fund and the Voya family of <br> funds Paid to Trustees<br>| $397500 | $380000 | $19022<sup>5</sup> | $402500 | $19022 |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** |
| **Fund** | **Joseph E. Obermeyer** | **Sheryl K. Pressler**<sup>2</sup> | **Christopher P. Sullivan** | **Mark R. Wetzel**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $802 | $777 | $712 | $29 |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| $1266 | $1214 | $1111 | $57 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $1030 | $991 | $907 | $46 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| $2673 | $2565 | $2348 | $122  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** |
| **Fund** | **Joseph E. Obermeyer** | **Sheryl K. Pressler**<sup>2</sup> | **Christopher P. Sullivan** | **Mark R. Wetzel**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| $1595 | $1524 | $1395 | $83 |
| Pension or Retirement <br> Benefits Accrued as Part of <br> Fund Expenses<sup>3</sup><br>| N/A | $113333 | N/A | N/A |
| Estimated Annual Benefits <br> Upon Retirement<sup>4</sup><br>| N/A | $113333 | N/A | N/A |
| Total Compensation from the <br> Fund and the Voya family of <br> funds Paid to Trustees<br>| $432500<sup>5</sup> | $415000 | $380000 | $19022 |

---

Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson and Wetzel were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

Mr. Gavin and Ms. Pressler retired as Trustees effective December 31, 2025.

Future Compensation Payment amounts are accrued *pro rata* to all Voya funds in the same year that the Trustee retires.

As discussed in the section entitled "Future Compensation Payment" above, this is not an annual benefit. Rather each applicable Trustee may elect to receive payment of his or her benefit in a lump sum or in three substantially equal payments. Future Compensation Payments included in this table represent the total payment allocated *pro rata* to all Voya funds.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, Ms. Foster and Mr. Obermeyer deferred $7,337 and $76,000, respectively of their compensation from the Voya family of funds.

**CODE OF ETHICS**

Each Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor have adopted a code of ethics (the "Code of Ethics") pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act governing personal trading activities of all Trustees, Officers of the Trust, and persons who, in connection with their regular functions, play a role in the recommendation of or obtain information pertaining to any purchase or sale of a security by each Fund. The Code of Ethics is intended to prohibit fraud against each Fund that may arise from the personal trading of securities that may be purchased or held by that Fund or of the Fund's shares. The Code of Ethics prohibits short-term trading of each Fund's shares by persons subject to the Code of Ethics. Personal trading is permitted by such persons subject to certain restrictions; however, such persons are generally required to pre-clear security transactions with the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and to report all transactions on a regular basis.

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

The Board has approved the Investment Adviser's Proxy Voting Policy (the "Proxy Voting Policy") for voting proxies on behalf of the Voya funds. The Proxy Voting Policy requires the Investment Adviser to vote each Fund's portfolio securities that have voting rights in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy and provides a method for responding to potential conflicts of interest. An independent proxy voting service has been retained to assist in the voting of Fund proxies through the provision of vote analysis, implementation, recordkeeping, and disclosure services. The Compliance Committee oversees the implementation of each Fund's Proxy Voting Policy, as applicable. A copy

of the Proxy Voting Policy is attached hereto as Appendix B. If applicable, no later than August 31st of each year, information regarding how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the twelve-month period ending June 30th is available online, without charge, at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports or by accessing the SEC's EDGAR database at https://sec.gov.

**PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS**

Control is defined by the 1940 Act as the beneficial ownership, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, of more than 25% of the voting securities of a company. A control person may have a significant impact on matters submitted to a shareholder vote.

The following may be deemed control persons of certain Funds:

Pershing LLC, a Delaware Corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon.

**Trustee and Officer Holdings** 

As of February 4, 2026, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of any class of each Fund's outstanding shares.

**Principal Shareholders** 

As of February 4, 2026, to the best knowledge of management, no person owned beneficially or of-record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of a Fund or 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a Fund addressed herein, except as set forth in the table below. The Trust has no knowledge as to whether all or any portion of shares owned of-record are also owned beneficially.

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent** <br>**of Class**<br>| **Percent** <br>**of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit Of Its<br> Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza FL 12<br> New York, NY 10004-1901<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.89% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.61%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class A | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 48.57% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.63% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class C | UBS Wm USA<br> Spec Cdy A/c Exl Ben Customers<br> Of Ubsfsi<br> 1000 Harbor Blvd<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.27% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.21% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class C | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 72.95% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.15% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class C | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main St<br> San Francisco, CA 94105<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.16% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.22% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class I | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 31.46% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 47.40% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class I | American Enterprise Investment Services<br> 707 2nd Ave South<br> Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.07% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.45% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class I | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.10% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.63% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class I | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main St<br> San Francisco, CA 94105<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.41% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.22% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class I | LPL Financial<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> Attn: Lindsay O'toole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 19.19% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.83% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 89.80% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.63% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department<br> 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 24.35% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.04% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.47% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.13% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.82% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.63% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> FBO Vips Ii<br> 30 Braintree Hill Office Park<br> Braintree, MA 02184<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.74% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20.63%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | State Street Bank And Trust As TTEE<br> And/or Custodian<br> FBO Adp Access Product<br> 1 Lincoln St<br> Boston, MA 02111-2901<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.86% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.41% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class R6 | Voya Retirement Insurance And<br> Annuity Company<br> Attn: Valuation Unit-TN41<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 16.81% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.06% |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Class W | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 97.33% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 47.40% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class A | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> 499 Washington Blvd FL 5<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.53% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.40% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class A | MLPF & S For The Sole Benefit<br> Of The Customers<br> Attn:: Fund Administration<br> 4800 Deer Lake Dr East 3rd Floor<br> Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.65% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.33% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit Of Its<br> Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza FL 12<br> New York, NY 10004-1901<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 15.50% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.16% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class A | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC<br> 2801 Market Street<br> Saint Louis, MO 63103<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.19% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.96% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Clearing Account<br> FBO Of Their Customers<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4151<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.96% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.80% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class C | UBS WM USA<br> SPEC CDY A/C EXL BEN Customers<br> Of UBSFSI<br> 1000 Harbor Blvd<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.44% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.81% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class C | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.06% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.77% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class C | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC<br> 2801 Market Street<br> Saint Louis, MO 63103<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.07% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.96% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class C | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.74% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.58% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class C | LPL Financial<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> Attn: Lindsay O'Toole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 31.40% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.51%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class I | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department<br> 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 28.35% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.40% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class I | UBS Wm USA<br> Spec Cdy A/c Exl Ben Customers<br> Of Ubsfsi<br> 1000 Harbor Blvd<br> Weehawken, NJ 07086<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 18.71% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.81% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class I | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.04% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.77% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class I | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit Of Its<br> Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza FL 12<br> New York, NY 10004-1901<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.61% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.16% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class I | Wells Fargo Clearing Services LLC<br> 2801 Market Street<br> Saint Louis, MO 63103<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 13.97% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.96% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class R6 | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.55% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.58% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class R6 | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.72% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.77% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class R6 | J P Morgan Securities LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit Of<br> Our Customers<br> 4 Chase Metrotech Center<br> Brooklyn, NY 11245<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 74.17% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.25% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class R6 | Ascensus Trust Company FBO<br> Radical Barrels LLC 401(k) P/S Plan<br> PO BOX 10758<br> Fargo, ND 58106<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 15.43% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.03% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department<br> 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 32.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.40% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.96% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.77% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | Oppenheimer & Co Inc. FBO<br> FBO Dennis R Preston Rlvr IRA<br> Preference<br> 15 Prospect Dr<br> Brookfield, CT 06804<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.04% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.02% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.72% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.80%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main St<br> San Francisco, CA 94105<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.96% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.80% |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Class W | LPL Financial<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> Attn: Lindsay O'Toole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.01% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.51% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class A | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> 499 Washington Blvd FL 5<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.95% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.09% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class A | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.43% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.94% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 18.37% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class C | BNYM I S Trust Co Cust IRA FBO<br> Jennifer Renate Young<br> 8 Brookside Dr<br> Douglas, MA 01516-2369<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.77% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class C | BNYM I S Trust Co Cust IRA FBO<br> Deborah M Shaver<br> 453 Badger Rd<br> Mount Solon, VA 22843-0000<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.11% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class C | Matrix Trust Company As Agent For<br> Advisor Trust Inc.<br> Punita Chawla<br> 717 17th Street Suite 1300<br> Denver Co 80202<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.85% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class C | BNYM I S Trust Co Cust Sep IRA FBO<br> Ayrianne P Parks<br> 1346 Monroe St. NE<br> Washington Dc 20017-2509<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.40% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class C | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 211 Main St<br> San Francisco, CA 94105<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 50.52% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.01% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution Income Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.61% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.47% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.56% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.41% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.45% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.50% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.58% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.44%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class R | Ascensus Trust Company FBO<br> Energy Management Specialists Inc.<br> PO BOX 10758<br> Fargo, ND 58106<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 63.04% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.08% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class R | Ascensus Trust Company FBO<br> Tucker Corp 401(k) P/S Plan<br> PO BOX 10758<br> Fargo, ND 58106<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 19.63% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.08% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class R | Ascensus Trust Company FBO<br> Greenberg Enterprises Retirement Pl<br> PO BOX 10758<br> Fargo, ND 58106<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.75% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.08% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Class W | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 94.59% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.94% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution Income Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.51% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.51% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 13.95% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 13.95% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.10% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.10% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Class I | Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio<br> Attn: Voya Operations<br> 7337 E Doubletree Ranch RD, Ste 100<br> Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.79% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.79% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class A | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> 499 Washington Blvd FL 5<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.57% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.96% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class A | Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC<br> For The Exclusive Benefit Of Its<br> Customers<br> 1 New York Plaza FL 12<br> New York, NY 10004-1901<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.23% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.69% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class A | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 24.37% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.58% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class A | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.31% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.58% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class A | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Clearing Account<br> FBO Of Their Customers<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4151<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.78% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 21.72% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class C | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> 499 Washington Blvd FL 5<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310-2010<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.23% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.96%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class C | RBC Capital Markets LLC<br> Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing<br> Attn: Mutual Fund Ops Manager<br> 250 Nicollet Mall Suite 1400<br> Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.60% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.25% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class C | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 34.67% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.58% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class C | Centennial Bank Trust<br> PO BOX 7514<br> Jonesboro, AR 72403<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.77% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.03% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class C | LPL Financial<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> Attn: Lindsay O'Toole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.44% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.74% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department<br> 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.08% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.96% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | Maril & Co FBO 8m<br> Co Reliance Trust Company WI <br> Attn: Mf<br> 4900 W Brown Deer Road<br> Milwaukee, WI 53223<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.88% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4.77% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | RBC Capital Markets LLC<br> Mutual Fund Omnibus Processing<br> Attn: Mutual Fund Ops Manager<br> 250 Nicollet Mall Suite 1400<br> Minneapolis, MN 55401-1931<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.29% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.25% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | American Enterprise Investment Services<br> 707 2nd Ave South<br> Minneapolis, MN 55402-2405<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 9.24% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7.65% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | Raymond James<br> Omnibus For Mutual Funds<br> House Acct Firm<br> Attn: Courtney Waller<br> 880 Carillon Parkway<br> St Petersburg, FL 33716<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 11.89% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.58% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 22.12% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 21.72% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class I | LPL Financial<br> Omnibus Customer Account<br> Attn: Lindsay O'Toole<br> 4707 Executive Drive<br> San Diego, CA 92121<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 15.15% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.74% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class R6 | Pershing LLC<br> 1 Pershing Plaza<br> Jersey City, NJ 07399-0001<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5.27% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2.92% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class R6 | Voya Institutional Trust Company<br> 1 Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095-4773<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 22.99% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3.58%  |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent**<br> **of Class**<br>| **Percent**<br> **of Fund**<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class R6 | DCGT as TTEE and/or Cust<br> FBO PLIC Various Retirement Plans Omnibus<br> Attn: NPIO Trade Desk<br> 711 High Street<br> Des Moines, IA 50392<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 70.74% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1.39% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class W | National Financial Services LLC<br> FBO Our Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds Department<br> 4th Floor<br> 499 Washington Blvd<br> Jersey City, NJ 07310<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 76.21% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.96% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class W | Richard M & Sarah K Hurwitz Tr<br> Hurwitz Rev Living Trust<br> 3288 Stuart St<br> Denver Co 80212-1714<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.26% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0.30% |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Class W | Charles Schwab & Co Inc<br> Special Custody Acct FBO Customers<br> Attn: Mutual Funds<br> 101 Montgomery Street<br> San Francisco, CA 94104-4122<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.48% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 21.72% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Voya Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya Investments serves as the investment adviser to, and has overall responsibility for the management of, each Fund. Voya Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services and assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of each Fund, including, but not limited to, the following: custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services.

Voya Investments began business as an investment adviser in 1994 and currently serves as investment adviser to certain registered investment companies, consisting of open- and closed-end registered investment companies and collateralized loan obligations. Voya Investments is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. Voya Financial, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial institution whose subsidiaries operate in the retirement, investment, and insurance industries.

**Investment Management Agreement** 

The Investment Adviser serves pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Adviser and the Trust on behalf of each Fund. Under the Investment Management Agreement, the Investment Adviser oversees, subject to the authority of the Board, the provision of all investment advisory and portfolio management services for each Fund. In addition, the Investment Adviser provides administrative services reasonably necessary for the ordinary operation of each Fund. The Investment Adviser has delegated certain management responsibilities to one or more Sub-Advisers.

**Investment Management Services** 

Among other things, the Investment Adviser: (i) provides general investment advice and guidance with respect to each Fund and provides advice and guidance to each Fund's Board; (ii) provides the Board with any periodic or special reviews or reporting it requests, including any reports regarding a Sub-Adviser and its investment performance; (iii) oversees management of each Fund's investments and portfolio composition including supervising each Sub-Adviser with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides; (iv) makes available its officers and employees to the Board and officers of the Trust; (v) designates and compensates from its own resources such personnel as the Investment Adviser may consider necessary or appropriate to the performance of its services hereunder; (vi) periodically monitors and evaluates the performance of each Sub-Adviser with respect to the investment objectives and policies of each Fund and performs periodic detailed analysis and review of the Sub-Adviser's investment performance; (vii) reviews, considers and reports on any changes in the personnel of the Sub-Adviser responsible for performing the Sub-Adviser's obligations or any changes in the ownership or senior management of the Sub-Adviser; (viii) performs periodic in-person or telephonic diligence meetings with the Sub-Adviser; (ix) assists the Board and management of each Fund in developing and reviewing information with respect to the initial and subsequent annual approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement(s); (x) monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with the investment objective(s), policies and restrictions of each Fund, the 1940 Act, Subchapter M of the Code, and, if applicable, regulations under these provisions, and other applicable law; (xi) if appropriate, analyzes and recommends for consideration by the Board termination of a contract with a Sub-Adviser; (xii) identifies potential successors to or replacements of a Sub-Adviser or potential additional sub-adviser(s), performs appropriate due diligence, and develops and presents recommendations to the Board; and (xiii) is authorized to exercise full investment discretion and make all determinations with respect to the day-to-day investment of each Fund's assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for each Fund in the event that at any time no sub-adviser is engaged to manage the assets of the Fund.

------

In addition, the Investment Adviser assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of each Fund, including custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services. The Investment Adviser also reviews each Fund for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of each Fund.

**Limitation of Liability** 

The Investment Adviser is not subject to liability to a Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or in connection with, rendering services under the Investment Management Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Investment Management Agreement.

**Continuation and Termination of the Investment Management Agreement** 

After an initial term of two years, the Investment Management Agreement continues in effect from year to year with respect to each Fund so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (i) the Board of Trustees; or (ii) the vote of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act); and provided that such continuance is also approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement by a vote cast either in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, or in reliance on exemptive relief from the SEC that has permitted such approval at virtual meetings held by video or telephone conference subject to certain conditions.

The Investment Management Agreement may be terminated as to a particular Fund at any time without penalty by: (i) the vote of the Board; (ii) the vote of a majority of each Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act) of that Fund; or (iii) the Investment Adviser, on sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the other party. The notice provided for herein may be waived by either party, as a single class, or upon notice given by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act).

**Management Fees** 

The Investment Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement, including executive salaries and expenses of the Trustees and officers of the Trust who are employees of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, except the CCO. The Investment Adviser pays the fees of each Sub-Adviser.

As compensation for its services, each Fund pays the Investment Adviser, expressed as an annual rate, a fee equal to the following as a percentage of each Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly.

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Annual Management Fee** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund<br>| 0.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>Actively Managed Assets</u> <br>1.10% of the Fund's average daily net assets <br><u>Passively Managed Assets</u> <br>0.70% of the Fund's average daily net assets<br>|
| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| 0.85% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1.00% on the first $500 million of the Fund's average daily net assets; <br>0.95% on the next $500 million of the Fund's average daily net assets; and <br>0.90% of the Fund's average daily net assets in excess of $1 billion.<br>|

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With respect to Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, "Actively Managed Assets" shall mean assets which are not "Passively Managed Assets." "Passively Managed Assets" shall mean assets which are managed with a goal of replicating an index.

**Total Investment Management Fees Paid by each Fund** 

During the past three fiscal years, each Fund paid the following investment management fees to the Investment Adviser or its affiliates.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $795992 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1271301 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1411542 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1305053 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1228001 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1301046 |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2091733 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2340805 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3156351 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4613787 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3661920 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2704057 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3414186 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2771585 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2430855 |

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**EXPENSES**

Each Fund's assets may decrease or increase during its fiscal year and each Fund's operating expense ratios may correspondingly increase or decrease.

In addition to the management fee and other fees described previously, each Fund pays other expenses, such as legal, audit, transfer agency and custodian out-of-pocket fees, proxy solicitation costs, and the compensation of Trustees who are not affiliated with the Investment Adviser.

Certain expenses of each Fund are generally allocated to each Fund, and each class of each Fund, in proportion to its pro rata average net assets, provided that expenses that are specific to a class of a Fund may be charged directly to that class in accordance with the Trust's Multiple Class Plan(s) pursuant to Rule 18f-3. However, any Rule 12b-1 Plan fees for each class of shares are charged proportionately only to the outstanding shares of that class.

Certain operating expenses shared by several funds within the Voya family of funds may be allocated amongst those funds based on average net assets.

In addition to payments made to the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and other service providers (including the custodian, independent registered public accounting firm, legal counsel, and transfer agent and dividend paying agent), each Fund may pay service fees to intermediaries such as brokers, financial planners or advisers, banks, and insurance companies, including affiliates of the Investment Adviser, for administration, recordkeeping, and other shareholder services associated with investors whose shares are held of record in omnibus accounts. These financial intermediaries may (though they will not necessarily) provide services including, among other things: processing and mailing trade confirmations; capturing and processing tax data; issuing and mailing dividend checks to shareholders who have selected cash distributions; preparing record date shareholder lists for proxy solicitations; collecting and posting distributions to shareholder accounts; and establishing and maintaining systematic withdrawals and automated investment plans and shareholder account registrations. These additional fees paid by each Fund to intermediaries may take two forms: (i) basis point payments on net assets; and/or (ii) fixed dollar amount payments per shareholder account. These may include payments for 401(K) sub-accounting services, networking fees, and omnibus account servicing fees.

**EXPENSE LIMITATIONS**

As described in the Prospectus, the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and/or Sub-Adviser may have entered into one or more expense limitation agreements with each Fund pursuant to which they have agreed to waive or limit their fees. In connection with such an agreement, the Investment Adviser, Distributor, or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, will assume expenses (excluding certain expenses as discussed below) so that the total annual ordinary operating expenses of a Fund do not exceed the amount specified in the Fund's Prospectus.

**Exclusions** 

Expense limitations do not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses (as defined below), extraordinary expenses, other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by a Fund's Board who are not "interested persons," as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Leverage expenses shall mean fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection with a Fund's use of leverage (including, without limitation, expenses incurred by a Fund in creating, establishing, and maintaining leverage through borrowings or the issuance of preferred shares).

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not covered by any expense limitation agreement.

Prior to March 1, 2026, if an expense limitation permitted recoupment of any expenses reimbursed within 36 months of the waiver or reimbursement and the amount of the recoupment is limited to the lesser of the amounts that would be recoupable under: (i) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement; or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. Reimbursement for fees waived or expenses assumed will only apply to amounts waived or expenses assumed after the effective date of the expense limitation.

**NET FUND FEES WAIVED, REIMBURSED, OR RECOUPED**

The table below shows the net fund expenses reimbursed, waived, and any recoupment, if applicable, by the Investment Adviser and Distributor for the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($259645) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($267262) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($247003) |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($290815) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($288128) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($255636) |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($212382) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($296677) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($910850) |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($270507) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($190873) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($149718) |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($148385) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($341749) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($233542) |

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**Sub-Advisers**

The Investment Adviser has engaged the services of one or more Sub-Advisers to provide sub-advisory services to each Fund and, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, has delegated certain management responsibilities to a Sub-Adviser. The Investment Adviser monitors and evaluates the performance of any Sub-Adviser.

A Sub-Adviser provides, subject to the supervision of the Board and the Investment Adviser, a continuous investment program for each Fund and determines the composition of the assets of each Fund, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash and other investments for the Fund, in accordance with the Fund's investment objectives, policies and restrictions and applicable laws and regulations.

**Limitation of Liability** 

A Sub-Adviser is not subject to liability to a Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or in connection with, rendering services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

**Continuation and Termination of the Sub-Advisory Agreement** 

After an initial term of two years, the Sub-Advisory Agreement continues in effect from year-to-year so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (i) the Board; or (ii) the vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act); provided, that the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated as to a particular Fund without penalty upon sixty (60) days' written notice by: (i) the Board; (ii) the majority vote of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant Fund; (iii) the Investment Adviser; or (iv) the Sub-Adviser upon 60-90 days' written notice, depending on the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement. The Sub-Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment or in the event of the termination of the Investment Management Agreement.

**Sub-Advisory Fees** 

The Sub-Adviser receives compensation from the Investment Adviser at the annual rate of a specified percentage of each Fund's average daily net assets, as indicated below. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. The Sub-Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. This table should be read in conjunction with the section below entitled "Aggregation."

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Sub-Adviser** | **Annual Sub-Advisory Fee** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Voya IM | 0.18% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | Voya IM | 0.23% of the Fund's average daily net assets. |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Nomura <br> Investments <br> Fund <br> Advisers <br> ("NIFA")<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For information on the Fund's annual sub-advisory fee rate, please <br> see the paragraph immediately following this table.<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Sustainable <br> Growth <br> Advisers, <br> LP (" SGA")<br>|  |
|  | Voya IM |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Acadian <br> Asset <br> Management <br> LLC <br> ("Acadian")<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For information on the Fund's annual sub-advisory fee rate, please <br> see the paragraph immediately following this table.<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lazard <br> Asset <br> Management <br> LLC <br> ("Lazard")<br>|  |

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Sub-Adviser** | **Annual Sub-Advisory Fee** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Investment <br> Management <br> Co. LLC and <br> Voya <br> Investment <br> Management <br> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(UK) <br> Limited <br> (together <br> "Voya IM")<br>|  |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Wellington <br> Management <br> Company <br> LLP <br> ("Wellington <br> Management")<br>|  |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap <br> Fund<br>| Acadian | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; For information on the Fund's annual sub-advisory fee rate, please <br> see the paragraph immediately following this table.<br>|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Victory <br> Capital <br> Management <br> Inc. <br> ("Victory <br> Capital")<br>|  |

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**Aggregation**

For sub-advisory services rendered during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, for Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, the Investment Adviser paid (i) Voya IM, an affiliate of the Investment Adviser, sub-advisory fees of $385,692, which represented approximately 0.187% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year, and (ii) NIFA and SGA, each an unaffiliated sub-adviser, aggregate sub-advisory fees of $653,142, which represented approximately 0.317% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year. For purposes of calculating the annual sub-advisory fees, the assets of Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund are aggregated with assets for Voya VACS EME Fund.

For sub-advisory services rendered during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, for Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, the Investment Adviser paid (i) Voya IM, an affiliate of the Investment Adviser, sub-advisory fees of $503,537, which represented approximately 0.093% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year, and (ii) Acadian, Lazard and Wellington Management (and former sub-adviser to the Fund, Polaris Capital Management, LLC), each an unaffiliated sub-adviser, aggregate sub-advisory fees of $2,915,427, which represented approximately 0.444% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year.

For sub-advisory services rendered during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, for Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund, the Investment Adviser paid Acadian and Victory Capital, each an unaffiliated sub-adviser, aggregate sub-advisory fees of $1,662,119, which represented approximately 0.488% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year.

**Total Sub-Advisory Fees Paid** 

The following table sets forth the sub-advisory fees paid by the Investment Adviser for the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $286803 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $458302 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $508013 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $600260 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $565312 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $598584 |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1038834 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1131908 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1476941 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2915427 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2205989 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2306622 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1662119 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1364585 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1198038 |

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**PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT**

**Other Accounts Managed** 

The following tables set forth the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts managed by each portfolio manager as of October 31, 2025:

**Acadian**

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D.** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| 12 | $9886332997<br>95<sup>1</sup> | $44090924872<br>224<sup>2</sup> | $111771479846 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| 12 | $9886332997<br>95<sup>1</sup> | $44090924872<br>224<sup>2</sup> | $111771479846 |
| **Fanesca Young, Ph.D, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| 12 | $9886332997<br>95<sup>1</sup> | $44090924872<br>224<sup>2</sup> | $111771479846 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| 12 | $9886332997<br>95<sup>1</sup> | $44090924872<br>224<sup>2</sup> | $111771479846 |

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17 of these accounts with total assets of $6,406,864,683 have performance-based advisory fees.

28 of these accounts with total assets of $17,179,382,766 have performance-based advisory fees.

For all equity products offered by the firm, including the subject strategy, Acadian manages a single process that is custom-tailored to the objectives of its clients. The professionals shown above function as part of an investment team of 24 portfolio managers, all of whom are responsible for working with the dedicated research team to develop and apply quantitative techniques to evaluate securities and markets and for final quality-control review of portfolios to ensure mandate compliance. The data shown for these managers reflect firm-level numbers of accounts and assets under management, segregated by investment vehicle type. Not reflected: $1,388 million in model advisory contracts where Acadian does not have trading authority.

Acadian has been appointed as adviser or sub-adviser to numerous public and private funds domiciled in the U.S. and abroad. Acadian is not an investment company and does not directly offer mutual funds. The asset data shown under "Registered Investment Companies" reflects Advisory and sub-advisory relationships with U.S. registered investment companies offering funds to retail investors. The asset data shown under "Other Pooled Investment Vehicles" reflects a combination of; 1) Advisory and sub-advisory relationships with U.S. registered investment companies offering funds to retail investors or U.S. collective investment trusts; 2) Delaware- or Cayman-based private funds where Acadian has been appointed adviser or sub-adviser; and 3) Non-U.S.-based funds where Acadian has been appointed adviser or sub-adviser.

**Lazard**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Robert Failla, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 4 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2239336032 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $821996677 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 13 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2565769215 |
| **Louis Florentin-Lee, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 14 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $26599625632 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 18 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4670915509 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 102<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $19770432988 |
| **Barnaby Wilson, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2534436406 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 17 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4495851588 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 45<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $11374016981 |

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Two of these accounts with total assets of $76,792,932 have a performance-based advisory fee.

**NIFA**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Liu-Er Chen, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10075487542 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $284162630 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1117412794 |

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**SGA**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **HK Gupta** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 7 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $9265329857 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 23 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8222701276 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 43 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1643845832 |
| **Alexandra Lee** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 5 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1215413330 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 18 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7019634615 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 16 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1034938858 |
| **Kishore Rao** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $9569345967 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 26 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8428875989 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 44 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1643952545 |

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**Victory Capital**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **John W. Evers, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4662708653 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1023039097 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $752308436 |
| **Daniel B. LeVan, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4316048108 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1023039097 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $752308436 |

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One of these accounts with total assets of $346,660,544 has a performance-based advisory fee.

**Voya IM**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Sean Banai, CFA** | Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 10 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $14670428615 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 110 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5640226673 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 130<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $27570703115 |
| **Mark Buccigross** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 20 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $17352909739 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| **Sanne V. De Boer** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1064764859 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| **Steve Gao, PhD, CFA, FRM**<sup>2</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| **Rajen Jadav, CFA** | Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 14 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $699782481 |
| **Anuranjan Sharma** | Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $212117533 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| **Russell Shtern, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 14 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4155219749 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 1 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1553 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7989447 |
| **Vinay Viralam, CFA** | Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1471632935 |
| **Kai Yee Wong** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 40 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $21883007645 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $953207218 |

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One of these accounts with total assets of $306,923,891 has a performance-based advisory fee.

Added as a portfolio manager October 31, 2025.

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**Voya Investments**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 54 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $15511850994 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $517362593 |
| **Barbara Reinhard, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund <br>Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 55 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $15886729151 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 13 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8208621428 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $517362593 |

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One of these accounts with total assets of $1,199,037,319 has a performance-based advisory fee.

**Wellington Management**

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

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Tara Connolly Stilwell, CFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5005527871 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4312235805<br>&nbsp;&nbsp; 17<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $6197487605 |

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One of these accounts with total assets of $276,351,328 has a performance-based advisory fees.

**Potential Material Conflicts of Interest**

**Acadian** 

A conflict of interest may arise as a result of a portfolio manager being responsible for multiple accounts, including the Fund, which may have different investment guidelines and objectives. In addition to the Fund, these accounts may include other mutual funds managed on an advisory or sub-advisory basis, separate account(s), and collective trust accounts. An investment opportunity may be suitable for the Fund as well as for any of the other managed accounts. However, the investment may not be available in sufficient quantity for all of the accounts to participate fully. In addition, there may be limited opportunity to sell an investment held by the Fund and the other accounts. The other accounts may have similar investment objectives or strategies as the Fund, they may track the same benchmarks or indices as the Fund tracks, and they may sell securities that are eligible to be held, sold or purchased by the Fund. A portfolio manager may be responsible for accounts that have different advisory fee schedules, which may create the incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another in terms of access to investment opportunities. A portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose investment objectives and policies differ from those of the Fund, which may cause the portfolio manager to effect trading in one account that may have an adverse effect on the value of the holdings within another account, including the Fund.

To address and manage these potential conflicts of interest, Acadian has adopted compliance policies and procedures to allocate investment opportunities and to ensure that each of its clients is treated on a fair and equitable basis. Such policies and procedures include, but are not limited to, trade allocation and trade aggregation policies, portfolio manager assignment practices and oversight by investment management and the Compliance Team.

**Lazard** 

Although the potential for conflicts of interest exist when an investment adviser and portfolio managers manage other accounts that invest in securities in which the Fund may invest or that may pursue a strategy similar to one of the Fund's component strategies (collectively, "Similar Accounts"), Lazard has procedures in place that are designed to ensure that all accounts are treated fairly and that the Fund is not disadvantaged, including procedures regarding trade allocations and "conflicting trades" (e.g., long and short positions in the same or similar securities). In addition, the Fund, is subject to different regulations than certain of the Similar Accounts, and, consequently, may not be permitted to engage in all the investment techniques or transactions, or to engage in such techniques or transactions to the same degree, as the Similar Accounts.

Potential conflicts of interest may arise because of Lazard's management of the Fund and Similar Accounts, including the following:

1. Similar Accounts may have investment objectives, strategies and risks that differ from those of the Fund. In addition, the Fund is subject to different regulations than certain of the Similar Accounts and, consequently, may not be permitted to invest in the same securities, exercise rights to exchange or convert securities or engage in all the investment techniques or transactions, or to invest,

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exercise or engage to the same degree, as the Similar Accounts. For these or other reasons, the portfolio managers may purchase different securities for the Fund and the corresponding Similar Accounts, and the performance of securities purchased for the Fund may vary from the performance of securities purchased for Similar Accounts, perhaps materially.

2. Conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of limited investment opportunities, as the Lazard may be perceived as causing accounts they manage to participate in an offering to increase the Lazard's overall allocation of securities in that offering, or to increase Lazard's ability to participate in future offerings by the same underwriter or issuer. Allocations of bunched trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially filled due to limited availability, and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as Lazard may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to preferred accounts. Initial public offerings, in particular, are frequently of very limited availability. A potential conflict of interest may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in a different account, such as when a purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by the other account, or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account.

3. Portfolio managers may be perceived to have a conflict of interest because of the large number of Similar Accounts, in addition to the Fund, that they are managing on behalf of Lazard. Although Lazard does not track each individual portfolio manager's time dedicated to each account, Lazard periodically reviews each portfolio manager's overall responsibilities to ensure that he or she is able to allocate the necessary time and resources to effectively manage the Fund.

4. Generally, Lazard and the Fund's portfolio managers have investments in Similar Accounts. This could be viewed as creating a potential conflict of interest, since certain of the portfolio managers do not invest in the Fund.

5. Certain portfolio managers manage Similar Accounts with respect to which the advisory fee is based on the performance of the account, which could give the portfolio managers and Lazard an incentive to favor such Similar Accounts over the corresponding Fund.

6. The Fund's portfolio managers may place transactions on behalf of Similar Accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made for the Fund, which could have the potential to adversely impact the Fund, depending on market conditions. In addition, if the Fund's investment in an issuer is at a different level of the issuer's capital structure than an investment in the issuer by Similar Accounts, in the event of credit deterioration of the issuer, there may be a conflict of interest between the Fund's and such Similar Accounts' investments in the issuer. If Lazard sells securities short it may be seen as harmful to the performance of the Fund investing "long" in the same or similar securities whose market values fall as a result of short-selling activities.

7. Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those of the other fund and Similar Accounts. If, however, such other funds or Similar Accounts desire to invest in, or dispose of, the same securities as the Fund, available investments or opportunities for sales will be allocated equitably to each. In some cases, this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position obtained for or disposed of by the Fund or the price paid or received by the Fund.

8. Under Lazard's trade allocation procedures applicable to domestic and foreign initial and secondary public offerings and Rule 144A transactions (collectively herein a "Limited Offering"), Lazard will generally allocate Limited Offering shares among client accounts, including the Fund, pro rata based upon the aggregate asset size (excluding leverage) of the account. Lazard may also allocate Limited Offering shares on a random basis, as selected electronically, or other basis. It is often difficult for Lazard to obtain a sufficient number of Limited Offering shares to provide a full allocation to each account. Lazard's allocation procedures are designed to allocate Limited Offering securities in a fair and equitable manner.

In some cases, Lazard may seek to limit the number of overlapping investments by similar funds (securities of an issuer held in more than one fund) or may choose different securities for one or more fund that employ similar investment strategies (for example, a concentrated versus a diversified fund) so that shareholders invested in such fund may achieve a more diverse investment experience. In such cases, the Fund may be disadvantaged by Lazard's decision to purchase or maintain an investment in one fund to the exclusion of one or more other fund (including a decision to sell the investment in one fund so that it may be purchased by another fund).

Lazard and its affiliates and others involved in the management, investment activities, business operations or distribution of the Fund or its shares, as applicable, are engaged in businesses and have interests other than that of managing the Fund. These activities and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other interests in securities, instruments and companies that may be directly or indirectly purchased or sold by the Fund or the Fund's service providers, which may cause conflicts that could disadvantage the Fund.

**NIFA** 

Individual portfolio managers may perform investment management services for other funds or accounts similar to those provided to the Fund, and the investment action for such other fund or account and the Fund may differ. For example, an account or fund may be selling a security, while another account or fund may be purchasing or holding the same security. As a result, transactions executed for one fund or account may adversely affect the value of securities held by another fund, account or the Fund. Additionally, the management of multiple other funds or accounts and the Fund may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, as a portfolio manager must allocate time and effort to multiple other funds or accounts and the Fund. A portfolio manager may discover an investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one account or fund. The investment opportunity may be limited, however, so that all funds or accounts for which the investment would be suitable may not be able to participate. NIFA and its affiliates have established proprietary accounts and initial seed accounts, and also manage accounts for affiliated entities. A portfolio manager also may have invested in certain funds or accounts managed by

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NIFA. Accordingly, portfolio managers have an incentive to favor these accounts or funds over other client accounts or funds. NIFA has adopted procedures designed to allocate investments fairly across multiple funds and accounts including, unless prohibited by applicable law, proprietary and affiliated accounts.

A portfolio manager's management of personal accounts also may present certain conflicts of interest. While NIFA's code of ethics is designed to address these potential conflicts, there is no guarantee that it will do so. When NIFA and its affiliates establish proprietary accounts, provide the initial seed capital in connection with the creation of a new investment product or style, and manage affiliate accounts, these accounts may not exhibit the same performance results as a similarly managed fund for a variety of reasons, including regulatory restrictions on the type and amount of securities in which the proprietary capital invests, differential credit and financing terms, and the use of hedging transactions that differ from those used to implement investment strategies for advisory clients.

**SGA** 

SGA has adopted policies and procedures that address potential conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager's management of the Fund and his or her management of other funds and accounts, such as conflicts relating to the allocation of investment opportunities, trade aggregation and allocation, personal investing activities, portfolio manager compensation and proxy voting of portfolio securities. While there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be effective in all cases, SGA believes that all issues relating to potential material conflicts of interest involving the Fund and its other managed accounts have been addressed.

**Victory Capital** 

Victory Capital's portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more mutual funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than the Fund and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager also may make personal investments in accounts they manage or support. The side-by-side management of the Fund along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less liquid securities or initial public offerings; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, to assist in the investment decision-making process for its clients, including the Fund, Victory Capital may use brokerage commissions generated from securities transactions to obtain research and/or brokerage services from broker-dealers. Thus, Victory Capital may have an incentive to select a broker that provides research through the use of brokerage, rather than paying for execution only. Certain other trading practices, such as cross-trading between the funds or between the Fund and another account, also may raise conflict of interest issues. Victory Capital has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics and brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Victory Capital has a designated Chief Compliance Officer (selected in accordance with the federal securities laws) and compliance staff whose activities are focused on monitoring the activities of Victory Capital's investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that Victory Capital's compliance program will achieve its intended result.

**Voya IM and Voya Investments** 

A portfolio manager may be subject to potential conflicts of interest because the portfolio manager is responsible for other accounts in addition to the Funds. These other accounts may include, among others, other mutual funds, separately managed advisory accounts, commingled trust accounts, insurance separate accounts, wrap fee programs, and hedge funds. Potential conflicts may arise out of the implementation of differing investment strategies for the portfolio manager's various accounts, the allocation of investment opportunities among those accounts or differences in the advisory fees paid by the portfolio manager's accounts.

A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of the portfolio manager's accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity. Similar conflicts may arise when multiple accounts seek to dispose of the same investment.

A portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose objectives and policies differ from those of the Funds. These differences may be such that under certain circumstances, trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may have adverse consequences for another account managed by the portfolio manager. For example, if an account were to sell a significant position in a security, which could cause the market price of that security to decrease, while a Fund maintained its position in that security.

A potential conflict may arise when a portfolio manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees – the difference in the fees may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to particularly appealing investment opportunities. This conflict may be heightened where an account is subject to a performance-based fee.

As part of its compliance program, Voya IM has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to address the potential conflicts of interest described above.

Finally, a potential conflict of interest may arise because the investment mandates for certain other accounts, such as hedge funds, may allow extensive use of short sales which, in theory, could allow them to enter into short positions in securities where other accounts hold long positions. Voya IM has policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit and monitor short sales by the other accounts to avoid harm to the Funds.

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**Wellington Management** 

Individual investment professionals at Wellington Management manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions such as pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, or separately managed account programs sponsored by financial intermediaries), bank common trust accounts, and hedge funds. The Fund's portfolio manager(s) listed in the prospectus who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund generally manage accounts in several different investment styles. These accounts may have investment objectives, strategies, time horizons, tax considerations, and risk profiles that differ from those of the Fund. A portfolio manager makes investment decisions for each account, including the Fund, based on the investment objectives, policies, practices, benchmarks, cash flows, tax, and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that account. Consequently, a portfolio manager may purchase or sell securities, including IPOs, for one account and not another account, and the performance of securities purchased for one account may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other accounts. Alternatively, these accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Fund and thus the accounts may have similar, and in some cases nearly identical, objectives, strategies and/or holdings to that of the Fund.

A portfolio manager or other investment professionals at Wellington Management may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Fund depending on market conditions. For example, an investment professional may purchase a security in one account while appropriately selling that same security in another account. Similarly, a portfolio manager may purchase the same security for the Fund and one or more other accounts at or about the same time. In those instances the other accounts will have access to their respective holdings prior to the public disclosure of the Fund's holdings. In addition, some of these accounts have fee structures, including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher, in some cases significantly higher, than the fees Wellington Management receives for managing the Fund. A portfolio manager also manages accounts which pay performance allocations to Wellington Management or its affiliates. Because incentive payments paid by Wellington Management to a portfolio manager are tied to revenues earned by Wellington Management and, where noted, to the performance achieved by the manager in each account, the incentives associated with any given account may be significantly higher or lower than those associated with other accounts managed by a given portfolio manager. Finally, a portfolio manager may hold shares or investments in the other pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts identified above.

Wellington Management's goal is to meet its fiduciary obligation to treat all clients fairly and provide high-quality investment services to all of its clients. Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures, including brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Wellington Management monitors a variety of areas, including compliance with primary account guidelines, the allocation of IPOs, and compliance with the firm's Code of Ethics, and places additional investment restrictions on investment professionals who manage hedge funds and certain other accounts. Furthermore, senior investment and business personnel at Wellington Management periodically review the performance of Wellington Management's investment professionals. Although Wellington Management does not track the time an investment professional spends on a single account, Wellington Management does periodically assess whether an investment professional has adequate time and resources to effectively manage the investment professional's various client mandates.

**Compensation**

**Acadian** 

Compensation structure varies among professionals, although the basic package involves a generous base salary, strong bonus potential, profit sharing potential, various fringe benefits, and, among the majority of senior investment professionals and certain other key employees, equity ownership in the firm as part of the Acadian Key Employee Limited Partnership.

Compensation is highly incentive-driven, with Acadian paying up to and sometimes in excess of 100% of base pay for performance bonuses. Bonuses are tied directly to the individual's contribution and performance during the year, with members of the investment team evaluated on such factors as their contributions to the investment process, account retention, portfolio performance, asset growth, and overall firm performance. Since portfolio management is a team approach, investment team members' compensation is not linked to the performance of specific accounts but rather to the individual's overall contribution to the success of the team and the firm's profitability.

**Lazard** 

The portfolio managers are generally responsible for managing multiple types of accounts that may, or may not, invest in securities in which the Fund may invest or pursue a strategy similar to the Fund's strategies. Portfolio managers responsible for managing the Fund may also manage sub-advised registered investment companies, collective investment trusts, unregistered funds and/or other pooled investment vehicles, separate accounts, separately managed account programs (often referred to as "wrap accounts") and model portfolios.

Lazard compensates portfolio managers by a competitive salary and bonus structure, which is determined both quantitatively and qualitatively. Salary and bonus are paid in cash, stock and restricted interests in funds managed by Lazard or its affiliates. Portfolio managers are compensated on the performance of the aggregate group of portfolios managed by the teams of which they are a member rather than for a specific fund or account. Various factors are considered in the determination of a portfolio manager's compensation. All of the funds managed by a portfolio manager are comprehensively evaluated to determine his or her positive and consistent performance contribution over time. Further factors include the amount of assets in the funds as well as qualitative aspects that reinforce Lazard's investment philosophy.

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Total compensation is generally not fixed, but rather is based on the following factors: (i) leadership, teamwork and commitment, (ii) maintenance of current knowledge and opinions on companies owned in the portfolio; (iii) generation and development of new investment ideas, including the quality of security analysis and identification of appreciation catalysts; (iv) ability and willingness to develop and share ideas on a team basis; and (v) the performance results of the portfolios managed by the investment teams of which the portfolio manager is a member.

Variable bonus is based on the portfolio manager's quantitative performance as measured by his or her ability to make investment decisions that contribute to the pre-tax absolute and relative returns of the accounts managed by the teams of which the portfolio manager is a member, by comparison of each account to a predetermined benchmark, generally as set forth in the prospectus or other governing document, over the current fiscal year and the longer-term performance of such account, as well as performance of the account relative to peers. The portfolio manager's bonus also can be influenced by subjective measurement of the manager's ability to help others make investment decisions. A portion of a portfolio manager's variable bonus is awarded under a deferred compensation arrangement pursuant to which the portfolio manager may allocate certain amounts awarded among certain funds or Other Accounts, in shares that vest in two to three years. Certain portfolio managers' bonus compensation may be tied to a fixed percentage of revenue or assets generated by the accounts managed by such portfolio management teams.

**NIFA** 

The portfolio manager's compensation consists of the following:

<u>Base Salary</u>. Each named portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary. Salaries are determined by a comparison to industry data prepared by third parties to ensure that portfolio manager salaries are in line with salaries paid at peer investment advisory firms.

<u>Bonus</u>. The portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus. The bonus pool is determined by the revenues associated with the products the portfolio manager manages. NIFA keeps a percentage of the revenues and the remaining percentage of revenues (minus appropriate expenses associated with relevant product and the investment management team) creates the "bonus pool" for the product. Various members of the team have the ability to earn a percentage of the bonus pool with the most senior contributor generally having the largest share. The pool is allotted based on subjective factors (50%) and objective factors (50%). The primary objective factor is the one-, three- and five-year performance of the funds managed relative to the performance of the appropriate Morningstar, Inc. peer groups and the performance of institutional composites relative to the appropriate indices. Three- and five-year performance are weighted more heavily and there is no objective award for a fund whose performance falls below the 50th percentile for a given time period.

Individual allocations of the bonus pool are based on individual performance measurements, both objective and subjective, as determined by senior management.

Portfolio managers participate in the following retention programs for alignment of interest purposes.

<u>Nomura Notional Fund Unit (NFU)</u>. A portion of a portfolio manager's discretionary bonus may be notionally aligned with the performance of certain funds pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Notional Fund Unit Award Agreement. In general, the award will vest in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.

<u>Nomura Restricted Stock Unit (RSU)</u>. A portion of a portfolio manager's discretionary bonus may be granted in RSUs pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Global Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, which is used to deliver remuneration in the form of Nomura equity. In general, vesting and delivery of shares will be in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.

<u>Other Compensation</u>. Portfolio managers may also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all similarly situated employees.

**SGA** 

SGA has adopted a system of compensation for portfolio managers that seeks to align the financial interests of the investment professionals with those of SGA. The compensation of each of SGA's three principals/portfolio managers is based upon (i) a fixed base compensation and (ii) SGA's financial performance. SGA's compensation arrangements with its investment professionals are not determined on the basis of specific funds or accounts managed by the investment professional. Additionally, most members of the investment team are equity owners in the firm and are entitled to their proportional participation in the firm's profits. A substantial portion of total compensation of investment professionals is expected to come from the equity participation in SGA. All investment professionals receive customary benefits that are offered generally to all salaried employees of SGA.

**Victory Capital** 

Victory Capital has designed the structure of its portfolio managers' compensation to (1) align portfolio managers' interests with those of Victory Capital's clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help Victory Capital attract and retain high-quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to Victory Capital's overall financial success.

Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing the Fund, separate accounts, other investment companies, pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (including any accounts for which Victory Capital receives a performance fee) (together, "Accounts"). A portfolio manager's base salary is dependent on the manager's level of experience and expertise. Victory Capital monitors each manager's base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various independent third-party consultants that specialize in competitive salary information. Such data, however, is not considered to be a definitive benchmark.

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Each of the investment franchises employed by Victory Capital may earn incentive compensation based on a percentage of Victory Capital's revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer or senior member of each team, in coordination with Victory Capital, determines the allocation of the incentive compensation earned by the team among the team's portfolio managers by establishing a "target" incentive for each portfolio manager based on the manager's level of experience and expertise in the manager's investment style. Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection, asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to Victory Capital's philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio manager's portfolio or client accounts relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one, three and five year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of similarly-managed competitors.

Victory Capital's portfolio managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of Victory Capital's parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility for participation in these incentive programs depends on the manager's performance and seniority.

**Voya IM and Voya Investments** 

Compensation consists of: (i) a fixed base salary; (ii) a bonus, which is based on Voya IM performance, one-, three-, and five-year pre-tax performance of the accounts the portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for relative to account benchmarks, peer universe performance, and revenue growth and net cash flow growth (changes in the accounts' net assets not attributable to changes in the value of the accounts' investments) of the accounts they are responsible for; and (iii) long-term equity awards tied to the performance of our parent company, Voya Financial, Inc. and/or a notional investment in a pre-defined set of Voya IM sub-advised funds.

Portfolio managers are also eligible to receive an annual cash incentive award delivered in some combination of cash and a deferred award in the form of Voya stock. The overall design of the annual incentive plan was developed to tie pay to both performance and cash flows, structured in such a way as to drive performance and promote retention of top talent. As with base salary compensation, individual target awards are determined and set based on external market data and internal comparators. Investment performance is measured on both relative and absolute performance in all areas.

The measures for each team are outlined on a "scorecard" that is reviewed on an annual basis. These scorecards measure investment performance versus benchmark and peer groups over one-, three-, and five-year periods and year-to-date net cash flow (changes in the accounts' net assets not attributable to changes in the value of the accounts' investments) for all accounts managed by each team. The results for overall Voya IM scorecards are typically calculated on an asset weighted performance basis of the individual team scorecards.

Investment professionals' performance measures for bonus determinations are weighted by 25% being attributable to the overall Voya IM performance and 75% attributable to their specific team results (65% investment performance, 5% net cash flow, and 5% revenue growth).

Voya IM's long-term incentive plan is designed to provide ownership-like incentives to reward continued employment and to link long-term compensation to the financial performance of the business. Based on job function, internal comparators, and external market data, employees may be granted long-term awards. All senior investment professionals participate in the long-term compensation plan. Participants receive annual awards determined by the management committee based largely on investment performance and contribution to firm performance. Plan awards are based on the current year's performance as defined by the Voya IM component of the annual incentive plan. Awards typically include a combination of performance shares, which vest ratably over a three-year period, and Voya restricted stock and/or a notional investment in a predefined set of Voya IM sub-advised funds, each subject to a three-year cliff-vesting schedule.

If a portfolio manager's base salary compensation exceeds a particular threshold, he or she may participate in Voya's deferred compensation plan. The plan provides an opportunity to invest deferred amounts of compensation in mutual funds, Voya stock, or at an annual fixed interest rate. Deferral elections are done on an annual basis and the amount of compensation deferred is irrevocable.

For the Funds, Voya IM has defined the following indices as the benchmark indices for the investment team:

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Portfolio Manager** | **Benchmark** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Sean Banai, CFA, Rajen Jadav, CFA, Anuranjan <br> Sharma and Vinay Viralam, CFA<br>| Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund<br>| Steve Gao, PhD, CFA, FRM, Russell Shtern, CFA <br> and Kai Yee Wong<br>| MSCI All Country World Index<sup>SM</sup> |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA, Mark Buccigross, <br> Barbara Reinhard, CFA and Kai Yee Wong<br>| MSCI ACWI ex USA Index<sup>SM</sup> |
| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA, Sanne V. De Boer, <br> Barbara Reinhard, CFA, Russell Shtern, CFA and <br> Kai Yee Wong<br>| MSCI ACWI ex USA Index<sup>SM</sup> |

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**Wellington Management** 

Wellington Management receives a fee based on the assets under management of the Fund as set forth in the Investment Sub-advisory Agreement between Wellington Management and the Adviser on behalf of the Fund. Wellington Management pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to the Fund. The following information is as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

Wellington Management's compensation structure is designed to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals necessary to deliver high-quality investment management services to its clients. Wellington Management's compensation of the Fund's managers listed in the prospectus who are primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund (the "Investment Professional"), includes a base salary and incentive components. The base salary for each Investment Professional who is a partner (a "Partner") of Wellington Management Group LLP, the ultimate holding company of Wellington Management, is generally a fixed amount that is determined by the managing partners of Wellington Management Group LLP. Each Investment Professional is eligible to receive an incentive payment based on the revenues earned by Wellington Management from the Fund managed by the Investment Professional and generally each other account managed by such Investment Professional. The Investment Professional's incentive payment relating to the Fund is linked to the gross pre-tax performance of the portion of the Fund managed by the Investment Professional compared to the benchmark index and/or peer group identified below over one-, three-, and five-year periods, with an emphasis on five-year results. Wellington Management applies similar incentive compensation structures (although the benchmarks or peer groups, time periods and rates may differ) to other accounts managed by the Investment Professional, including accounts with performance fees.

Portfolio-based incentives across all accounts managed by an investment professional can, and typically do, represent a significant portion of an investment professional's overall compensation; incentive compensation varies significantly by individual and from year to year. The investment professionals may also be eligible for bonus payments based on their overall contribution to Wellington Management's business operations. Senior management at Wellington Management may reward individuals as it deems appropriate based on other factors. Each Partner is eligible to participate in a Partner-funded tax qualified retirement plan, the contributions to which are made pursuant to an actuarial formula.

Ms. Stilwell is a Partner at Wellington Management.

For the Fund, Wellington Management has defined the following index as the benchmark index for the investment team:

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Portfolio Manager** | **Benchmark** |
| Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| Tara Connolly Stilwell, CFA | MSCI ACWI ex USA Index<sup>SM</sup> <br>|

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**Ownership of Securities** 

The following table shows the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by each portfolio manager (including investments by his/her immediate family members) and amounts invested through retirement and deferred compensation plans as of October 31, 2025.

In addition, certain Voya IM and Voya Investments portfolio managers may be required to defer a portion of their compensation into an account that tracks the performance of investment options, including certain Voya mutual funds, chosen by the portfolio managers as part of their participation in Voya's deferred compensation plan and/or other targeted compensation programs. This deferral will not cause a direct purchase or sale of Fund shares by the Portfolio Manager, but the NAV of the Fund shares will determine the cash amount to be paid under any vesting provisions when the portfolio manager realizes his/her compensation. To the extent these Voya IM and Voya Investments portfolio managers voluntarily disclose amounts such portfolio managers have allocated to an investment option that tracks the performance of Fund(s) that the portfolio manager manages, the amounts are reflected in a footnote to the table below, in each case as of October 31, 2025.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio** <br>**Manager**<br>| **Investment Adviser or** <br>**Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund(s) Managed by the** <br>**Portfolio Manager**<br>| **Dollar Range of Fund** <br>**Shares Owned**<br>|
| Sean Banai, CFA | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA<sup>1</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | $1-$10000 |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA<sup>1</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA<sup>1</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |
| Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D. | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Brendan O. Bradley, Ph.D. | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |
| Mark Buccigross | Voya IM | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA | NIFA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |
| Sanne V. De Boer | Voya U.K | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| John W. Evers, CFA | Victory Capital | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |
| Robert Failla, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Louis Florentin-Lee, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Steve Gao, PhD, CFA, <br> FRM<sup>2</sup><br>| Voya IM | Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund |  |
| HK Gupta | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |

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------

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio** <br> **Manager**<br>| **Investment Adviser or**<br> **Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund(s) Managed by the** <br> **Portfolio Manager**<br>| **Dollar Range of Fund**<br> **Shares Owned**<br>|
| Rajen Jadav, CFA | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund |  |
| Alexandra Lee | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |
| Daniel B. LeVan, CFA | Victory Capital | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |
| Kishore Rao | SGA | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA<sup>3</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | $10001-$50000 |
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA<sup>3</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | $1-$10000 |
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA<sup>3</sup> | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser) | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |
| Anuranjan Sharma | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund |  |
| Russell Shtern, CFA<sup>4</sup> | Voya U.K | Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | $1-$10000 |
| Russell Shtern, CFA<sup>4</sup> | Voya U.K | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Tara Connolly Stilwell, CFA | Wellington Management | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Vinay Viralam, CFA | Voya IM | Voya Global Bond Fund |  |
| Barnaby Wilson, CFA | Lazard | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund |  |
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund |  |
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Fanesca Young, Ph.D, CFA | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |
| Fanesca Young, Ph.D, CFA | Acadian | Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund |  |

---

In addition to the investments shown in this table, Mr. Blair has allocated a dollar range of $1-$10,000 in Fund shares to an investment option that tracks the performance of Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund.

Added as a portfolio manager October 31, 2025.

In addition to the investments shown in this table, Ms. Reinhard has allocated a dollar range of $10,001-$50,000 in Fund shares to an investment option that tracks the performance of Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund and a dollar range of $1-$10,000 in Fund shares to an investment option that tracks the performance of Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund.

In addition to the investments shown in this table, Mr. Shtern has allocated a dollar range of $1-$10,000 in Fund shares to an investment option that tracks the performance of Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund.

**PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER**

The Distributor, a Delaware limited liability company, is the principal underwriter and distributor of each Fund. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. The Distributor's principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. Shares of each Fund are offered on a continuous basis. As principal underwriter, the Distributor has agreed to use its best efforts to distribute the shares of each Fund, although it is not obligated to sell any particular amount of shares.

The Distributor is responsible for all of its expenses in providing services pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, including the costs of printing and distributing prospectuses and SAIs for prospective shareholders and such other sales literature, reports, forms, advertising, and any other marketing efforts by the Distributor in connection with the distribution or sale of the shares. The Distributor does not receive compensation for providing services under the Distribution Agreement, but may be compensated or reimbursed for all or a portion of such expenses to the extent permitted under a Rule 12b-1 Plan.

The Distribution Agreement may be continued from year to year if approved annually by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Fund and by a vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Distributor, or the Trust or parties to the Distribution Agreement, appearing in person at a meeting called for the purpose of approving such Agreement.

The Distribution Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment, and may be terminated at any time on sixty (60) days' written notice by the Trustees or the Distributor or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund without the payment of any penalty.

------

**Commissions and Compensation Received by the Principal Underwriter** 

The following table shows all commissions and other compensation received by the Principal Underwriter, who is an affiliated person of each Fund or an affiliated person of that affiliated person, directly or indirectly, from each Fund during the most recent fiscal year.

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name of Principal** <br> **Underwriter**<br>| **Net Underwriting** <br> **Discounts and** <br> **Commissions**<br>| **Compensation on** <br> **Redemptions and** <br> **Repurchases**<br>| **Brokerage** <br> **Commissions**<br>| **Other** <br> **Compensation**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| $1120 | $4 | $5822 |  |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| $4575 | $10 | $37928 |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| $402 |  | $2869 |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>| Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>|  |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| $974 | $1 | $24568 |  |

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**Sales Commissions and Dealer Reallowances – Class A Shares** 

In connection with the sale of Class A shares of each Fund, the Distributor may pay authorized dealers of record a sales commission as a percentage of the purchase price. At the discretion of the Distributor, all sales charges may at times be re-allowed to an authorized dealer. If 90% or more of the sales commission is re-allowed, such authorized dealer may be deemed to be an "underwriter" as that term is defined under the 1933 Act. The sales charge retained by the Distributor and the commissions re-allowed to selling dealers are not a fund expense and have no effect on a Fund's NAV.

In connection with the sale of Class A shares, the Distributor will re-allow commissions to authorized dealers of record from the sales charge on such sales the following amounts:

**All Funds except Voya Global Bond Fund** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Dealers' Reallowance as a Percentage of Offering Price** |
| **Amount of Transaction** | **Class A** |
| $0 to $49,999 | 4.75% |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | 4.00% |
| $100,000 to $249,999 | 3.00% |
| $250,000 to $499,999 | 2.25% |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | 2.00% |
| $1,000,000 and over | See below |

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**Voya Global Bond Fund** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | **Dealers' Reallowance as a Percentage of Offering Price** |
| **Amount of Transaction** | **Class A** |
| $0 to $99,999 | 2.00% |
| $100,000 to $499,999 | 1.50% |
| $500,000 and over | See below |

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The Distributor may pay to authorized dealers out of its own assets commissions on shares sold in Class A shares, at NAV, which at the time of investment would have been subject to the imposition of a CDSC if redeemed. There is no sales charge on purchases of $1,000,000 or more ($500,000 or more for Voya Global Bond Fund) of Class A shares. However, such purchases may be subject to a CDSC, as disclosed in the Prospectus. The Distributor will pay authorized dealers of record commissions at the rate of 1.00% on purchases of $1,000,000 or more ($500,000 or more for Voya Global Bond Fund) of Class A shares that are subject to a CDSC.

In connection with qualified retirement plans that invest $1,000,000 or more in Class A shares of a Fund ($500,000 for Voya Global Bond Fund), the Distributor will pay dealer compensation of 1.00% of the purchase price of the shares to the dealer from its own resources at the time of the initial investment.

**Dealer Reallowances – Class C Shares** 

For purchases of Class C shares subject to a CDSC, the Distributor may pay out of its own assets, a commission of 1.00% of the amount invested of each Fund.

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**Sales Charges Received by the Distributor** 

The following table shows the sales charges received by the Distributor in connection with the sale of shares during the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Class A** | **Class A** | **Class C** |
| **Fund** | **Sales Charges before Dealer** <br> **Reallowance**<br>| **Sales Charges after Dealer** <br> **Reallowance**<br>| **Deferred Sales Charges** |
| **2025** |  |  |  |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $1218 |  | $4 |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| $4989 |  | $96 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $402 |  | $6 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>|  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| $974 | $1 |  |
| **2024** |  |  |  |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $234 |  | $3 |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| $3630 |  | $37 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $125 |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>|  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| $1134 |  | $39 |
| **2023** |  |  |  |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $665 |  | $14 |
| Voya Global High Dividend <br> Low Volatility Fund<br>| $2086 |  | $29 |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> Emerging Markets Equity <br> Fund<br>| $198 |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Equity Fund<br>|  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager <br> International Small Cap Fund<br>| $610 | $7706 | $78 |

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**Payments to Financial Intermediaries** 

The Investment Adviser or the Distributor, out of its own resources and without additional cost to a Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to financial intermediaries selling shares of a Fund, including affiliates of the Investment Adviser and the Distributor. These amounts are in addition to the distribution payments made by a Fund under any distribution agreements. "Financial intermediary" includes any broker, dealer, bank (including bank trust departments), insurance company, transfer agent, registered investment adviser, financial planner, retirement plan administrator and any other financial intermediary having a selling, administrative and shareholder servicing or similar agreement with the Distributor or Investment Adviser.

The benefits to the Distributor and the Investment Adviser include, among other things, entry into or increased visibility in the financial intermediary's sales system, participation by the financial intermediary in the Distributor's marketing efforts (such as helping facilitate or providing financial assistance for conferences, seminars or other programs at which Voya personnel may make presentations on the Voya funds to the intermediary's sales force), placement on the financial intermediary's preferred fund list, and access (in some cases, on a preferential basis over other competitors) to individual members of the financial intermediary's sales force or management. Revenue sharing payments are sometimes referred to as "shelf space" payments because the payments compensate the financial intermediary for including Voya funds in its fund sales system (on its "shelf space"). A financial intermediary typically initiates requests for additional compensation and the Distributor or Investment Adviser negotiates these arrangements with the financial intermediary.

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These additional fees paid to financial intermediaries may take the following forms: (1) a percentage of the financial intermediary's customer assets invested in Voya mutual funds; (2) a percentage of the financial intermediary's gross sales; or (3) some combination of these payments. These payments may, depending on the broker-dealer's satisfaction of the required conditions, be periodic and may be up to: (1) 0.30% per annum of the value of a Fund's shares held by the broker-dealer's customers; or (2) 0.30% of the value of a Fund's shares sold by the broker-dealer during a particular period.

Payments based on sales primarily create incentives for the financial intermediary to make new sales of shares of Voya funds. Payments based on customer assets primarily create incentives for the financial intermediary to retain previously sold shares of Voya funds in investor accounts. A financial intermediary may receive either or both types of payments.

The Distributor and the Investment Adviser compensate financial intermediaries differently depending on the level and/or type of considerations provided by the financial intermediary. A financial intermediary may receive different levels of compensation with respect to sales or assets attributable to different types of clients of the same intermediary or different Voya funds. A financial intermediary may receive payment under more than one arrangement referenced here. Where services are provided, the costs of providing the services and the overall array of services provided may vary from one financial intermediary to another. The Distributor and the Investment Adviser do not make an independent assessment of the cost of providing such services. While a financial intermediary may request additional compensation from Voya to offset costs incurred by the financial intermediary in servicing its clients, the financial intermediary may earn a profit on these payments, since the amount of the payment may exceed the financial intermediary's costs.

As of January 1, 2026, the Distributor and/or the Investment Adviser had agreed to make additional payments as described above to the following broker-dealers or their affiliates:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. | Ascensus, LLC |
| Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. | Benefits Plans Administrative Services, Inc. |
| Benefit Trust Company | Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC |
| Cetera Advisors Networks LLC | Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc. |
| Cetera Financial Specialists LLC | Cetera Investment Services LLC |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | Charles Schwab Trust Bank |
| Edward Jones | Empower Financial Service, Inc. |
| Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC | First Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | Janney Montgomery Scott LLC |
| John Hancock Trust Company, LLC | Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp |
| Lincoln Financial Securities Corp | Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of NY |
| Lincoln Retirement Services Company, LLC | LPL Financial, LLC |
| Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. |
| Metlife Securities, Inc. | Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation |
| Morgan Stanley | Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. |
| National Financial Services, LLC | NY Life Annuity & Insurance Co |
| Newport Retirement Services, Inc. | Pershing, LLC |
| Osaic, Inc. | Principal Life Insurance Company |
| PNC Bank N.A. | Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
| Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. | RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
| Reliance Trust Company | Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
| Standard Insurance Company | Symetra Securities, Inc. |
| T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. | TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company |
| TransAmerica Retirement Solutions Corporation | US Bank N.A. |
| UBS Financial Services, Inc. | VALIC Retirement Services Company |
| Vanguard Group, Inc. | Vanguard Marketing Corporation |
| Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company | Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company  |

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Voya Services Company Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

**Other Incentives** 

The Investment Adviser or the Distributor may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to third parties selling our mutual funds including affiliated companies. This may take the form of cash incentives and non-cash compensation and may include, but is not limited to: cash; merchandise; trips; occasional entertainment; meals or tickets to a sporting event; client appreciation events; payment for travel expenses (including meals and lodging) to pre-approved training and education seminars; and payment for advertising and sales campaigns. The Distributor may also pay concessions in addition to those described above to broker-dealers so that Voya mutual funds are made available by those broker-dealers for their customers.

The Sub-Adviser of a Fund may contribute to non-cash compensation arrangements.

The Distributor may, from time to time, pay additional cash and non-cash compensation from its own resources to its employee sales staff for sales of certain Voya funds that are made by registered representatives of broker-dealers to the extent such compensation is not prohibited by law or the rules of any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA.

**Conflicts of Interest** 

A financial intermediary's receipt of additional compensation may create conflicts of interest between the financial intermediary and its clients. Each type of payment discussed above may provide a financial intermediary with an economic incentive to actively promote Voya funds over other mutual funds or cooperate with the distributor's promotional efforts. The receipt of additional compensation from Voya and its affiliates may be an important consideration in a financial intermediary's willingness to support the sale of Voya funds through the financial intermediary's distribution system. The Distributor and the Investment Adviser are motivated to make the payments described above since they promote the sale of Voya fund shares and the retention of those investments by clients of financial intermediaries. In certain cases these payments could be significant to the financial intermediary.

**Additional Cash Compensation for Sales by "Focus Firms"** 

The Distributor may, at its discretion, pay additional cash compensation to its employee sales staff for sales by certain broker-dealers or "focus firms." The Distributor may pay up to an additional 0.10% to its employee sales staff for sales that are made by registered representatives of these focus firms. As of the date of this SAI, the focus firms are: Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC; Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc.; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.; Charles Schwab Trust Bank; Directed Services LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC; LPL Financial, LLC; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.; Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation, Inc; Morgan Stanley; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Corp; Osaic, Inc; Pershing, LLC; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; Security Life of Denver Insurance Company; Standard Insurance Company; UBS Financial Services, Inc; Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company; Voya Financial Advisers, Inc.; Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company; Voya Services Company; and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC.

**Payments Under the Rule 12b-1 Plans** 

Under the Rule 12b-1 Plans, ongoing payments will generally be made on a monthly basis to authorized dealers for both distribution and shareholder servicing at rates that are based on the average daily net assets of shares that are registered in the name of that authorized dealer as nominee or held in a shareholder account that designates that authorized dealer as the dealer of record. Rights to these ongoing payments generally begin to accrue in the 13th month following the purchase of a share class subject to a Rule 12b-1 Plan. The Distributor may, in its discretion, pay such financial intermediary Rule 12b-1 fees prior to the 13th month following the purchase of such shares.

**DISTRIBUTION AND/OR SHAREHOLDER SERVICE PLANS**

One or more of the Funds has adopted one or more Distribution and/or Distribution and Service Plans pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (each, a "Rule 12b-1 Plan" and together, the "Rule 12b-1 Plans"). Certain share classes may pay a combined distribution and shareholder service fee.

Under the Plan, the Distributor may be entitled to a payment each month in connection with the offering, sale, and shareholder servicing of shares as a percentage of the average daily net assets attributable to each class of shares. Each Fund intends to operate the Rule 12b-1 Plan in accordance with its terms and FINRA rules concerning sales charges. The table below reflects the Plan for each Fund. Certain share classes do not pay distribution or shareholder service fees and are not included in the table.

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Type of Plan** | **Distribution Fee** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Shareholder**<br> **Service Fee**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Combined**<br> **Distribution and**<br> **Shareholder**<br> **Service Fee**<br>|
| **Voya Global Bond Fund** | **Voya Global Bond Fund** |  |  |  |
| **Class A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25%\* |
| **Class C** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.75% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |
| **Class R** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |
| **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** | **Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund** |  |  |  |
| **Class A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25%\* |
| **Class C** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.75% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |
| **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund** |  |  |  |
| **Class A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25%\* |
| **Class C** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.75% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |
| **Class R** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |
| **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** | **Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund** |  |  |  |
| **Class A** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25%\* |
| **Class C** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Distribution and<br> Service Plan<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.75% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 0.25% | N/A |

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\*

Of this amount, up to 0.10% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class A shares may be paid with respect to distribution services.

**Services Provided for the Distribution Fee** 

The distribution fee for a specific class may be used to cover the expenses of the Distributor primarily intended to result in the sale of that class of shares, including payments to securities dealers for selling shares of the Fund (which may include the principal underwriter itself) and other financial institutions and organizations to obtain various distribution related and/or administrative services for that Fund.

Distribution fees may be paid to cover expenses incurred in promoting the sale of that class of shares including, among other things (i) promotional activities; (ii) preparation and distribution of advertising materials and sales literature; (iii) personnel costs and overhead of the Distributor; (iv) the costs of printing and distributing to prospective investors the prospectuses and statements of additional information (and supplements thereto) and reports for other than existing shareholders; (v) payments to dealers and others that provide shareholder services (including the processing of new shareholder applications and serving as a primary source of information to customers in providing information and answering questions concerning each Fund and their transactions in each Fund); and (vi) costs of administering the Rule 12b-1 Plans.

**Services Provided for the Shareholder Service Fee** 

The shareholder service fees may be used to pay securities dealers (including the Distributor) and other financial institutions, plan administrators and organizations for services including, but not limited to: (i) acting as the shareholder of record; (ii) processing purchase and redemption orders; (iii) maintaining participant account records; (iv) answering participant questions regarding each Fund; (v) facilitation of the tabulation of shareholder votes in the event of a meeting of Fund shareholders; (vi) the conveyance of information relating to shares purchased and redeemed and share balances to each Fund and to service providers; (vii) provision of support services including providing information about each Fund; and (viii) provision of other services as may be agreed upon from time to time.

**Initial Board Approval, Continuation, Termination, and Amendments to the Rule 12b-1 Plan** 

In approving the Rule 12b-1 Plans, the Trustees, including a majority of the Independent Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Rule 12b-1 Plans or any agreements relating to the Rule 12b-1 Plans (the "Rule 12b-1 Trustees"), concluded that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Rule 12b-1 Plans would benefit each Fund and each respective class of shareholders.

The Rule 12b-1 Plans continue from year to year, provided such continuance is approved annually by vote of a majority of the Board, including a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees. The Rule 12b-1 Plan for a particular class may be terminated at any time, without penalty, by vote of a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees or by a majority of the outstanding shares of the applicable class of a Fund.

Each Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount spent for distribution expenses as to a Fund without approval by a majority of the outstanding shares of the applicable class of the Fund, and all material amendments to a Rule 12b-1 Plan must be approved by a vote of the majority of the Board, including a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on any such amendment.

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**Further Information About the Rule 12b-1 Plan** 

The Distributor is required to report in writing to the Board at least quarterly on the amounts and purpose of any payment made under the Rule 12b-1 Plans and any related agreements, as well as to furnish the Board with such other information as may reasonably be requested in order to enable the Board to make an informed determination whether a Plan should be continued. The terms and provisions of the Rule 12b-1 Plans relating to required reports, term and approval are consistent with the requirements of Rule 12b-1.

Each Rule 12b-1 Plan is a compensation plan. This means that the Distributor will receive payment without regard to the actual distribution expenses it incurs. In the event a Plan is terminated in accordance with its terms, the obligations of a Fund to make payments to the Distributor pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan will cease and the Fund will not be required to make any payment for expenses incurred after the date the Rule 12b-1 Plan terminates.

The Rule 12b-1 Plans were adopted because of the anticipated benefits to each Fund. These anticipated benefits include increased promotion and distribution of each Fund's shares, and enhancement in each Fund's ability to maintain accounts and improve asset retention and increased stability of assets for each Fund.

**Total Distribution Expenses** 

The following table sets forth the total distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor for the costs of promotion and distribution with respect to each class of shares for each Fund for the most recent fiscal year.

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Class** | **Advertising** | **Printing** | **Salaries & Commissions** | **Broker Servicing** | **Miscellaneous** | **Total** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $170 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3239 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $61023 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $62588 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $27286 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $154306 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; C | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $63 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1120 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5805 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3573 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10564 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; I | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $58275 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $20480 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $89813 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; R | &nbsp;&nbsp; $54 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1026 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $19084 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $26582 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1134 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $47880 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; R6 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $28083 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1504 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $40645 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; W | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $4758 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $89343 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $26224 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $17912 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $138487 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Global High Dividend Low <br> Volatility Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1336 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $25384 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $462410 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $622119 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $235206 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1346455 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; C | &nbsp;&nbsp; $15 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $279 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5047 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $18448 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5876 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $29666 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; I | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $30717 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $34517 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $76292 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; R6 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $22809 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1504 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $35371 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; W | &nbsp;&nbsp; $58 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1106 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $20508 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5895 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $6298 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $33865 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager Emerging <br> Markets Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $110 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2092 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $17355 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $31337 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $9550 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $60443 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; C | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $24 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $170 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1377 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $224 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1797 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; I | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $38918 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $21014 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $70990 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; R | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $12 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $90 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $371 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $479 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; W | &nbsp;&nbsp; $167 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3179 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $22461 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $6730 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $5967 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $38504 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Equity Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; I | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $49624 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10405 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $71086 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International <br> Small Cap Fund<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; A | &nbsp;&nbsp; $535 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10157 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $190654 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $183629 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $67509 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $452484 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; C | &nbsp;&nbsp; $24 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $453 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8723 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $28271 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $2280 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $39751 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; I | &nbsp;&nbsp; $198 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3771 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $252319 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7089 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $185684 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $449060 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; R6 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $13 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $246 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $6254 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1646 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $323 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8483 |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp; W | &nbsp;&nbsp; $186 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $3527 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $64815 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $19679 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $27850 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $116057 |

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**Total Distribution and Shareholder Service Fees Paid:** 

The table below sets forth the total distribution and shareholder service fees paid by each Fund to the Distributor for the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $72878 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $80193 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $87924 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $576301 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $545648 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $554741 |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $40863 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $40895 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $39961 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund |  |  |  |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $166684 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $151975 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $146373 |

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**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**Custodian** 

The Bank of New York Mellon, 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, serves as custodian for each Fund.

The custodian's responsibilities include safekeeping and controlling each Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on each Fund's investments. The custodian does not participate in determining the investment policies of a Fund, in deciding which securities are purchased or sold by the Fund, or in the declaration of dividends and distributions. A Fund may, however, invest in obligations of the custodian and may purchase or sell securities from or to the custodian.

For portfolio securities that are purchased and held outside the United States, the custodian has entered into sub-custodian arrangements with certain foreign banks and clearing agencies which are designed to comply with Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act.

**Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** 

Ernst & Young LLP serves as an independent registered public accounting firm for each Fund. Ernst & Young LLP provides audit services and tax return preparation services. Ernst & Young LLP is located at 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

**Legal Counsel** 

Legal matters for the Trust are passed upon by Ropes & Gray LLP, Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199-3600.

**Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent** 

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. (the "Transfer Agent") serves as the transfer agent and dividend-paying agent for each Fund. Its principal business address is 103 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809. As transfer agent and dividend-paying agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. is responsible for maintaining account records, detailing the ownership of Fund shares and for crediting income, capital gains and other changes in share ownership to shareholder accounts.

**Securities Lending Agent** 

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the securities lending agent. The services provided by The Bank of New York Mellon, as the securities lending agent, for the most recent fiscal year primarily included the following:

(1) selecting borrowers from an approved list of borrowers and executing a securities lending agreement as agent on behalf of a Fund with each such borrower;

(2) negotiating the terms of securities loans, including the amount of fees;

(3) directing the delivery of loaned securities;

(4) monitoring the daily value of the loaned securities and directing the payment of additional collateral or the return of excess collateral, as necessary;

(5) investing cash collateral received in connection with any loaned securities in accordance with specific guidelines and instructions provided by the Investment Adviser;

(6) monitoring distributions on loaned securities (for example, interest and dividend activity);

(7) in the event of default by a borrower with respect to any securities loan, using the collateral or the proceeds of the liquidation of collateral to purchase replacement securities of the same issue, type, class, and series as that of the loaned securities; and

(8) terminating securities loans and arranging for the return of loaned securities to a Fund at loan termination.

The following table provides the dollar amounts of income and fees/compensation related to the securities lending activities of each Fund for its most recent fiscal year. There are no fees paid to the securities lending agent for cash collateral management services, administrative fees, indemnification fees, or other fees.

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

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| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **income**<br>| **Fees** <br> **paid** <br> **to** <br> **securities** <br> **lending** <br> **agent** <br> **from** <br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Positive**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Negative**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Net**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Securities**<br> **Lending**<br> **losses/**<br> **gains**<br>| **Total** <br> **Aggregate** <br> **fees/** <br> **compensation**<br> **paid** <br> **to** <br> **securities** <br> **lending**<br> **agent** <br> **or** <br> **broker**<br>| **Net** <br> **Securities**<br> **Income**<br>|
| Voya Global Bond Fund | $104453 | $970 | $93644 | $(31) | $93613 | N/A | $94613 | $9870 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | $14462 | $50 | $13911 | $- | $13911 | N/A | $13960 | $502 |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | $94947 | $3077 | $70194 | $(9456) | $60738 | N/A | $73271 | $31133 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | $130362 | $2885 | $104249 | $(5958) | $98291 | N/A | $107135 | $29186 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | $86521 | $4735 | $55509 | $(21632) | $33877 | N/A | $60243 | $47909 |

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**PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS**

The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser for each Fund places orders for the purchase and sale of investment securities for each Fund, pursuant to authority granted in the relevant Investment Management Agreement or Sub-Advisory Agreement.

Subject to policies and procedures approved by the Board, the Investment Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser have discretion to make decisions relating to placing these orders including, where applicable, selecting the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchase and sale of investment securities, negotiating the commission or other compensation paid to the broker or dealer executing the trade, or using an electronic communications network ("ECN") or alternative trading system ("ATS").

In situations where a Sub-Adviser resigns or the Investment Adviser otherwise assumes day-to-day management of a Fund pursuant to its Investment Management Agreement with such Fund, the Investment Adviser will perform the services described herein as being performed by the Sub-Adviser.

**How Securities Transactions are Effected** 

Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange (which include most equity securities) are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In transactions on securities exchanges in the U.S., these commissions are negotiated, while on many foreign (non-U.S.) securities exchanges commissions are fixed. Securities traded in the OTC markets (such as debt instruments and some equity securities) are generally traded on a "net" basis with market makers acting as dealers; in these transactions, the dealers act as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. Transactions in certain OTC securities also may be effected on an agency basis when, in the Investment Adviser's or a Sub-Adviser's opinion, the total price paid (including commission) is equal to or better than the best total price available from a market maker. In underwritten offerings, securities are usually purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may also place trades using an ECN or ATS.

**How the Investment Adviser or a Sub Adviser Selects Broker-Dealers** 

The Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser(s) have a duty to seek to obtain best execution of each Fund's orders, taking into consideration a full range of factors designed to produce the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. In selecting brokers and dealers to execute trades, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may consider both the characteristics of the trade and the full range and quality of the brokerage services available from eligible broker-dealers. This consideration often involves qualitative as well as quantitative judgments. Factors relevant to the nature of the trade may include, among others, price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature and characteristics (including liquidity) of the market for the security, the difficulty of execution, the timing of the order, potential market impact, and the need for confidentiality, speed, and certainty of execution. Factors relevant to the range and quality of brokerage services available from eligible brokers and dealers may include, among others, each firm's execution, clearance, settlement, and other operational facilities; willingness and ability to commit capital or take risk in positioning a block of securities, where necessary; special expertise in particular securities or markets; ability to provide liquidity, speed and anonymity; the nature and quality of other brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser (consistent with the "safe harbor" described below and subject to the restrictions of the EU's updated Markets in Financial Instruments Directive ("MiFID II")); and each firm's general reputation, financial condition and responsiveness to the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as demonstrated in the particular transaction or other transactions. Subject to its duty to seek best execution of each Fund's orders, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may select broker-dealers that participate in commission recapture programs that

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have been established for the benefit of each Fund. Under these programs, the participating broker-dealers will return to each Fund (in the form of a credit to the Fund) a portion of the brokerage commissions paid to the broker-dealers by the Fund. These credits are used to pay certain expenses of the Fund. These commission recapture payments benefit the Fund, and not the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser.

**The Safe Harbor for Soft Dollar Practices** 

In selecting broker-dealers to execute a trade for each Fund, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may consider the nature and quality of brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser as a factor in evaluating the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. As permitted by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may cause a Fund to pay a broker-dealer a commission for effecting a securities transaction for a Fund that is in excess of the commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction, as long as the services provided to the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser by the broker-dealer: (i) are limited to "research" or "brokerage" services; (ii) constitute lawful and appropriate assistance to the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser in the performance of its investment decision-making responsibilities; and (iii) the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser makes a good faith determination that the broker's commission paid by the Fund is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the Investment Adviser's or the Sub-Adviser's overall responsibilities to the Fund and its other investment advisory clients. In making such a determination, the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser might consider, in addition to the commission rate, the range and quality of a broker's services, including the value of the research provided, execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness. The practice of using a portion of a Fund's commission dollars to pay for brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser is sometimes referred to as "soft dollars." Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act is sometimes referred to as a "safe harbor," because it permits this practice, subject to a number of restrictions, including the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser's compliance with certain procedural requirements and limitations on the type of brokerage and research services that qualify for the safe harbor. The provisions of MiFID II may limit the ability of a Sub-Adviser to pay for research services using soft dollars in various circumstances.

*Brokerage and Research Products and Services Under the Safe Harbor* – Research products and services may include, but are not limited to, general economic, political, business and market information and reviews, industry and company information and reviews, evaluations of securities and recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities, financial data on a company or companies, performance and risk measuring services and analysis, stock price quotation services, computerized historical financial databases and related software, credit rating services, analysis of corporate responsibility issues, brokerage analysts' earnings estimates, computerized links to current market data, software dedicated to research, and portfolio modeling. Research services may be provided in the form of reports, computer-generated data feeds and other services, telephone contacts, and personal meetings with securities analysts, as well as in the form of meetings arranged with corporate officers and industry spokespersons, economists, academics, and governmental representatives. Brokerage products and services assist in the execution, clearance and settlement of securities transactions, as well as functions incidental thereto including, but not limited to, related communication and connectivity services and equipment, software related to order routing, market access, algorithmic trading, and other trading activities. On occasion, a broker-dealer may furnish the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser with a service that has a mixed use (that is, the service is used both for brokerage and research activities that are within the safe harbor and for other activities). In this case, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser is required to reasonably allocate the cost of the service, so that any portion of the service that does not qualify for the safe harbor is paid for by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser from its own funds, and not by portfolio commissions paid by a Fund.

*Benefits to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser* – Research products and services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser by broker-dealers that effect securities transactions for a Fund may be used by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser in servicing all of its accounts. Accordingly, not all of these services may be used by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser in connection with each Fund. Some of these products and services are also available to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser for cash, and some do not have an explicit cost or determinable value. The research received does not reduce the management fees payable to the Investment Adviser or the sub-advisory fees payable to a Sub-Adviser for services provided to each Fund. The Investment Adviser's or a Sub-Adviser's expenses would likely increase if the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser had to generate these research products and services through its own efforts, or if it paid for these products or services itself. It is possible that a Sub-Adviser subject to MiFID II will cause a Fund to pay for research services with soft dollars in circumstances where it is prohibited from doing so with respect to other client accounts, although those other client accounts might nonetheless benefit from those research services.

**Broker-Dealers that are Affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser** 

Portfolio transactions may be executed by brokers affiliated with Voya Financial, Inc., the Investment Adviser, or a Sub-Adviser, so long as the commission paid to the affiliated broker is reasonable and fair compared to the commission that would be charged by an unaffiliated broker in a comparable transaction.

**Prohibition on Use of Brokerage Commissions for Sales or Promotional Activities** 

The placement of portfolio brokerage with broker-dealers who have sold shares of a Fund is subject to rules adopted by the SEC and FINRA. Under these rules, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may not consider a broker's promotional or sales efforts on behalf of a Fund when selecting a broker-dealer for portfolio transactions, and neither the Fund nor the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser may enter into an agreement under which the Fund directs brokerage transactions (or revenue generated from such transactions) to a broker-dealer to pay for distribution of Fund shares. Each Fund has adopted policies and procedures, approved by the Board, that are designed to attain compliance with these prohibitions.

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**Principal Trades and Research** 

Purchases of securities for each Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Purchase and sale transactions may be effected through dealers which specialize in the types of securities which a Fund will be holding. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principals for their own account. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter which has provided such research or other services as mentioned above.

**More Information about Trading in Debt Instruments** 

Purchases and sales of debt instruments will usually be principal transactions. Such instruments often will be purchased from or sold to dealers serving as market makers for the instruments at a net price. Each Fund may also purchase such instruments in underwritten offerings and will, on occasion, purchase instruments directly from the issuer. Generally, debt instruments are traded on a net basis and do not involve brokerage commissions. The cost of executing debt instruments transactions consists primarily of dealer spreads and underwriting commissions.

In purchasing and selling debt instruments, it is the policy of each Fund to obtain the best results, while taking into account the dealer's general execution and operational facilities, the type of transaction involved and other factors, such as the dealer's risk in positioning the instruments involved. While the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive spreads or commissions, each Fund will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available.

**Transition Management** 

Changes in sub-advisers, investment personnel, and reorganizations of a Fund may result in the sale of a significant portion or even all of a Fund's portfolio securities. This type of change generally will increase trading costs and the portfolio turnover for the affected Fund. Each Fund, the Investment Adviser, or a Sub-Adviser may engage a broker-dealer to provide transition management services in connection with a change in sub-advisers, reorganization, or other changes.

**Allocation of Trades** 

Some securities considered for investment by a Fund may also be appropriate for other clients served by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. If the purchase or sale of securities consistent with the investment policies of a Fund and one or more of these other clients is considered at, or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be placed on an aggregate basis and allocated among the other funds and such other clients in a manner deemed fair and equitable, over time, by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser and consistent with the Investment Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's written policies and procedures. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may use different methods of trade allocation. The Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's relevant policies and procedures and the results of aggregated trades in which a Fund participated are subject to periodic review by the Board. To the extent a Fund seeks to acquire (or dispose of) the same security at the same time as other funds, such Fund may not be able to acquire (or dispose of) as large a position in such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher (or receive a lower) price for such security. It is recognized that in some cases, this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. However, over time, a Fund's ability to participate in aggregate trades is expected to provide better execution for the Fund.

**Cross-Transactions** 

The Board has adopted a policy allowing trades to be made between affiliated registered investment companies or series thereof, provided they meet the conditions of Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and conditions of the policy.

**Brokerage Commissions Paid** 

The following table sets forth brokerage commissions paid by each Fund for the last three fiscal years. An increase or decrease in commissions is due to a corresponding increase or decrease in each Fund's trading activity.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $13203 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $31615 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $23352 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $250486 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $241086 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $252693 |
| Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $245552 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $273437 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $621119 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $447579 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $472603 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $180316 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $275417 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $227975 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $254281 |

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**Affiliated Brokerage Commissions** 

For the last three fiscal years, each Fund did not use affiliated brokers to execute portfolio transactions.

**Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers** 

During the most recent fiscal year, each Fund listed below acquired securities of its regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parent companies as follows:

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Security Description** | **Market Value** |
| Voya Global Bond Fund | Bank of America | $627742 |
|  | Bank of Montreal | $53684 |
|  | Bank of New York | $15538 |
|  | Deutsche Bank | $181915 |
|  | Goldman Sachs | $74469 |
|  | JP Morgan Chase | $1118278 |
|  | Morgan Stanley | $678637 |
|  | Royal Bank of Canada | $98019 |
|  | Truist Financial Corp. | $68839 |
|  | UBS | $446593 |
|  | Wells Fargo | $113662 |
| Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | Bank of New York | $1410537 |
|  | Barclays | $393609 |
|  | Citigroup | $1968316 |
|  | JP Morgan Chase | $790245 |
|  | Societe Generale | $497533 |
| Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | Barclays | $2333492 |
|  | Deutsche Bank | $1385998 |
|  | Mizuho Financial Group | $854135 |
|  | Nomura Group | $677930 |
|  | Royal Bank of Canada | $2597546 |
|  | Societe Generale | $3449814 |
|  | UBS | $2473395 |

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**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

**Description of the Shares of Beneficial Interest** 

The Trust may issue unlimited shares of beneficial interest in the Trust without par value. The shares may be issued in one or more series and each series may consist of one or more classes. The Trust has six series, which are authorized to issue multiple classes of shares. Such classes are designated Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6, and Class W. Not all series and/or classes of the Trust are discussed in this SAI.

All shares of each series represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that series (subject to the liabilities belonging to the series or a class). Each series may have different assets and liabilities from any other series of the Trust. Furthermore, different share classes of a series may have different liabilities from other classes of that same series. The assets belonging to a series shall be charged with the liabilities of that series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that series, except that liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves allocated solely to a particular class, if any, shall be borne by that class. Any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series or class, shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the series or classes, in such manner as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable.

Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power and authority to reclassify, reorganize, recapitalize or convert any issued shares or any series or classes thereof into one or more series or classes of shares without obtaining the prior authorization, or vote, of shareholders.

**Redemption and Transfer of Shares** 

Shareholders of any series or class have the right to redeem all or part of their shares as described in the prospectus and Declaration of Trust. Under certain circumstances, the Trust may suspend the right of redemption as allowed by the SEC or federal securities laws. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the right to redeem shares of shareholders: (i) who do not satisfy minimum investment thresholds set forth in the prospectus from time to time; or (ii) if the Trustees determine that failure to redeem may have materially adverse consequences to the Trust, any series or to the shareholders of the Trust or any series thereof. There are no restrictions on the transfer of shares in the Declaration of Trust.

**Material Obligations and Liabilities of Owning Shares** 

The Trust is organized as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. Under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, shareholders have the same limitation on personal liability extended to shareholders of private corporations under Delaware law. All shares issued by the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable.

**Dividend Rights** 

The shareholders of a series are entitled to receive dividends or other distributions declared for the series. Distributions will be paid pro rata to all shareholders of a series or class according to the number of shares held by shareholders on the record date.

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**Voting Rights and Shareholder Meetings** 

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, shareholders have the power to vote, under certain circumstances, on: (1) the election or removal of trustees; (2) the approval of certain advisory contracts; (3) the termination and incorporation of the Trust, (4) any merger, consolidation or sale of all, or substantially all, of the Trust's assets; and (5) such additional matters as may be required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or by-laws, or any registration of the Trust with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any state, or as and when the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable. For example, under the 1940 Act, shareholders have the right to vote on any change in a fundamental investment policy, to approve a change in subclassification of a fund, to approve the distribution plan under Rule 12b-1, and to terminate the independent registered public accountant.

The Trust is not required to hold shareholder meetings annually, but a meeting of shareholders may be called by the Board, at the request in writing of the holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding voting shares of the Trust, or as required by the 1940 Act.

On matters submitted to a vote, each holder of a share is entitled to one vote for each full share, and a fractional vote for each fractional share outstanding on the books of the Trust. All shares of classes and series vote together as one class, except with respect to any matter that affects only the interests of a particular series or class, or as required by Delaware law or the 1940 Act.

**Liquidation Rights** 

In the event of liquidation, the shareholders of a series or class are entitled to receive, as a liquidating distribution, the excess of the assets belonging to the liquidating series or class over the liabilities belonging to such series or class of shares.

**Inspection of Records** 

The records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by shareholders during normal business hours and for any purpose not harmful to the Trust.

**Preemptive Rights** 

There are no preemptive rights associated with the series' shares.

**Conversion Rights** 

The conversion features and exchange privileges, if any, are described in the Prospectus and in the section of this SAI entitled "Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares."

**Sinking Fund Provisions** 

The Trust has no sinking fund provision.

**PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

An investor may purchase, redeem, or exchange shares of each Fund utilizing the methods, and subject to the restrictions, described in the Prospectus.

**Purchases** 

Shares of each Fund are offered at the NAV (plus any applicable sales charge) next computed after receipt of a purchase order in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor.

**Orders Placed with Intermediaries** 

If you invest in a Fund through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a commission or transaction fee by the financial intermediary for the purchase and sale of Fund shares.

Certain brokers or other designated intermediaries such as third-party administrators or plan trustees may accept purchase and redemption orders on behalf of a Fund. The Transfer Agent, the Distributor or a Fund will be deemed to have received such an order when the broker or the designee has accepted the order. Customer orders are priced at the NAV next computed after such acceptance. Such orders may be transmitted to a Fund or its agents several hours after the time of the acceptance and pricing.

**Pre-Authorized Investment Plan** 

As discussed in the Prospectus, the Voya family of funds provides a Pre-Authorized Investment Plan for certain share classes for the convenience of investors who wish to purchase shares of a Fund on a regular basis. The Pre-Authorized Investment Plan may be terminated without penalty at any time by the investor or a Fund. The minimum investment requirements may be waived by a Fund for purchases made pursuant to: (i) employer-administered payroll deduction plans; (ii) profit-sharing, pension, or individual or any employee retirement plans; or (iii) purchases made in connection with plans providing for periodic investments in Fund shares.

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**Subscriptions-in-Kind** 

Certain investors may purchase shares of a Fund with liquid assets with a value which is readily ascertainable by reference to a domestic exchange price and which would be eligible for purchase by a Fund consistent with the Fund's investment policies and restrictions. These transactions only will be effected if the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser intends to retain the security in the Fund as an investment. Assets so purchased by a Fund will be valued in generally the same manner as they would be valued for purposes of pricing the Fund's shares, if these assets were included in the Fund's assets at the time of purchase. Each Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate this practice at any time.

**Self-Employed and Corporate Retirement Plans** 

For self-employed individuals and corporate investors that wish to purchase shares of a Fund, there is available through each Fund, a Prototype Plan and Custody Agreement. The Custody Agreement provides that BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company, Wilmington, DE, will act as Custodian under the Prototype Plan, and will furnish custodial services for an annual maintenance fee of $12.00 for each participant, with no other charges. (This fee is in addition to the normal custodial charges paid by each Fund.) The annual contract maintenance fee may be waived from time to time. For further details, including the right to appoint a successor Custodian, see the Plan and Custody Agreement. Employers who wish to use shares of a Fund under a custodianship with another bank or trust company must make individual arrangements with that institution.

**Individual Retirement Accounts** 

Investors having earned income are eligible to purchase shares of a Fund through an IRA pursuant to Section 408 of the Code. An individual who creates an IRA may contribute annually certain dollar amounts of earned income and an additional amount if there is a non-working spouse. Simple IRA plans that employers may establish on behalf of their employees are also available. Also available are Roth IRA plans that enable employed and self-employed individuals with incomes below certain threshold amounts to make non-deductible contributions and, under certain circumstances, effect tax-free withdrawals. Copies of a model Custodial Account Agreement are available from the Distributor. BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company, Wilmington, DE, will act as the Custodian under this model Agreement, for which it will charge the investor an annual fee of $12.00 for maintaining the Account (this fee is in addition to the normal custodial charges paid by each Fund). Full details on the IRA are contained in an IRS required disclosure statement, and the Custodian will not open an IRA until seven (7) days after the investor has received this statement from the Fund. An IRA using shares of a Fund may also be used by employers who have adopted a Simplified Employee Pension Plan.

Purchases of Fund shares by Section 403(b) of the Code plans and other retirement plans are also available. Section 403(b) plans are generally arrangements by a public school organization or a charitable, educational, or scientific organization that permit employees thereof to take advantage of the U.S. federal income tax deferral benefits provided for in Section 403(b) of the Code. It is advisable for an investor considering the funding of any retirement plan to consult with an attorney or to obtain advice from a competent retirement plan consultant.

**Special Purchases at NAV – Class A Shares** 

Class A shares of each Fund may be purchased at NAV, without a sales charge, by certain investors. The financial intermediary or the investor must notify the Distributor that the investor qualifies for such waiver. If the Distributor is not notified that the investor is eligible for any sales charge waiver, the Distributor will be unable to ensure that the waiver is applied to the investor's account. An investor may have to provide certain information or records, including account statements, to his/her financial intermediary or to the Distributor to verify the investor's eligibility for front-end sales charge waivers.

It is possible that a broker-dealer may not be able to offer one or more of these waiver categories. If this situation occurs, it is possible that the investor would need to invest directly through Voya in order to take advantage of the waiver. Each Fund may terminate or amend the terms of these sales charge waivers at any time. The following will be permitted to purchase Class A shares of each Fund at NAV. In addition to the following, investors investing in a Fund through an intermediary should consult Appendix A to the Fund's Prospectus, which includes information regarding financial intermediary specific sales charges and related discount policies that apply to purchases through certain specified intermediaries.

1)

Current, retired or former officers, trustees, directors or employees (including members of their immediate families) of Voya Financial, Inc., registered investment companies in the Voya family of funds and their affiliates purchasing shares for their own accounts. Immediate family members include: Parents; Spouse (as recognized under local law); Siblings; Children; Grandparents; Aunts/Uncles; Nieces/Nephews; Cousins; Dependents; Parents-in-law; Brothers-in-law; and Sisters-in-law.

2)

Affiliated and non-affiliated Insurance companies (including separate accounts) that have entered into a selling agreement with Voya Financial, Inc. and purchase shares directly from the Distributor.

3)

Registered investment advisors, trust companies and bank trust departments investing on their own behalf or on behalf of their clients.

4)

The current employees (including registered representatives), and their immediate family members, of broker-dealers and financial institutions that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor (or otherwise having an arrangement with a broker-dealer or financial institution with respect to sales of Fund shares).

5)

Investments made by accounts that are part of certain qualified fee-based programs ("wrap accounts").

6)

The movement of shares from qualified employee benefit plans provided that the movement of shares involves an in-kind transfer of Class A shares.

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"Qualified employee benefit plans" are those created under Sections 401(a), 401(k), 457, and 403(b) of the Code, and qualified deferred compensation plans that have a plan level or omnibus account maintained with a Voya fund and transacts directly with that Voya fund or through a third-party administrator or record keeper that has an agreement in place with the Voya family of funds.

7)

For investors purchasing Class A shares with proceeds from the following sources: Redemptions from any fund from the Voya family of funds if you: (a) originally paid a front-end sales charge on the shares; and (b) reinvest the money within 90 days of the redemption date. This waiver is subject to the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• This privilege may only be used once per year; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The amount that may be reinvested is limited to an amount up to the redemption proceeds; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Written or electronic order for the purchase of shares may be received by the Transfer Agent from the financial intermediary or the shareholder (or be postmarked) within 90 days after the date of redemption; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Purchases may be handled by a securities dealer who may charge a fee; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Payment may accompany the request and the purchase will be made at the then current NAV of a Fund.

If investors realize a gain on the transaction, it is taxable and any reinvestment will not alter any applicable U.S. federal capital gains tax (except that some or all of the sales charge may be disallowed as an addition to the basis of the shares sold and added to the basis of the subsequently purchased shares). If investors realize a loss on the transaction, some or all of the loss may not be allowed as a tax deduction depending on the amount reinvested. However, this disallowance is added to the tax basis of the shares acquired upon the reinvestment.

8)

Shareholders of Adviser Class at the time these shares were re-designated as Class A shares if purchased directly with a Fund.

9)

Former Class M shareholders if purchased directly with a Fund.

10)

Any charitable organization that has determined that a Fund is a legally permissible investment and is prohibited by applicable investment law from paying a sales charge or commission and purchases shares directly from the Distributor.

11)

Any state, county, or city or any instrumentality, department authority or agency thereof that has determined that a Fund is a legally permissible investment and is prohibited by applicable investment law from paying a sales charge or commission and purchases shares directly from the Distributor.

12)

Additional purchases of a Fund by former Class O shareholders that exchanged their shares for Class A shares of that Fund.

**Letters of Intent and Rights of Accumulation – Class A Shares** 

An investor may immediately qualify for a reduced sales charge on a purchase of Class A shares by completing the Letter of Intent section of the Shareholder Application (the "Letter of Intent"). By completing the Letter of Intent, the investor expresses an intention to invest, during the next 13 months, a specified amount which, if made at one time, would qualify for the reduced sales charge. At any time within ninety (90) days after the first investment which the investor wants to qualify for the reduced sales charge, a signed Shareholder Application, with the Letter of Intent section completed, may be filed with the applicable Fund(s). After the Letter of Intent is filed, each additional investment made will be entitled to the sales charge applicable to the level of investment indicated on the Letter of Intent as described above. Sales charge reductions based upon purchases in more than one investment will be effective only after notification to the Distributor that the investment qualifies for a discount. The shareholder's holdings in the Voya family of funds acquired within ninety (90) days before the Letter of Intent is filed will be counted towards completion of the Letter of Intent, but will not be entitled to a retroactive downward adjustment of sales charge until the Letter of Intent is fulfilled. Any redemptions made by the shareholder during the 13-month period will be subtracted from the amount of the purchases for purposes of determining whether the terms of the Letter of Intent have been completed. If the Letter of Intent is not completed within the 13-month period, there will be an upward adjustment of the sales charge as specified below, depending upon the amount actually purchased (less redemption) during the period.

An investor acknowledges and agrees to the following provisions by completing the Letter of Intent section of the Shareholder Application. A minimum initial investment equal to 25% of the intended total investment is required. An amount equal to the maximum sales charge, as stated in the Prospectus, will be held in escrow at Voya funds, in the form of shares in the investor's name to assure that the full applicable sales charge will be paid if the intended purchase is not completed. The shares in escrow will be included in the total shares owned as reflected on the purchaser's monthly statement; income and capital gain distributions on the escrowed shares will be paid directly by the investor. The escrow shares will not be available for redemption by the investor until the Letter of Intent has been completed or the higher sales charge paid. When the total purchases, less redemptions, equal the amount specified under the Letter of Intent, the shares in escrow will be released. If the total purchases, less redemptions, exceed the amount specified under the Letter of Intent and is an amount which would qualify for a further quantity discount, a retroactive price adjustment will be made by the Distributor and the dealer with whom purchases were made pursuant to the Letter of Intent (to reflect such further quantity discount) on purchases made within ninety (90) days before, and on those made after filing the Letter of Intent. The resulting difference in offering price will be applied to the purchase of additional shares at the applicable offering price. If the total purchases, less redemptions, are less than the amount specified under the Letter of Intent, the investor will remit to the Distributor an amount equal to the difference in dollar amount of sales charge actually paid and the amount of sales charge which would have applied to the aggregate purchases if the total of such purchases had been made at a single account in the name of the investor or to the investor's order. If within ten (10) days after written request such difference in sales charge is not paid, the redemption of an appropriate number of shares in escrow to realize such difference will be made. If the proceeds from a total redemption are inadequate, the investor will be liable to the Distributor for the difference. In the event

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of a total redemption of the account prior to fulfillment of the Letter of Intent, the additional sales charge due will be deducted from the proceeds of the redemption and the balance will be forwarded to the investor. By completing the Letter of Intent section of the Shareholder Application, an investor grants to the Distributor a security interest in the shares in escrow and agrees to irrevocably appoint the Distributor as his or her attorney-in-fact with full power of substitution to surrender for redemption, any or all escrowed shares for the purpose of paying any additional sales charge due and authorizes the Transfer Agent or sub-transfer agent to receive and redeem shares and pay the proceeds as directed by the Distributor. The investor or the securities dealer must inform the Transfer Agent or the Distributor that the Letter of Intent is in effect each time a purchase is made.

If, at any time prior to or after completion of the Letter of Intent, the investor wishes to cancel the Letter of Intent, the investor must notify the Distributor in writing. If, prior to the completion of the Letter of Intent, the investor requests the Distributor to liquidate all shares held by the investor, the Letter of Intent will be terminated automatically. Under either of these situations, the total purchased may be less than the amount specified in the Letter of Intent. If so, the Distributor will redeem shares, at NAV, to remit to the Distributor and the appropriate authorized dealer an amount equal to the difference between the dollar amount of the sales charge actually paid and the amount of the sales charge that would have been paid on the total purchases if made at one time.

The value of shares of a Fund plus shares of the other open-end funds distributed by the Distributor can be combined with a current purchase to determine the reduced sales charge and applicable offering price of the current purchase. The reduced sales charge applies to quantity purchases made at one time or on a cumulative basis over any period of time by: (i) an investor; (ii) the investor's spouse and children under the age of majority; (iii) the investor's custodian accounts for the benefit of a child under the Uniform Gift to Minors Act; (iv) a trustee or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account (including a pension, profit-sharing, and/or other employee benefit plan qualified under Section 401 of the Code) by trust companies' registered investment advisers, banks, and bank trust departments for accounts over which they exercise exclusive investment discretionary authority and which are held in a fiduciary, agency, advisory, custodial, or similar capacity.

The reduced sales charge also applies on a non-cumulative basis, to purchases made at one time by the customers of a single dealer, in excess of $1,000,000. The Letter of Intent option may be modified or discontinued at any time.

Shares of each Fund purchased and owned of record or beneficially by a corporation, including employees of a single employer (or affiliates thereof), including shares held by its employees under one or more retirement plans, can be combined with a current purchase to determine the reduced sales charge and applicable offering price of the current purchase, provided these transactions are not prohibited by one or more provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or the Code. Individuals and employees should consult with their tax advisers concerning the tax rules applicable to retirement plans before investing.

For the purposes of Rights of Accumulation and the Letter of Intent Privilege, shares held by investors in the Voya family of funds which impose a CDSC may be combined with Class A shares for a reduced sales charge but will not affect any CDSC which may be imposed upon the redemption of shares of a Fund which imposes a CDSC.

**CDSCs** 

Purchases of certain share classes may be subject to a CDSC, as described in the Prospectus. Shareholders will be charged a CDSC if certain of those shares are redeemed within the applicable time period as stated in the Prospectus.

No CDSC is imposed on the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares that are no longer subject to the applicable holding period;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemption of shares purchased through reinvestment of dividends or capital gain distributions; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shares that were exchanged for shares of another fund managed by the Investment Adviser provided that the shares acquired in such exchange and subsequent exchanges will continue to remain subject to the CDSC, if applicable, until the applicable holding period expires.

The CDSC will be waived for:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions following the death or disability of the shareholder or beneficial owner if the redemption is made within one year of death or initial determination of permanent disability;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total or partial redemptions of shares owned by an individual or an individual in joint tenancy (with rights of survivorship) but only for redemptions of shares held at the time of death or initial determination of permanent disability;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Redemptions pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan provided that such redemptions:

o

are limited annually to no more than 12% of the original account value and

o

annually thereafter, provided all dividends and distributions are reinvested and the total redemptions do not exceed 12% annually; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total or partial redemption of shares in connection with any mandatory distribution from a tax-advantaged retirement plan or an IRA. This waiver does not apply in the case of a tax-free rollover or transfer of assets, other than the one following a separation from services, except that a CDSC or redemption fee may be waived in certain circumstances involving redemptions in connection with a distribution from a qualified employer retirement plan in connection with termination of employment or termination of the employer's plan and the transfer to another employer's plan or to an IRA.

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A shareholder must notify a Fund either directly or through the Distributor at the time of redemption that the shareholder is entitled to a waiver of the CDSC or redemption fee. The waiver will then be granted subject to confirmation of the shareholder's entitlement. The CDSC or redemption fee, which may be imposed on a Class A shares purchase of $1 million or more, will also be waived for registered investment advisers, trust companies and bank trust departments investing on their own behalf or on behalf of their clients. These waivers may be changed at any time.

**Reinstatement Privilege** 

If you sell Class A or Class C shares of a Fund, you may be eligible for a full or prorated credit of the CDSC paid on the sale when you make an investment up to the amount redeemed in the same share class within ninety (90) days of the eligible sale. Reinstated Class C shares will retain their original cost and purchase date for purposes of the CDSC. This privilege can be used only once per calendar year. To exercise this privilege, the order for the purchase of shares must be received or be postmarked within ninety (90) days after the date of redemption. This privilege can be used only once per calendar year. If a loss is incurred on the redemption and the reinstatement privilege is used, some or all of the loss may not be allowed as a tax deduction.

**Redemptions** 

Redemption proceeds normally will be paid within seven days following receipt of instructions in proper form, except that each Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when: (i) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (ii) an emergency exists as determined by the SEC, as a result of which: (a) disposal by a Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable; or (b) it is not reasonably practical for a Fund to determine fairly the value of its net assets; or (iii) for such other period as the SEC may permit by rule or by order for the protection of a Fund's shareholders.

The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the investor's cost, depending upon the market value of the portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.

**Payment-in Kind** 

Each Fund intends to pay in cash for all shares redeemed, but under abnormal conditions that make payment in cash unwise, a Fund may make payment wholly or partly in securities at their then current market value equal to the redemption price. In such case, an investor may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities to cash. However, the Trust has elected to be governed by the provisions of Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, which obligates a Fund to redeem shares with respect to any one shareholder during any 90-day period solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the NAV of the Fund at the beginning of the period. To the extent possible, each Fund will distribute readily marketable securities, in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. In the event a Fund must liquidate portfolio securities to meet redemptions, it reserves the right to reduce the redemption price by an amount equivalent to the pro-rated cost of such liquidation not to exceed one percent of the NAV of such shares.

**Signature Guarantee** 

A signature guarantee is verification of the authenticity of the signature given by certain authorized institutions. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association, or other financial institution which is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP"), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program ("SEMP"), and New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program ("NYSE MSP"). Signature guarantees from financial institutions which are not participating in one of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that signature guarantees are not provided by a notary public. Each Fund reserves the right to amend, waive or discontinue this policy at any time and establish other criteria for verifying the authenticity of any redemption request.

**Systematic Withdrawal Plan** 

Each Fund has established a Systematic Withdrawal Plan ("Plan") for certain share classes to allow you to make periodic withdrawals from your account. To establish a systematic cash withdrawal, complete the Systematic Withdrawal Plan section of the Account Application. To have funds deposited to your bank account, follow the instructions on the Account Application. You may elect to have monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual payments. You may change the amount, frequency, and payee or terminate the plan by giving written notice to the Transfer Agent. A Plan may be modified at any time by a Fund or terminated upon written notice by the Fund.

**Additional Information Regarding Redemptions** 

At various times, a Fund may be requested to redeem shares for which it has not yet received good payment. Accordingly, the Fund may delay the mailing of a redemption check until such time as it has assured itself that good payment has been collected for the purchase of such shares, which may take up to 15 days or longer.

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**Exchanges** 

The following conditions must be met for all exchanges of each Fund and Voya Government Money Market Fund:(i) the shares that will be acquired in the exchange (the "Acquired Shares") are available for sale in the shareholder's state of residence; (ii) the Acquired Shares will be registered to the same shareholder account as the shares to be surrendered ("Exchanged Shares"); (iii) the Exchanged Shares must have been held in the shareholder's account for at least thirty (30) days prior to the exchange; (iv) except for exchanges into Voya Government Money Market Fund, the account value of the shares to be acquired must equal or exceed the minimum initial investment amount required by that fund after the exchange is implemented; and (v) a properly executed exchange request has been received by the Transfer Agent.

Each Fund reserves the right to delay the actual purchase of the Acquired Shares for up to five (5) business days if it determines that it would be disadvantaged by an immediate transfer of proceeds from the redemption of Exchanged Shares. Normally, however, the redemption of Exchanged Shares and the purchase of Acquired Shares will take place on the day that the exchange request is received in proper form. Each Fund reserves the right to terminate or modify its exchange privileges at any time upon prominent notice to shareholders. This notice will be given at least sixty (60) days in advance. It is the policy of the Investment Adviser to discourage and prevent frequent trading by shareholders of each Fund in response to market fluctuations. Accordingly, in order to maintain a stable asset base in each Fund and to reduce administrative expenses borne by each Fund, the Investment Adviser reserves the right to reject any exchange request.

In the event a Fund rejects an exchange request, neither the redemption nor the purchase side of the exchange will be processed until the Fund receives further redemption instructions.

If you exchange into Voya Credit Income Fund, your ability to sell or liquidate your investment will be limited. Voya Credit Income Fund is a closed-end interval fund and does not redeem its shares on a daily basis, and it is not expected that a secondary market for the Fund's shares will develop, so you will not be able to sell them through a broker or other investment professional. To provide a measure of liquidity, the Fund will normally make monthly repurchase offers of not less than 5% of its outstanding common shares.

If more than 5% of the Fund's common shares are tendered, you may not be able to completely liquidate your holdings in any one month. You also would not have liquidity between these monthly repurchase dates. Investors exercising the exchange privilege should carefully review the prospectus of that Fund. Investors may obtain a copy of Voya Credit Income Fund prospectus or any other Voya Fund prospectus by calling 1-800-992-0180.

**Telephone Redemption and Exchange Privileges** 

These privileges are subject to the conditions and provisions set forth below and in the Prospectus. The telephone privileges may be modified or terminated at any time.

Telephone redemption requests must meet the following conditions to be accepted by Voya Investment Management:

(a) Proceeds of the redemption may be directly deposited into a predetermined bank account, or mailed to the current address on record. This address cannot reflect any change within the previous 30 days.

(b) Certain account information will need to be provided for verification purposes before the redemption will be executed.

(c) Only one telephone redemption (where proceeds are being mailed to the address of record) can be processed within a 30 day period.

(d) The maximum amount which can be liquidated and sent to the address of record at any one time is $100,000.

(e) The minimum amount which can be liquidated and sent to a predetermined bank account is $5,000.

(f) If the exchange involves the establishment of a new account, the dollar amount being exchanged must at least equal the minimum investment requirement of the Voya fund being acquired.

(g) Any new account established through the exchange privilege will have the same account information and options except as stated in the Prospectus.

(h) If a portion of the shares to be exchanged are held in escrow in connection with a Letter of Intent, the smallest number of full shares of the Voya fund to be purchased on the exchange having the same aggregate NAV as the shares being exchanged shall be substituted in the escrow account. Shares held in escrow may not be redeemed until the Letter of Intent has expired and/or the appropriate adjustments have been made to the account.

(i) Shares may not be exchanged and/or redeemed unless an exchange and/or redemption privilege is offered pursuant to the Fund's then-current Prospectus.

(j) Proceeds of a redemption may be delayed up to 15 days or longer until the check used to purchase the shares being redeemed has been paid by the bank upon which it was drawn.

**Systematic Exchange** 

You may establish an automatic exchange of shares from one Fund to another. The exchange will occur on or about the day of your choosing and must be for a minimum of $100 per month. Because this transaction is treated as an exchange, the policies related to the exchange privilege apply. There may be tax consequences associated with these exchanges. Please consult your tax adviser.

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**Shareholder Information** 

Each Fund offers one or more of the shareholder services described below. You can obtain further information about these services by contacting each Fund at the telephone number or address listed on the cover of this SAI or from the Distributor, your financial adviser, your securities dealer or other financial intermediary.

**Investment Account and Account Statements** 

The Transfer Agent maintains an account for each shareholder under which the registration and transfer of shares are recorded and any transfers shall be reflected by bookkeeping entry, without physical delivery.

The Transfer Agent will require that a shareholder provide requests in writing, accompanied by a valid signature guarantee form, when changing certain information in an account (*i.e.*, wiring instructions, telephone privileges, etc.). The Transfer Agent may charge you a fee for special requests such as historical transcripts of your account and copies of cancelled checks.

Consolidated statements reflecting current values, share balances and year-to-date transactions generally will be sent to you each quarter. All accounts identified by the same social security number and address will be consolidated. For example, you could receive a consolidated statement showing your individual and IRA accounts. An IRS Form 1099 generally will also be sent each year by January 31.

With the prior permission of the other shareholders involved, you have the option of requesting that accounts controlled by other shareholders be shown on one consolidated statement. For example, information on your individual account, your IRA, your spouse's individual account and your spouse's IRA may be shown on one consolidated statement.

For investors purchasing shares of a Fund through a tax-qualified IRA or pension plan or under a group plan through a person designated for the collection and remittance of monies to be invested in shares of the Fund on a periodic basis, the Fund may, in lieu of furnishing confirmations following each purchase of Fund shares, send statements no less frequently than quarterly pursuant to the provisions of the 1934 Act, and the rules thereunder. These quarterly statements, which would be sent to the investor or to the person designated by the group for distribution to its members, will be made within five business days after the end of each quarterly period and shall reflect all transactions in the investor's account during the preceding quarter.

**Reinvestment of Distributions** 

As noted in the Prospectus, shareholders have the privilege of reinvesting both income dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, in additional shares of a respective class of a Fund at the then current NAV, with no sales charge. Each Fund's management believes that most investors desire to take advantage of this privilege. For all share classes, it has therefore made arrangements with its Transfer Agent to have all income dividends and capital gains distributions that are declared by each Fund automatically reinvested for the account of each shareholder. A shareholder may elect at any time by writing to a Fund or the Transfer Agent to have subsequent dividends and/or distributions paid in cash. In the absence of such an election, each purchase of shares of a class of a Fund is made upon the condition and understanding that the Transfer Agent is automatically appointed the shareholder's agent to receive his dividends and distributions upon all shares registered in his or her name and to reinvest them in full and fractional shares of the respective class of the Fund at the

applicable NAV in effect at the close of business on the reinvestment date. A shareholder may still, at any time after a purchase of Fund shares, request that dividends and/or capital gains distributions be paid to him or her in cash.

**TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following tax information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the tax information contained in each Fund's Prospectus. The Prospectus generally describes the U.S. federal income tax treatment of each Fund and its shareholders. This section of the SAI provides additional information concerning U.S. federal income taxes. It is based on the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, judicial authority, and administrative rulings and practice, all as in effect as of the date of this SAI and all of which are subject to change, including with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal tax considerations generally applicable to investments in each Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. The Investment Adviser is not obligated to consider the tax consequences related to its management of a Fund's investments or other activities. It is possible that the actions taken by a Fund or the Investment Adviser on the Fund's behalf could be disadvantageous to shareholders that hold shares through a taxable account. However, such actions likely will have no tax effect on shareholders that invest through a tax-advantaged account. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers regarding their particular situation and the possible application of non-U.S., state and local tax laws.

Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans or tax-advantaged arrangements. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of Fund shares as an investment through such plans and arrangements and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

**Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company** 

Each Fund has elected or will elect to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code and intends each year to qualify and to be eligible to be treated as such. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, each Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from: (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies; and (ii) net income derived from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (as defined below); (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the fair market value of its total assets consists

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of: (A) cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities and securities of other RICs; and (B) other securities (other than those described in clause (A)) limited in respect of any one issuer to a value that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities of any one issuer (other than those described in clause (i)(A)), the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid—generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards) and its net tax-exempt income, for such year.

In general, for purposes of the 90% gross income requirement described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a "qualified publicly traded partnership" (generally defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in paragraph (a)(i) above) will be treated as qualifying income. In general, such entities will be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes because they meet the passive income requirement under Code Section 7704(c)(2). In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. Certain of a Fund's investments in MLPs and ETFs, if any, may qualify as interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

For purposes of the diversification test in (b) above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership and in the case of a Fund's investments in loan participations, the Fund shall treat both the financial intermediary and the issuer of the underlying loan as an issuer. Also, for purposes of the diversification test in (b) above, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In some cases, the identification of the issuer (or issuers) is uncertain under current law, and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to issuer identification for a particular type of investment may adversely affect a Fund's ability to meet the diversification test in (b) above. The qualifying income and diversification requirements described above may limit the extent to which a Fund can engage in certain derivative transactions, as well as the extent to which it can invest in MLPs and certain commodity-linked ETFs.

If a Fund qualifies as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain (*i.e*., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss, determined with reference to any capital loss carryforwards) distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends (including capital gain dividends).

If a Fund were to fail to meet the income, diversification or distribution test described above, the Fund could in some cases cure such failure, including by paying a Fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund were ineligible to or otherwise did not cure such failure for any year, or if the Fund were otherwise to fail to qualify as a RIC accorded special tax treatment for such year, the Fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some portions of such distributions may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders and may be eligible to be treated as "qualified dividend income" in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals, provided, in both cases, the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements in respect of the Fund's shares (as described below). In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before re-qualifying as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment.

Each Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction), its net tax-exempt income (if any), and its net capital gain (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss, in each case determined with reference to any loss carryforwards). However, no assurance can be given that a Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation. Any taxable income, including any net capital gain retained by a Fund, will be subject to tax at the Fund level at regular corporate rates.

In the case of net capital gain, each Fund is permitted to designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gain in a timely notice to its shareholders who would then, in turn, be: (i) required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds on a properly-filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If a Fund makes this designation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund would be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder's gross income under clause (i) of the preceding sentence and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence. A Fund is not required to, and there can be no assurance a Fund will, make this designation if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain in a taxable year.

In determining its net capital gain, including in connection with determining the amount available to support a capital gain dividend, its taxable income, and its earnings and profits, a RIC generally may elect to treat part or all of any post-October capital loss (defined as any net capital loss attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31 or, if there is no such loss, the net long-term capital loss

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or net short-term capital loss attributable to any such portion of the taxable year) or late-year ordinary loss (generally, the sum of its: (i) net ordinary loss from the sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of property, attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31, and (ii) other net ordinary loss attributable to the portion, if any, of the taxable year after December 31) as if incurred in the succeeding taxable year.

In order to comply with the distribution requirements described above applicable to RICs, a Fund generally must make the distributions in the same taxable year that it realizes the income and gain, although in certain circumstances, a Fund may make the distributions in the following taxable year in respect of income and gains from the prior taxable year.

If a Fund declares a distribution to shareholders of record in October, November, or December of one calendar year and pays the distribution in January of the following calendar year, the Fund and its shareholders will be treated as if the Fund paid the distribution on December 31 of the earlier year.

**Excise Tax** 

If a Fund were to fail to distribute in a calendar year at least an amount equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year (or December 31 of that year if the Fund is permitted to elect and so elects), plus any such amounts retained from the prior year, the Fund would be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts.

Each Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient to avoid the imposition of the 4% excise tax. However, no assurance can be given that a Fund will not be subject to the excise tax.

For purposes of the required excise tax distribution, a RIC's ordinary gains and losses from the sale, redemption, exchange, or other taxable disposition of property that would otherwise be taken into account after October 31 of a calendar year generally are treated as arising on January 1 of the following calendar year. Also, for these purposes, a Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax in the taxable year ending within the calendar year.

**Use of Tax Equalization** 

Each Fund distributes its net investment income and capital gains to shareholders at least annually to the extent required to qualify as a RIC under the Code and generally to avoid U.S. federal income or excise tax. Under current law, a Fund is permitted to treat the portion of redemption proceeds paid to redeeming shareholders that represents the redeeming shareholders' *pro-rata* share of the Fund's accumulated earnings and profits as a dividend on the Fund's tax return. This practice, which involves the use of tax equalization, will reduce the amount of income and gains that a Fund is required to distribute as dividends to shareholders in order for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal income tax and excise tax, which may include reducing the amount of distributions that otherwise would be required to be paid to non-redeeming shareholders. A Fund's NAV generally will not be reduced by the amount of any undistributed income or gains allocated to redeeming shareholders under this practice and thus the total return on a shareholder's investment generally will not be reduced as a result of this practice.

**Capital Loss Carryforwards** 

Capital losses in excess of capital gains ("net capital losses") are not permitted to be deducted against a Fund's net investment income. Instead, potentially subject to certain limitations, each Fund is able to carry forward a net capital loss from any taxable year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized during a subsequent taxable year. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryforwards. Capital loss carryforwards are reduced to the extent they offset current-year net realized capital gains, whether the Fund retains or distributes such gains.

If a Fund incurs or has incurred net capital losses, those losses will be carried forward to one or more subsequent taxable years without expiration; any such carryover losses will retain their character as short-term or long-term.

See each Fund's most recent annual Form N-CSR filing for each Fund's available capital loss carryforwards, if any, as of the end of its most recently ended fiscal year.

**Fund Distributions** 

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long a Fund owned (or is deemed to have owned) the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares of the Fund. In general, a Fund will recognize long-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned for more than one year, and short-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned for one year or less. Tax rules can alter a Fund's holding period in investments and thereby affect the tax treatment of gain or loss on such investments. Distributions of net capital gain that are properly reported by a Fund as capital gain dividends ("Capital Gain Dividends") will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains and taxed to individuals at reduced rates relative to ordinary income. Distributions from capital gains generally are made after applying any available capital loss carryforwards. The IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have issued regulations that impose special rules in respect of Capital Gain Dividends received through partnership interests constituting "applicable partnership interests" under Section 1061 of the Code. Distributions of net short-term capital gain (as reduced by any net long-term capital loss for the taxable year) will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of investment income reported by a Fund as derived from "qualified dividend income" will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level.

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The Code generally imposes a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on the net investment income of certain individuals, trusts and estates to the extent their income exceeds certain threshold amounts. For these purposes, "net investment income" generally includes, among other things: (i) distributions paid by a Fund of net investment income and capital gains as described above; and (ii) any net gain from the sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of Fund shares. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisers regarding the possible implications of this additional tax on their investment in a Fund.

As required by U.S. federal tax law, detailed U.S. federal tax information with respect to each calendar year will be furnished to each shareholder early in the succeeding year.

If, in and with respect to any taxable year, a Fund makes a distribution to a shareholder in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of such shareholder's tax basis in its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares. To the extent a Fund makes distributions of capital gains in excess of the Fund's net capital gain for the taxable year (as reduced by any available capital loss carryforwards from prior taxable years), there is a possibility that the distributions will be taxable as ordinary dividend distributions, even though distributed excess amounts would not have been subject to tax if retained by the Fund.

Distributions are taxable as described herein whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares.

A dividend paid to shareholders in January generally is deemed to have been paid by a Fund on December 31 of the preceding year if the dividend was declared and payable to shareholders of record on a date in October, November or December of that preceding year.

Distributions on a Fund's shares generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund's realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder's investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's NAV reflects either unrealized gains, or realized but undistributed income or gains, that were therefore included in the price the shareholder paid. Such distributions may reduce the fair market value of the Fund's shares below the shareholder's cost basis in those shares. As described above, a Fund is required to distribute realized income and gains regardless of whether the Fund's NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

If a Fund holds, directly or indirectly, one or more "tax credit bonds" on one or more applicable dates during a taxable year, it is possible that the Fund will elect to permit its shareholders to claim a tax credit on their U.S. federal income tax returns equal to each shareholder's proportionate share of tax credits from the applicable bonds that otherwise would be allowed to the Fund. In such a case, a shareholder will be deemed to receive a distribution of money with respect to its Fund shares equal to the shareholder's proportionate share of the amount of such credits and be allowed a credit against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability equal to the amount of such deemed distribution, subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code on the credits involved. Even if a Fund is eligible to pass through tax credits to shareholders, the Fund may choose not to do so.

In order for some portion of the dividends received by a Fund shareholder to be "qualified dividend income" that is eligible for taxation at long-term capital gain rates, the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund's shares. In general, a dividend is not treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level): (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date); (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest; or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is: (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States); or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company.

In general, distributions of investment income reported by a Fund as derived from qualified dividend income are treated as qualified dividend income in the hands of a shareholder taxed as an individual, provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund's shares.

If the aggregate qualified dividends received by a Fund during a taxable year are 95% or more of its gross income (excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund's dividends (other than dividends properly reported as Capital Gain Dividends) are eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.

In general, dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of a Fund qualify for the dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of eligible dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by a Fund will not be treated as a dividend eligible for the dividends-received deduction: (1) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock); or (2) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends received deduction may otherwise be disallowed or reduced: (1) if the

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corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund; or (2) by application of various provisions of the Code (for instance, the dividends-received deduction is reduced in the case of a dividend received on debt-financed portfolio stock (generally, stock acquired with borrowed funds)).

Any distribution of income that is attributable to: (i) income received by a Fund in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction; or (ii) dividend income received by the Fund on securities it temporarily purchased from a counterparty pursuant to a repurchase agreement that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a loan by the Fund, will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.

Distributions by a Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "Section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a U.S. federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Very generally, a Section 199A dividend is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by the Fund from REITs, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A Section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. A Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as Section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

Subject to future regulatory guidance to the contrary, distributions attributable to qualified publicly traded partnership income from a Fund's investments in MLPs will ostensibly not qualify for the deduction available to non-corporate taxpayers in respect of such amounts received directly from an MLP.

**Tax Implications of Certain Fund Investments** 

*Special Rules for Debt Obligations.* Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) will be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in a Fund's income and required to be distributed by the Fund over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. In addition, payment-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance that are acquired by a Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having "market discount." Very generally, market discount is the excess of the stated redemption price of a debt obligation (or in the case of an obligation issued with OID, its "revised issue price") over the purchase price of such obligation. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt instrument having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt instrument. Alternatively, a Fund may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Fund will be required to include the accrued market discount in the Fund's income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. The rate at which the market discount accrues, and thus is included in a Fund's income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects.

Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance may be treated as having OID or, in certain cases, "acquisition discount" (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price). Each Fund will be required to include the OID or acquisition discount in income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. The rate at which OID or acquisition discount accrues, and thus is included in a Fund's income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects.

If a Fund holds the foregoing kinds of obligations, or other obligations subject to special rules under the Code, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or, if necessary, by disposition of portfolio securities including at a time when it may not be advantageous to do so. These dispositions may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates) and, in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger Capital Gain Dividend than if the Fund had not held such obligations.

*Securities Purchased at a Premium.* Very generally, where a Fund purchases a bond at a price that exceeds the redemption price at maturity – that is, at a premium – the premium is amortizable over the remaining term of the bond. In the case of a taxable bond, if the Fund makes an election applicable to all such bonds it purchases, which election is irrevocable without consent of the IRS, the Fund would reduce the current taxable income from the bond by the amortized premium and reduce its tax basis in the bond by the amount of such offset; upon the disposition or maturity of such bonds acquired on or after January 4, 2013, the Fund is permitted to deduct any remaining premium allocable to a prior period. In the case of a tax-exempt bond, tax rules require the Fund to reduce its tax basis by the amount of amortized premium.

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A portion of the OID accrued on certain high yield discount obligations may not be deductible to the issuer and will instead be treated as a dividend paid by the issuer for purposes of the dividends received deduction. In such cases, if the issuer of the high-yield discount obligations is a domestic corporation, dividend payments by a Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction to the extent attributable to the deemed dividend portion of such OID.

*At-risk or Defaulted Securities.* Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for a Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as whether or to what extent a Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent the Fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how the Fund should allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be addressed by a Fund when, as and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

*Certain Investments in REITs.* Any investment by a Fund in equity securities of REITs qualifying as such under Subchapter M of the Code may result in the Fund's receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by a Fund from a REIT will not qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction and generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

Certain distributions made by a Fund attributable to dividends received by the Fund from REITs may qualify as "qualified REIT dividends" in the hands of non-corporate shareholders, as discussed above.

*Mortgage-Related Securities.* A Fund may invest directly or indirectly in REMICs (including by investing in residual interests in collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") with respect to which an election to be treated as a REMIC is in effect) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"). Under a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of each Fund's income (including income allocated to the Fund from a REIT or other pass-through entity) that is attributable to a residual interest in a REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (referred to in the Code as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related interest directly. As a result, a Fund investing in such interests may not be a suitable investment for charitable remainder trusts, as noted below.

In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an IRA, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (iii) in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. A shareholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such inclusions notwithstanding any exemption from such income tax otherwise available under the Code.

*Foreign Currency Transactions.* Any transaction by a Fund in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations or certain foreign currency options, futures contracts or forward contracts (or similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. Gains or losses with respect to a Fund's investments in common stock of non-U.S. issuers will generally be taxed as capital gains or losses at the time of the disposition of the stock, subject to certain exceptions specified in the Code. Gains and losses of a Fund on the acquisition and disposition of non-U.S. currency will be treated as ordinary income or loss. In addition, gains or losses on disposition of debt securities denominated in a non-U.S. currency to the extent attributable to fluctuation in the value of the non-U.S. currency between the date of acquisition of the debt security and the date of disposition will be treated as ordinary income or loss. Any such net gains could require a larger dividend toward the end of the calendar year. Any such net losses generally will reduce and potentially require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Such ordinary income treatment may accelerate Fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any net ordinary losses so created cannot be carried forward by a Fund to offset income or gains earned in subsequent taxable years.

Foreign currency gains generally are treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. There is a remote possibility that the Secretary of the Treasury will issue contrary tax regulations with respect to foreign currency gains that are not directly related to a RIC's principal business of investing in stocks or securities (or options or futures with respect to stocks or securities), and such regulations could apply retroactively.

*Passive Foreign Investment Companies.* Equity investments by a Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could potentially subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company. This tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, a Fund may elect to avoid the imposition of that tax. For example, a Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" (*i.e.*, make a "QEF election"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the PFIC's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the PFIC. A Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold (and, solely for purposes of this mark-to-market election, repurchased) its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as "qualified dividend

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income." A foreign issuer in which a Fund invests will not be treated as a PFIC with respect to the Fund if such issuer is a controlled foreign corporation ("CFC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes and the Fund holds (directly, indirectly, or constructively) 10% or more of the voting interests in or total value of such issuer. In such a case, a Fund generally would be required to include in gross income each year, as ordinary income, its share of certain amounts of a CFC's income, whether or not the CFC distributes such amounts to the Fund.

Because it is not always possible to identify a non-U.S. corporation as a PFIC, a Fund may incur the tax and interest charges described above in some instances.

**Options and Futures** 

In general, option premiums received by a Fund are not immediately included in the income of the Fund. Instead, the premiums are recognized when the option contract expires, the option is exercised by the holder, or the Fund transfers or otherwise terminates the option (*e.g.*, through a closing transaction). If a call option written by a Fund is exercised and the Fund sells or delivers the underlying stock, the Fund generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to (a) sum of the strike price and the option premium received by the Fund minus (b) the Fund's basis in the stock. Such gain or loss generally will be short-term or long-term depending upon the holding period of the underlying stock. If securities are purchased by a Fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the Fund generally will subtract the premium received for purposes of computing its cost basis in the securities purchased. Gain or loss arising in respect of a termination of the Fund's obligation under an option other than through the exercise of the option will be short-term gain or loss depending on whether the premium income received by the Fund is greater or less than the amount paid by the Fund (if any) in terminating the transaction. Thus, for example, if an option written by a Fund expires unexercised, the Fund generally will recognize short-term gain equal to the premium received.

A Fund's options activities may include transactions constituting straddles for U.S. federal income tax purposes, that is, that trigger the U.S. federal income tax straddle rules contained primarily in Section 1092 of the Code. Such straddles include, for example, positions in a particular security, or an index of securities, and one or more options that offset the former position, including options that are "covered" by a Fund's long position in the subject security. Very generally, where applicable, Section 1092 requires: (i) that losses be deferred on positions deemed to be offsetting positions with respect to "substantially similar or related property," to the extent of unrealized gain in the latter; and (ii) that the holding period of such a straddle position that has not already been held for the long-term holding period be terminated and begin anew once the position is no longer part of a straddle. Options on single stocks that are not "deep in the money" may constitute qualified covered calls, which generally are not subject to the straddle rules; the holding period on stock underlying qualified covered calls that are "in the money" although not "deep in the money" will be suspended during the period that such calls are outstanding. These straddle rules and the rules governing qualified covered calls could cause gains that would otherwise constitute long-term capital gains to be treated as short-term capital gains, and distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" or qualify for the dividends-received deduction to fail to satisfy the holding period requirements and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income or to fail to qualify for the dividends-received deduction, as the case may be.

The tax treatment of certain positions entered into by a Fund (including regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency positions and certain listed non-equity options) will be governed by Section 1256 of the Code ("Section 1256 contracts"). Gains or losses on Section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses ("60/40"), although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, Section 1256 contracts held by a Fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are "marked to market" with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable.

*Other Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions.* In addition to the special rules described above in respect of futures and options transactions, each Fund's transactions in other derivative instruments (*e.g.*, forward contracts and swap agreements), as well as any of its hedging, short sale, securities loan or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (*e.g.*, notional principal contract, straddle, constructive sale, wash sale and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by a Fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, thereby affecting, among other things, whether capital gains and losses are treated as short-term or long-term. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a Fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a Fund-level tax.

*Commodity-Linked Instruments.* A Fund's investments in commodity-linked instruments can be limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC, and can bear on the Fund's ability to so qualify. Income and gains from certain commodity-linked instruments do not constitute qualifying income to a RIC for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. The tax treatment of some other commodity-linked instruments in which a Fund might invest is not certain, in particular with respect to whether income or gains from such instruments constitute qualifying income to a RIC. If a Fund were to treat income or gain from a particular instrument as qualifying income and the income or gain were later determined not to constitute qualifying income and, together with any other nonqualifying income, caused the Fund's nonqualifying income to exceed 10% of its gross income in any taxable year, the Fund would fail to qualify as a RIC unless it is eligible to and does pay a tax at the Fund level.

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*Exchange-Traded Notes and Structured Notes.* The tax rules are uncertain with respect to the treatment of income or gains arising in respect of commodity-linked exchange-traded notes ("ETNs") and certain commodity-linked structured notes; also, the timing and character of income or gains arising from ETNs can be uncertain. An adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect a Fund's ability to qualify for treatment as a RIC and to avoid a Fund-level tax.

*Book-Tax Differences.* Certain of a Fund's investments in derivative instruments and foreign currency-denominated instruments, and any of the Fund's transactions in foreign currencies and hedging activities, are likely to produce a difference between its book income and the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any). If such a difference arises, and the Fund's book income is less than the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax. In the alternative, if the Fund's book income exceeds the sum of its taxable income (including realized capital gains) and net tax-exempt income, the distribution (if any) of such excess generally will be treated as: (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income); (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in its shares; and (iii) thereafter as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset.

*Investments in Other RICs*. A Fund's investments in shares of another mutual fund, an ETF or another company that qualifies as a RIC (each, an "investment company") can cause the Fund to be required to distribute greater amounts of net investment income or net capital gain than the Fund would have distributed had it invested directly in the securities held by the investment company, rather than in shares of the investment company. Further, the amount or timing of distributions from a Fund qualifying for treatment as a particular character (*e.g.*, long-term capital gain, exempt interest, eligibility for dividends-received deduction, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment company. If a Fund receives dividends from an investment company and the investment company reports such dividends as qualified dividend income, then the Fund is permitted in turn to report a portion of its distributions as qualified dividend income, provided the Fund meets holding period and other requirements with respect to shares of the investment company.

If a Fund receives dividends from an investment company and the investment company reports such dividends as eligible for the dividends-received deduction, then the Fund is permitted in turn to report its distributions derived from those dividends as eligible for the dividends-received deduction as well, provided the Fund meets holding period and other requirements with respect to shares of the investment company.

*Investments in Master Limited Partnerships and Certain Non-U.S. Entities.* A Fund's ability to make direct and indirect investments in MLPs and certain non-U.S. entities is limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC, and if the Fund does not appropriately limit such investments or if such investments are recharacterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund's status as a RIC may be jeopardized. Among other limitations, the Fund is permitted to have no more than 25% of the value of its total assets invested in qualified publicly traded partnerships, including MLPs.

Subject to any future regulatory guidance to the contrary, any distribution of income attributable to qualified publicly traded partnership income from a Fund's investment in a MLP will ostensibly not qualify for the deduction that would be available to a non-corporate shareholder were the shareholder to own such MLP directly.

**Tax-Exempt Shareholders** 

Income of a RIC that would be UBTI if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not constitute UBTI when distributed to a tax-exempt shareholder of the RIC. Notwithstanding this "blocking" effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

A tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if a Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs as described above, if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund's investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Under legislation enacted in December 2006, a CRT (as defined in Section 664 of the Code) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI as a result of investing in a Fund that recognizes "excess inclusion income." Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a share in a Fund that recognizes "excess inclusion income," then the Fund will be subject to a tax on that portion of its "excess inclusion income" for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders at the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable in light of the December 2006 legislation is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, each Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder's distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder's interest in the Fund.

CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in a Fund.

**Sale, Redemption or Other Disposition of Shares** 

The sale, redemption or other disposition of Fund shares may give rise to a gain or loss.

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In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Fund shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held by a shareholder for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any Capital Gain Dividends received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares.

Further, all or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed under the Code's "wash-sale" rule if other substantially identical shares are purchased, including by means of dividend reinvestment, within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

**Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations** 

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of at least $2 million in any single taxable year or $4 million in any combination of taxable years for an individual shareholder or at least $10 million in any single taxable year or $20 million in any combination of taxable years for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult with their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

**Foreign Taxation** 

Income, proceeds and gains received by a Fund (or RICs in which the Fund has invested) from sources within non-U.S. countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. This will decrease a Fund's yield on securities subject to such taxes. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of a Fund's assets at taxable year end consists of securities of non-U.S. corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders to claim a credit or deduction on their U.S. federal income tax returns for their *pro rata* portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund to non-U.S. countries in respect of foreign (non-U.S.) securities that the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their *pro rata* shares of such taxes paid by the Fund. A shareholder's ability to claim an offsetting foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by a Fund is subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder's not receiving a full credit or deduction (if any) for the amount of such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions on their U.S. federal income tax returns may claim a credit (but not a deduction) for such foreign taxes.

Even if a Fund were eligible to make such an election for a given year, it may determine not to do so. Shareholders that are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and those who invest in a Fund through tax-advantaged accounts (including those who invest through IRAs or other tax-advantaged retirement plans), generally will receive no benefit from any tax credit or deduction passed through by the Fund.

**Foreign Shareholders** 

Distributions by a Fund to shareholders that are not "U.S. persons" within the meaning of the Code ("foreign shareholders") properly reported by the Fund as: (1) Capital Gain Dividends; (2) short-term capital gain dividends; and (3) interest-related dividends, each as defined below and subject to certain conditions described below, generally are not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax.

In general, the Code defines (1) "short-term capital gain dividends" as distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses and (2) "interest-related dividends" as distributions from U.S. source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign shareholder, in each case to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by a Fund in a written notice to shareholders. The exceptions to withholding for Capital Gain Dividends and short-term capital gain dividends do not apply to (A) distributions to an individual foreign shareholder who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the distribution and (B) distributions attributable to gain that is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the foreign shareholder of a trade or business within the United States under special rules regarding the disposition of U.S. real property interests as described below. The exception to withholding for interest-related dividends does not apply to distributions to a foreign shareholder (A) that has not provided a satisfactory statement that the beneficial owner is not a U.S. person, (B) to the extent that the dividend is attributable to certain interest on an obligation if the foreign shareholder is the issuer or is a 10% shareholder of the issuer, (C) that is within certain foreign countries that have inadequate information exchange with the United States, or (D) to the extent the dividend is attributable to interest paid by a person that is a related person of the foreign shareholder and the foreign shareholder is a controlled foreign corporation. If a Fund invests in a RIC that pays such distributions to the Fund, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Fund to foreign shareholders. A Fund may report such part of its dividends as interest-related and/or short-term capital gain dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so. In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if a Fund reports all or a portion of a payment as an interest-related or short-term capital gain dividend to shareholders.

Foreign shareholders should contact their intermediaries regarding the application of these rules to their accounts.

Distributions by a Fund to foreign shareholders other than Capital Gain Dividends, short-term capital gain dividends and interest-related dividends (*e.g.*, dividends attributable to dividend and foreign-source interest income or to short-term capital gains or U.S. source interest income to which the exception from withholding described above does not apply) are generally subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate).

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A foreign shareholder is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of a Fund unless: (i) such gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the foreign shareholder of a trade or business within the United States; (ii) in the case of a foreign shareholder that is an individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the special rules relating to gain attributable to the sale or exchange of "U.S. real property interests" ("USRPIs") apply to the foreign shareholder's sale of shares of the Fund (as described below).

Subject to certain exceptions (*e.g.*, for a Fund that is a "U.S. real property holding corporation" as described below), a Fund is generally not required (and does not expect) to withhold on the amount of a non-dividend distribution (*i.e.*, a distribution that is not paid out of the Fund's current earnings and profits for the applicable taxable year or accumulated earnings and profits) when paid to its foreign shareholders.

Special rules would apply if a Fund were a qualified investment entity ("QIE") because it is either a "U.S. real property holding corporation" ("USRPHC") or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions to the definition of USRPIs described below. Very generally, a USRPHC is a domestic corporation that holds USRPIs the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market values of the corporation's USRPIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other trade or business assets. USRPIs generally are defined as any interest in U.S. real property and any interest (other than solely as a creditor) in a USRPHC or, very generally, an entity that has been a USRPHC in the last five years. A fund that holds, directly or indirectly, significant interests in REITs may be a USRPHC. Interests in domestically controlled QIEs, including REITs and RICs that are QIEs, not-greater-than-10% interests in publicly traded classes of stock in REITs and not-greater-than-5% interests in publicly traded classes of stock in RICs generally are not USRPIs, but these exceptions do not apply for purposes of determining whether a Fund is a QIE.

If an interest in a Fund were a USRPI, the Fund would be required to withhold U.S. tax on the proceeds of a share redemption by a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder, in which case such foreign shareholder generally would also be required to file U.S. tax returns and pay any additional taxes due in connection with the redemption.

Moreover, if a Fund were a USRPHC or, very generally, had been one in the last five years, it would be required to withhold on amounts distributed to a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder to the extent such amounts would not be treated as a dividend, *i.e.*, are in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated "earnings and profits" for the applicable taxable year. Such withholding generally is not required if the Fund is a domestically controlled QIE.

If a Fund were a QIE, under a special "look-through" rule, any distributions by the Fund to a foreign shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Fund in redemption of its shares) attributable directly or indirectly to: (i) distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier RIC or REIT that the Fund is required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands; and (ii) gains realized on the disposition of USRPIs by the Fund would retain their character as gains realized from USRPIs in the hands of the Fund's foreign shareholders and would be subject to U.S. tax withholding. In addition, such distributions could result in the foreign shareholder being required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a foreign shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions (*e.g.*, as ordinary income or USRPI gain), would vary depending upon the extent of the foreign shareholder's current and past ownership of the Fund.

Foreign shareholders of each Fund also may be subject to "wash sale" rules to prevent the avoidance of the tax-filing and -payment obligations discussed above through the sale and repurchase of Fund shares.

Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisers and, if holding shares through intermediaries, their intermediaries, concerning the application of these rules to their investment in a Fund.

Foreign shareholders with respect to whom income from a Fund is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the foreign shareholder within the United States will in general be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the income derived from the Fund at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents or domestic corporations, whether such income is received in cash or reinvested in shares of the Fund and, in the case of a foreign corporation, may also be subject to a branch profits tax. If a foreign shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States. More generally, foreign shareholders who are residents in a country with an income tax treaty with the United States may obtain different tax results than those described herein, and are urged to consult their tax advisers.

In order to qualify for any exemptions from withholding described above or for lower withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, a foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute form). Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisers in this regard.

Special rules (including withholding and reporting requirements) apply to foreign partnerships and those holding Fund shares through foreign partnerships. Additional considerations may apply to foreign trusts and estates. Investors holding Fund shares through foreign entities should consult their tax advisers about their particular situation.

A foreign shareholder may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the U.S. federal income tax referred to above.

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**Backup Withholding** 

Each Fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is timely furnished to the IRS.

**Shareholder Reporting Obligations With Respect to Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts** 

Shareholders that are U.S. persons and own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of a Fund could be required to report annually their "financial interest" in the Fund's "foreign financial accounts," if any, on FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ("FBAR"). Shareholders should consult a tax adviser, and persons investing in the Fund through an intermediary should contact their intermediary, regarding the applicability to them of this reporting requirement.

**Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements** 

Sections 1471-1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations and IRS guidance issued thereunder (collectively, "FATCA") generally require each Fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders under FATCA or under an applicable intergovernmental agreement (an "IGA") between the United States and a foreign government. If a shareholder fails to provide the requested information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA or an IGA, a Fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that shareholder on ordinary dividends it pays. The IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have issued proposed regulations providing that these withholding rules will not apply to the gross proceeds of share redemptions or Capital Gain Dividends a Fund pays. If a payment by a Fund is subject to FATCA withholding, the Fund is required to withhold even if such payment would otherwise be exempt from withholding under the rules applicable to foreign shareholders described above (*e.g.*, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends).

Each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the applicability of FATCA and any other reporting requirements with respect to the prospective investor's own situation, including investments through an intermediary.

**General Considerations** 

The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific U.S. federal tax consequences of purchasing, holding, and disposing of shares of a Fund, as well as the effects of state, local, non-U.S., and other tax laws and any proposed tax law changes.

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements, and the independent registered public accounting firm's report thereon, are included in each Fund's [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465926002440/tm2531593d1_ncsr.htm)filing for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025 and are incorporated herein by reference.

Shareholders are provided with annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that highlight key information to shareholders. Other information, including financial statements, no longer appears in each Fund's shareholder reports but is available on the Voya funds' website (https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports), delivered free of charge upon request, and filed with the SEC on a semi-annual basis on Form N-CSR. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from each Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by sending an e-mail request to Voyaim_literature@voya.com.

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**APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF CREDIT RATINGS**

**A Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s ("Moody's") Global Rating Scales** 

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.

**Description of Moody's Long-Term Obligation Ratings** 

Aaa — Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa — Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A — Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa — Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba — Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B — Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa — Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca — Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C — Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

**Note:** Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)** 

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Short-Term Obligation Ratings** 

Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

P-1 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's US Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings** 

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer's long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels — MIG 1 through MIG 3 — while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.

MIG 1 — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2 — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG 3 — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

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**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings** 

In the case of variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade ("VMIG") scale.

VMIG 1 — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 2 — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 3 — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

SG — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' ("S&P's") Issue Credit Ratings** 

A S&P's issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days — including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P's analysis of the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Likelihood of payment — capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Nature of and provisions of the obligation and the promise we impute;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

**Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\*** 

AAA — An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA — An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A — An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB — An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, C — Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB — An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

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B — An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC — An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC — An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P's expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

C — An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.

D — An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P's believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

NR — This indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

\* The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (–) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

**Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings** 

A-1 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B — A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

C — A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

D — A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

**Description of S&P's Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings** 

A S&P's U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P's opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P's analysis will review the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P's municipal short-term note rating symbols are as follows:

SP-1 — Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2 — Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

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SP-3 — Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

**Description of Fitch Ratings' ("Fitch's") Credit Ratings Scales** 

Fitch's credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested.

The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade). The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions, and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. "Investment grade" categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the "speculative" categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. In particular, ratings do not deal with the risk of a market value loss on a rated security due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and other market considerations. However, in terms of payment obligation on the rated liability, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay upon a commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of index-linked bonds).

In the default components of ratings assigned to individual obligations or instruments, the agency typically rates to the likelihood of non-payment or default in accordance with the terms of that instrument's documentation. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation). In such cases, the agency will make clear the assumptions underlying the agency's opinion in the accompanying rating commentary.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Rating Scales** 

Fitch long-term obligations rating scales are as follows:

AAA — Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA — Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A — High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB — Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

BB — Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

B — Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.

CCC — 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.

CC —'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.

C — 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'B' to 'C' rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Note:** The modifiers "+" or "–" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below 'CCC'.

The subscript 'emr' is appended to a rating to denote embedded market risk which is beyond the scope of the rating. The designation is intended to make clear that the rating solely addresses the counterparty risk of the issuing bank. It is not meant to indicate any limitation in the analysis of the counterparty risk, which in all other respects follows published Fitch criteria for analyzing the issuing financial institution. Fitch does not rate these instruments where the principal is to any degree subject to market risk.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings** 

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

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Fitch short-term ratings are as follows:

F1 — Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2 — Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

F3 — Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

B — Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

C — High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

RD — Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.

D — Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

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**APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICY**

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**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**VOYA FUNDS**

**VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC**

**Date Last Revised: February 5, 2025**

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**Introduction**

This document sets forth the proxy voting procedures ("Procedures") and guidelines ("Guidelines"), collectively the "Proxy Voting Policy", that Voya Investments, LLC ("Adviser") shall follow when voting proxies on behalf of the Voya funds for which it serves as investment adviser (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"). The Funds' Boards of Directors/Trustees ("Board") have approved the Proxy Voting Policy.

The Board may determine to delegate proxy voting to a sub-adviser of one or more Funds (rather than to the Adviser) in which case the sub-adviser's proxy policies and procedures for implementation on behalf of such Fund (a "Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund") shall be subject to Board approval. Sub-Adviser-Voted Funds are not covered under the Proxy Voting Policy except as described in the Reporting and Record Retention section below relating to vote reporting requirements. Sub-Adviser-Voted Funds are governed by the applicable sub-adviser's respective proxy policies provided that the Board has approved such policies.

The Proxy Voting Policy incorporates principles and guidance set forth in relevant pronouncements of the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and its staff regarding the Adviser's fiduciary duty to ensure that proxies are voted in a timely manner and that voting decisions are always in the Funds' best interest.

Pursuant to the Policy, the Adviser's Active Ownership team ("AO Team") is delegated the responsibility to vote the Funds' proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy on the Funds' behalf.

The engagement of a Proxy Advisory Firm (as defined in the Proxy Advisory Firm section below) shall be subject to the Board's initial approval and annual Board review and approval thereafter. The AO Team is responsible for Proxy Advisory Firm oversight and shall direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote proxies in accordance with the Guidelines.

The Board's Compliance Committee ("Compliance Committee") shall review the Proxy Voting Policy not less than annually and these documents shall be updated as appropriate. No material changes to the Proxy Voting Policy shall become effective without Board approval. The Compliance Committee may approve non-material amendments for immediate implementation subject to full Board ratification at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

**Adviser's Roles and Responsibilities**

**Active Ownership Team**

The AO Team shall direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote proxies on the Funds' and Adviser's behalf in connection with annual and special shareholder meetings (except those regarding bankruptcy matters and/or related plans of reorganization).

The AO Team is responsible for overseeing the Proxy Advisory Firm and voting the Funds' proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy on the Funds' and the Adviser's behalf.

The AO Team is authorized to direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote Fund proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy. Responsibilities assigned to the AO Team or activities in support thereof may be performed by such members of the Proxy Committee (as defined in the Proxy Committee section below) or employees of the Adviser's affiliates as the Proxy Committee deems appropriate.

The AO Team is also responsible for identifying potential conflicts between the proxy issuer and the Proxy Advisory Firm, the Adviser, the Funds' principal underwriters, or an affiliated person of the Funds. The AO Team shall identify such potential conflicts of interest based on information the Proxy Advisory Firm periodically provides; analyses of Voya's clients, distributors, broker-dealers, and vendors; and information derived from other sources including but not limited to public filings.

**Proxy Committee**

The Proxy Committee shall ensure that the Funds vote proxies consistent with the Proxy Voting Policy. The Proxy Committee accordingly reviews and evaluates this Policy, oversees the development and implementation thereof, and resolves ad hoc issues that may arise from time to time. The Proxy Committee is comprised of senior leaders of Voya Investment Management, including fundamental research, ESG research, active ownership, compliance, legal, finance, and operations of the Adviser. The Proxy Committee membership may be amended at the Adviser's discretion from time to time. The Board will be informed of any membership changes quarterly at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

**Investment Professionals**

The Funds' sub-advisers and/or portfolio managers are each referred to herein as an "Investment Professional" and collectively, "Investment Professionals". Investment Professionals are encouraged to submit recommendations to the AO Team regarding any proxy voting-related proposals relating to the portfolio securities over which they have daily portfolio management responsibility including proxy contests, proposals relating to issuers with dual class shares with superior voting rights, and/or mergers and acquisitions.

**Proxy Advisory Firm**

The Proxy Advisory Firm is required to coordinate with the Funds' custodians to ensure that those firms process all proxy materials they receive relating to portfolio securities in a timely manner. To the extent applicable the Proxy Advisory Firm is required to provide research, analysis, and vote recommendations under its Proxy Voting guidelines. The Proxy Advisory Firm is required to produce custom vote recommendations in accordance with the Guidelines and their vote recommendations.

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**PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES**

**Vote Classification**

**Within-Guidelines Votes: *Votes in Accordance with these Guidelines***

A vote cast in accordance with these Guidelines is considered Within-Guidelines.

**Out-of-Guidelines Votes: Votes *Contrary to these Guidelines***

A vote that is contrary to these Guidelines may be cast when the AO team and/or Proxy Committee determine that application of these Guidelines is inappropriate under the circumstances. A vote is considered contrary to these Guidelines when such vote contradicts the approach outlined in the Policy.

A vote would not be considered contrary to these Guidelines for cases in which these Guidelines stipulate a Case-by-Case consideration, or an Investment Professional provides a written rationale for such vote.

**Matters Requiring Case-by-Case Consideration**

The Proxy Advisory Firm shall refer proxy proposals to the AO Team for consideration when the Procedures and Guidelines indicate a "Case-by-Case" consideration. Additionally, the Proxy Advisory Firm shall refer a proxy proposal under circumstances in which the application of the Procedures and Guidelines is uncertain, appears to involve unusual or controversial issues, or is silent regarding the proposal.

Upon receipt of a referral from the Proxy Advisory Firm, the AO Team may solicit additional research or clarification from the Proxy Advisory Firm, Investment Professional(s), or other sources.

The AO Team shall review matters requiring Case-by-Case consideration to determine whether such proposals require an Investment Professional and/or Proxy Committee input and a vote determination.

**Non-Votes: Votes in which No Action is Taken**

The AO Team shall make reasonable efforts to secure and vote all Fund proxies. Nevertheless, a Fund may refrain from voting under certain circumstances including, but not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The economic effect on shareholder interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant (e.g., proxies in connection with fractional shares), securities no longer held in a Fund, or a proxy is being considered for a Fund no longer in existence.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The cost of voting a proxy outweighs the benefits (e.g., certain international proxies, particularly in cases in which share-blocking practices may impose trading restrictions on the relevant portfolio security).

**Conflicts of Interest**

The Adviser shall act in the Funds' best interests and strive to avoid conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest may arise in situations in which, but not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is a vendor whose products or services are material to the Funds, the Adviser, or their affiliates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is an entity participating to a material extent in the Funds' distribution;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is a significant executing broker-dealer for the Funds and/or the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Any individual who participates in the voting process for the Funds, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Investment Professionals;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Members of the Proxy Committee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employees of the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Board Directors/Trustees; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Individuals who serve as a director or officer of the issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is Voya Financial.

Investment Professionals, the Proxy Advisory Firm, the Proxy Committee, and the AO Team shall disclose any potential conflicts of interest and/or confirm they do not have conflicts of interest relating to their participation in the voting process for portfolio securities.

The AO Team shall call a meeting of the Proxy Committee if a potential conflict exists and a member (or members) of the AO Team wishes to vote contrary to these Guidelines or an Investment Professional provides input regarding a meeting and has confirmed a conflict exists with regard thereto. The Proxy Committee shall then consider the matter and vote on a best course of action.

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The AO Team shall use best efforts to convene the Proxy Committee with respect to all matters requiring its consideration. If the Proxy Committee cannot meet its quorum requirements by the voting deadline it shall execute the vote in accordance with these Guidelines.

The Adviser shall maintain records regarding any determinations to vote contrary to these Guidelines including those in which a potential Voya Investment Management Conflict exists. Such records shall include the rationale for the contrary vote.

**Potential Conflicts with a Proxy Issuer**

The AO Team shall identify potential conflicts with proxy issuers. In addition to obtaining potential conflict of interest information described in the Roles and Responsibilities section above, Proxy Committee members shall disclose to the AO Team any potential conflicts of interests with an issuer prior to discussing the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation.

Proxy Committee members shall advise the AO Team in the event they believe a potential or perceived conflict of interest exists that may preclude them from making a vote determination in the Funds' best interests. The Proxy Committee member may elect recusal from considering the relevant proxy. Proxy Committee members shall complete a Conflict of Interest Report when they verbally disclose a potential conflict of interest.

Investment Professionals shall also confirm that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest when submitting vote recommendations to the AO Team.

The AO Team gathers and analyzes the information provided by the:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proxy Advisory Firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Funds' principal underwriters;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Fund affiliates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proxy Committee members;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Investment Professionals; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Fund Directors and Officers.

**Assessment of the Proxy Advisory Firm**

On the Board's and Adviser's behalf the AO Team shall assess whether the Proxy Advisory Firm:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Is independent from the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has resources that indicate it can competently provide analysis of proxy issues;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Can make recommendations in an impartial manner and in the best interests of the Funds and their beneficial owners; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has adequate compliance policies and procedures to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Ensure that its proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Identify and address conflicts of interest.

The AO Team shall utilize and the Proxy Advisory Firm shall comply with such methods for completing the assessment as the AO Team may deem reasonably appropriate. The Proxy Advisory Firm shall also promptly notify the AO Team in writing of any material changes to information it previously provided to the AO Team in connection with establishing the Proxy Advisory Firm's independence, competence, or impartiality.

**Voting Funds of Funds, Investing Funds and Feeder Funds**

Funds that are funds-of-funds<sup>1</sup> (each a "Fund-of-Funds" and collectively, "Funds-of-Funds") shall "echo" vote their interests in underlying mutual funds, which may include mutual funds other than the Funds indicated on Voya's website (www.voyainvestments.com). Meaning that if the Fund-of-Funds must vote on a proposal with respect to an underlying investment issuer the Fund-of-Funds shall vote its interest in that underlying fund in the same proportion as all other shareholders in the underlying investment company voted their interests.

However, if the underlying fund has no other shareholders, the Fund-of-Funds shall vote as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the Fund-of-Funds and the underlying fund are solicited to vote on the same proposal (e.g., the election of fund directors/trustees), the Fund-of-Funds shall vote the shares it holds in the underlying fund in the same proportion as all votes received from the holders of the Fund-of-Funds' shares with respect to that proposal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the Fund-of-Funds is solicited to vote on a proposal for an underlying fund (e.g., a new sub-adviser to the underlying fund), and there is no corresponding proposal at the Fund-of-Funds level, the Adviser shall determine the most appropriate method of voting with respect to the underlying fund proposal.

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<sup>1</sup> Invest in underlying funds beyond 12d-1 limits.

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An Investing Fund<sup>2</sup> (e.g., any Voya fund), while not a Fund-of-Funds shall have the foregoing Fund-of- Funds procedure applied to any Investing Fund that invests in one or more underlying funds. Accordingly:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Each Investing Fund shall "echo" vote its interests in an underlying fund if the underlying fund has shareholders other than the Investing Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the event an underlying fund has no other shareholders and the Investing Fund and the underlying fund are solicited to vote on the same proposal, the Investing Fund shall vote its interests in the underlying fund in the same proportion as all votes received from the holders of its own shares on that proposal; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the event an underlying fund has no other shareholders, and no corresponding proposal exists at the Investing Fund level, the Board shall determine the most appropriate method of voting with respect to the underlying fund proposal.

A fund that is a "Feeder Fund" in a master-feeder structure passes votes requested by the underlying master fund to its shareholders. Meaning that, if the master fund solicits the Feeder Fund, the Feeder Fund shall request instructions from its own shareholders as to how it should vote its interest in an underlying master fund either directly or in the case of an insurance-dedicated Fund through an insurance product or retirement plan.

When a Fund is a feeder in a master-feeder structure, proxies for the master fund's portfolio securities shall be voted pursuant to the master fund's proxy voting policies and procedures. As such, Feeder Funds shall not be subject to the Procedures and Guidelines except as described in the Reporting and Record Retention section below.

**Securities Lending**

Many of the Funds participate in securities lending arrangements that generate additional revenue for the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund is unable to vote securities that are on loan under these arrangements. However, under certain circumstances, for voting issues that may have a significant impact on the investment, members of the Proxy Committee or AO Team may request that the Fund's securities lending agent recall securities on loan if they determine that the benefit of voting outweighs the costs and lost revenue to the Fund as well as the administrative burden of retrieving the securities.

Investment Professionals may also deem a vote to be "material" in the context of the portfolio(s) they manage. They may therefore request that the Proxy Committee review lending activity on behalf of their portfolio(s) with respect to the relevant security and consider recalling and/or restricting the security. The Proxy Committee shall give primary consideration to relevant Investment Professional input in its determination as to whether a given proxy vote is material and if the associated security should accordingly be restricted from lending. The determination that a vote is material in the context of a Fund's portfolio shall not mean that such vote is considered material across all Funds voting at that meeting. In order to recall or restrict shares on a timely basis for material voting purposes the AO Team shall use best efforts to consider and, when appropriate, act upon such requests on a timely basis. Any relevant Investment Professional may submit a request to review lending activity in connection with a potentially material vote for the Proxy Committee's consideration at any time.

**Reporting and Record Retention**

**Reporting by the Funds**

Annually, as required, each Fund and each Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund shall post on the Voya Funds' website its proxy voting record or a link to the prior one-year period ended June 30. The proxy voting record for each Fund and each Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund shall also be available on Form N-PX in the SEC's EDGAR database on its website. For any Fund that is a feeder within a master-feeder structure, no proxy voting record related to the portfolio securities owned by the master fund shall be posted on the Funds' website or included in the Fund's Form N-PX; however, a cross-reference to the master fund's proxy voting record as filed in the SEC's EDGAR database shall be included in the Fund's Form N-PX and posted on the Funds' website. If an underlying master fund solicited any Feeder Fund for a vote during the reporting period, a record of the votes cast by means of the pass-through process described above shall be included on the Voya funds' website and in the Feeder Fund's Form N-PX.

**Reporting to the Compliance Committee**

At each quarterly Compliance Committee meeting the AO Team shall provide to the Compliance Committee a report outlining each proxy proposal, or a summary of such proposals, that was:

1. Voted Out-of-Guidelines; and/or

2. When the Proxy Committee did not agree with an Investment Professional's recommendation, as assessed when the Investment Professional raises a potential conflict of interest.

The report shall include the name of the issuer, the substance of the proposal, a summary of the Investment Professional's recommendation as applicable, and the reasons for voting or recommending an Out-of- Guidelines Vote or in the case of (2) above a vote which differed from that recommended by the Investment Professional.

**Reporting by the AO Team on behalf of the Adviser**

The Adviser shall maintain the records required by Rule 204-2(c)(2), as may be amended from time to time, including the following:

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<sup>2</sup> Invest in underlying funds but not beyond 12d-1 limits.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of each proxy statement received regarding a Fund's portfolio securities. Such proxy statements the issuers send are available either in the SEC's EDGAR database or upon request from the Proxy Advisory Firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A record of each vote cast on behalf of a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of any Adviser-created document that was material to making a proxy vote decision or that memorializes the basis for that decision;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of written requests for Fund proxy voting information and any written response thereto or to any oral request for information on how the Adviser voted proxies on behalf of a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A record of all recommendations from Investment Professionals to vote contrary to these Guidelines;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• All proxy questions/recommendations that have been referred to the Compliance Committee; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• All applicable recommendations, analyses, research, Conflict Reports, and vote determinations. All proxy voting materials and supporting documentation shall be retained for a minimum of six years.

**Records Maintained by the Proxy Advisory Firm**

The Proxy Advisory Firm shall retain a record of all proxy votes handled by the Proxy Advisory Firm. Such record must reflect all the information required to be disclosed in a Fund's Form N-PX pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Additionally, the Proxy Advisory Firm shall be responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received by issuers and to promptly provide such materials to the Adviser upon request.

**<u>PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES</u>**

**Introduction**

Proxies shall be voted in the Funds' best interests. These Guidelines summarize the Funds' positions regarding certain matters of importance to shareholders and provide an indication as to how the Funds' ballots shall be voted for certain types of proposals. These Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not provide guidance on all potential voting matters. Proposals may be addressed on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis rather than according to these Guidelines when assessing the merits of available rationale and disclosure.

These Guidelines generally apply to securities of publicly traded operating issuers and to those of privately held operating issuers if publicly available disclosure permits such application. The Funds will consider matters relating to investment companies that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Additionally, all matters for which such disclosure is not available shall be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

Investment Professionals are encouraged to submit recommendations to the AO Team regarding proxy voting matters relating to the portfolio securities over which they have daily portfolio management responsibility. Investment Professionals may submit recommendations in connection with any proposal and they are likely to receive requests for recommendations relating to proxies for private equity or fixed income securities and/or proposals relating to merger transactions/corporate restructurings, proxy contests, or unusual or controversial issues.

Interpretation and application of these Guidelines is not intended to supersede any law, regulation, binding agreement, or other legal requirement to which an issuer may be or become subject. No proposal shall be supported where implementation would contravene such requirements.

**General Policies**

The Funds generally support the recommendation of an issuer's management when the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation also aligns with such recommendation and to vote in accordance with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when management has made no recommendation. However, this policy shall not apply to **CASE-BY-CASE** proposals for which a contrary recommendation from the relevant Investment Professional(s) is utilized.

The rationale and vote recommendation from Investment Professionals shall receive primary consideration with respect to **CASE-BY-CASE** proposals considered on the relevant Fund's behalf.

The Fund's policy is to not support proposals that would negatively impact the existing rights of the Funds' beneficial owners. Shareholder proposals shall not be supported if they impose excessive costs and/or are overly restrictive or prescriptive. Depending on the relevant market, appropriate opposition may be expressed as an ABSTAIN, **AGAINST**, or **WITHHOLD** vote.

In the event competing shareholder and board proposals appear on the same agenda at uncontested proxies, the shareholder proposal shall not be supported, and the management proposal shall be supported when the management proposal meets the factors for support under the relevant topic/policy (e.g., Allocation of Income and Dividends); the competing proposals shall otherwise be considered on a CASE- BY-CASE basis.

**International Policies**

Companies incorporated outside the U.S. are subject to the following U.S. policies if they are listed on a

U.S. exchange and treated as a U.S. domestic issuer by the SEC. Where applicable, certain U.S. policies may also be applied to issuers incorporated outside the U.S. (e.g., issuers with a significant base of U.S. operations and employees).

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However, given the differing regulatory and legal requirements, market practices, and political and economic systems existing in various international markets, the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **AGAINST** international proposals when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends voting **AGAINST** such proposal due to inadequate relevant disclosure by the issuer or time provided for consideration of such disclosure;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Consider proposals that are associated with a firm **AGAINST** vote on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends support when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer or market transitions to better practices (e.g., committing to new regulations or governance codes);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The market standard is stricter than the Fund's Guidelines; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• It is the more favorable choice when shareholders must choose between alternate proposals.

**Proposal Specific Policies**

As mentioned above, these Guidelines may be overridden in any case as provided for in the Procedures. Similarly, the Procedures outline the proposals with Guidelines that prescribe a firm voting position that may instead be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when unusual or controversial circumstances so dictate, in such circumstances the AO Team may deem it appropriate to seek input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**<u>Proxy Contests:</u>**

Votes in contested elections on shall be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis with primary consideration given to input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**<u>Uncontested Proxies:</u>**

**<u>1- The Board of Directors</u>**

**Overview**

The Funds may indicate disagreement with an issuer's policies or practices by withholding support from the relevant proposal rather than from the director nominee(s) to which the Proxy Advisory Firm assigns fault or assigns an association.

The Funds shall withhold support from director(s) deemed responsible in cases in which the Funds' disagreement is assigned to the board of directors. Responsibility may be attributed to the entire board, a committee, or an individual, and the Funds shall apply a vote accountability guideline ("Vote Accountability Guideline") specific to the concerns under review.

The Funds shall withhold support from director(s) deemed responsible in cases in which the Funds' disagreement is assigned to the board of directors. Responsibility may be attributed to the entire board, a committee, or an individual, and the Funds shall apply a vote accountability guideline ("Vote Accountability Guideline") specific to the concerns under review.

The Funds shall typically vote **FOR** a director in connection with issues the Proxy Advisory Firm raises if the director did not serve on the board or relevant committee during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns the Proxy Advisory Firm cited.

The Funds shall vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when more candidates are presented than available seats and no other provisions under these Guidelines apply.

The Funds shall vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when more candidates are presented than available seats and no other provisions under these Guidelines apply.

Vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation to withhold support from the legal entity and vote on the individual when a director holds one seat as an individual plus an additional seat as a representative of a legal entity.

**Bundled Director Slates**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors or slates of directors when they are presented in a manner not aligned with market best practice and/or regulation, irrespective of complying with independence requirements, such as:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Bundled slates of directors *(e.g., <u>Canada</u>, <u>France</u>, <u>Hong Kong</u>, or <u>Spain</u>);*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In markets with term lengths capped by regulation or market practice, directors whose terms exceed the caps or are not disclosed; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Directors whose names are not disclosed in advance of the meeting or far enough in advance relative to voting deadlines to make an informed voting decision.

For issuers with multiple slates in *<u>Italy</u>*, the Funds shall follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards for assessing which slate is best suited to represent shareholder interests.

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**<u>Independence</u>**

**Director and Board/Committee Independence**

The Funds expect boards and key committees to have an appropriate level of independence and shall accordingly consider the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards to determine that adequate level of independence. A director would be deemed non-independent if the individual had/has a relationship with the issuer that could potentially influence the individual's objectivity causing the inability to satisfy fiduciary standards on behalf of shareholders. Audit, compensation/remuneration, and nominating and/or governance committees are considered key committees and should be 100% independent. The Funds shall consider the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards and generally accepted best practice (collectively "Independence Expectations") with respect to determining director independence and Board/Committee independence levels. **<u>Note:</u>** Non-voting directors (e.g., director emeritus or advisory director) shall be excluded from calculations relating to board independence.

The Funds shall consider non-independent directors standing for election on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when the full board or committee does not meet Independence Expectations. Additionally, the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from the board chair, nominating committee chair, nominating committee member(s), or an incumbent director(s) if the board chair is non-independent and the board does not have a lead independent director;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from slates of directors if the board's independence cannot be ascertained due to inadequate disclosure or when the board's independence does not meet Independence Expectations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from key committee slates if they contain non-independent directors; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from non-independent nominating committee chair, board chair, and/or directors if the full board serves or appears to serve as a key committee, the board has not established a key committee, or the board and/or a key committee(s) does not meet Independence Expectations.

**Self-Nominated/Shareholder-Nominated Director Candidates**

The Funds shall consider self-nominated or shareholder-nominated director candidates on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis and shall **WITHHOLD** support from the candidate when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Adequate disclosure has not been provided (e.g., rationale for candidacy and candidate's qualifications relative to the issuer);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The candidate's agenda is not in line with the long-term best interests of the issuer; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Multiple self-nominated candidates are considered to constitute a proxy contest if similar issues are raised (e.g., potential change in control).

**Management Proposals Seeking Non-Board Member Service on Key Committees**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that permit non-board members to serve on a key committee, provided that bundled slates may be supported if no slate nominee serves on relevant committee(s) except in cases in which best market practice otherwise dictates.

The Funds shall consider other concerns regarding committee members on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**<u>Board Member Roles and Responsibilities</u>**

**Attendance**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from a director who, during the prior year attended less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings with no valid reason for the absences, excluding directors who have not completed a full year on the board.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from nominating committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if a director has two or more years of poor attendance without a valid reason for their absences.

The Funds shall apply a one-year attendance policy relating to statutory auditors at *<u>Japanese</u>* issuer meetings.

**Over-boarding**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors who serve on:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• More than two public issuer boards and are named executive officers at any public issuer, and shall **WITHHOLD** support only at their outside board(s);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Five or more public issuer boards; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Four or more public issuer boards and is Board Chair at two or more public issuers and shall **WITHHOLD** support on boards for which such director does not serve as chair.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals limiting the number of public issuer boards on which a director may serve.

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**Tenure**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from the nominating committee chair and/or members of the nominating committee when the average board tenure exceeds 15 years.

**Combined Chair / CEO Role**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors without regard to recommendations that the position of chair should be separate from that of CEO or should otherwise require independence unless other concerns requiring **CASE-BY-CASE** consideration arise (e.g., a former CEO proposed as board chair).

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals that require that the positions of chair and CEO be held separately on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Cumulative/Net Voting Markets**

When cumulative or net voting applies, the Funds shall follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation to vote **FOR** nominees, such as when the issuer assesses that such nominees are independent, irrespective of key committee membership, even if independence disclosure or criteria fall short of the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards.

**<u>Board Accountability</u>**

**Board Diversity** 

**United States:**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if no women are on the issuer's board. The Funds shall consider directors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if gender diversity existed prior to the most recent annual meeting.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the board has no apparent racially or ethnically diverse members. The Funds shall consider directors on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis if racial and/or ethnic diversity existed prior to the most recent annual meeting.

**Diversity (Shareholder Proposals):**

The Funds shall generally vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that request the issuer to improve/promote gender and/or racial/ethnic diversity and/or gender and/or racial/ethnic diversity-related disclosure.

**International:**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when no women are on the issuer's board or if its board's gender diversity level does not meet a higher standard established by the relevant country's corporate governance code and generally accepted best practice.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the relevant country's corporate governance code contains a minimally acceptable threshold for racial/ethnic diversity and the board does not appear to meet this expectation.

**Return on Equity**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** the most senior executive at an issuer in *<u>Japan</u>* if the only reason the Proxy Advisory Firm withholds its recommendation results from the issuer underperforming in terms of capital efficiency or issuer performance (e.g., net losses or low return on equity (ROE)).

**Compensation Practices**

The Funds may **WITHHOLD** support from compensation committee members whose actions or disclosure do not appear to support compensation practices aligned with the best interests of the issuer and its shareholders.

<u>"</u><u>Say on Pay" Responsiveness</u>. The Funds shall consider compensation committee members on a **CASE- BY-CASE** basis for failure to sufficiently address compensation concerns prompting significant opposition to the most recent advisory vote on executive officers' compensation, "Say on Pay", or continuing to maintain problematic pay practices, considering such factors as the level of shareholder opposition, subsequent actions taken by the compensation committee, and level of responsiveness disclosure, among others.

<u>"</u><u>Say on Pay Frequency"</u>. The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the Proxy Advisory Firm opposes directors due to the issuer's failure to include a "Say on Pay" proposal and/or a "Say on Pay Frequency" proposal when required pursuant to SEC or market regulatory provisions; or implemented a "Say on Pay Frequency" schedule that is less frequent than the frequency most recently preferred by not less than a plurality of shareholders; or is an externally-managed issuer (EMI) or externally-managed REIT (EMR) and has failed to include a "Say on Pay" proposal or adequate disclosure of the compensation structure.

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<u>Commitments</u>. The Funds shall vote **FOR** compensation committee members receiving an adverse recommendation from the Proxy Advisory Firm due to problematic pay practices or thresholds (e.g., burn rate) if the issuer makes a public commitment (e.g., via a Form 8-K filing) to rectify the practice on a going-forward basis. However, the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on compensation committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer does not rectify the practice prior to the issuer's next annual general meeting.

For markets in which the issuer has not followed market practice by submitting a resolution on executive remuneration/compensation, the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on remuneration/compensation committee members.

**Accounting Practices**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline as well as the issuer's CEO or CFO if nominated as directors, if poor accounting practice concerns are raised including the issuer failed to remediate known ongoing material weaknesses in the issuer's internal controls for more than one year.

The Funds shall consider directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline, the issuer's CEO or CFO if nominated as directors, or external auditors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Issuer has not yet had a full year to remediate the concerns since the time such issues were identified; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Issuer has taken adequate steps to remediate the concerns cited that would typically include removing or replacing the responsible executives and the concerning issues do not recur.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** audit committee members, or the issuer's CEO or CFO when nominated as directors, who did not serve on the committee or did not have responsibility over the relevant financial function during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns cited.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on audit committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer has failed to disclose audit fees and has not provided an auditor ratification or remuneration proposal for shareholder vote.

**Problematic Actions**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the Proxy Advisory Firm cites them for problematic actions including a lack of due diligence in relation to a major transaction (e.g., a merger or an acquisition), material failures, inadequate oversight, scandals, malfeasance, or negligent internal controls at the issuer or that of an affiliate, factoring in the merits of the director's performance, rationale, and disclosure when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Culpability can be attributed to the director (e.g., director manages or is responsible for the relevant function); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The director has been directly implicated resulting in arrest, criminal charge, or regulatory sanction.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on members of the nominating committee, board chair, or lead independent director when an issuer nominates a director who is subject to any of the above concerns to serve on its board.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on audit committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline due to share pledging concerns factoring in the pledged amount, unwinding time, and any historical concerns raised. The Funds shall also **WITHHOLD** support on the pledgor, if a director, where the pledged amount and unwinding time are deemed significant and therefore an unnecessary risk to the issuer.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from all incumbent directors if the issuer has implemented a multi-class capital structure in which the classes have unequal voting rights and does not have a reasonable sunset provision (e.g., fewer than seven (7) years).

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends withholding support due to the board (a) unilaterally adopting by-law amendments that have a negative impact on existing shareholder rights or function as a diminution of shareholder rights or (b) failing to remove or subject to a reasonable sunset provision in its by-laws.

**Anti-Takeover Measures**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer implements excessive anti-takeover measures.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer fails to remove restrictive "poison pill" features, ensure a "poison pill" expiration, or submits the "poison pill" in a timely manner to shareholders for vote unless an issuer has implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of its "poison pill".

**<u>Board Responsiveness</u>**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors if the majority-supported shareholder proposal has been reasonably addressed.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals seeking shareholder ratification of a "poison pill" provision may be deemed reasonably addressed if the issuer has implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the "poison pill".

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if a shareholder proposal received majority support and the board has not disclosed a credible rationale for not implementing the proposal.

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The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on a director if the board has not acted upon the director who did not receive shareholder support representing a majority of the votes cast at the previous annual meeting; and shall consider such directors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the issuer has a controlling shareholder(s).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors in cases in which an issue relevant to the majority negative vote has been adequately addressed or cured and which may include sufficient disclosure of the board's rationale.

**<u>Board–Related Proposals</u>**

**Classified/Declassified Board Structure**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to classify the board unless the proposal represents an increased frequency of a director's election in the staggered cycle (e.g., seeking to move from a three-year cycle to a two-year cycle).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually. Board Structure

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to adopt or amend board structures unless the resulting change(s) would mean the board would not meet Independence Expectations.

For issuers in *<u>Japan</u>*, the Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking a board structure that would provide greater independent oversight.

**Board Size**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking a board range if the range is reasonable in the context of market practice and anti-takeover considerations; however, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST** a proposal if the issuer seeks to remove shareholder approval rights or the board fails to meet market independence requirements.

**Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection**

The Funds shall consider proposals on director and officer indemnification and liability protection on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis using Delaware law as the standard.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to limit or eliminate entirely directors' and officers' liability in connection with monetary damages for violating their collective duty of care.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond legal expenses to acts that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation such as negligence.

**Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection**

The Funds shall vote in accordance with the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards (e.g., overly broad provisions).

**Discharge of Management/Supervisory Board Members**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking the discharge of management and supervisory board members (including when the proposal is bundled) unless concerns surface relating to the past actions of the issuer's auditors or directors, or legal or other shareholders take regulatory action against the board.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals in connection with remuneration practices otherwise supported under these Guidelines or as a means of expressing disapproval of the issuer's or its board's broader practices.

**Establish Board Committee**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that seek creation of a key board committee.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals requesting creation of additional board committees or offices except as otherwise provided for herein.

**Filling Board Vacancies / Removal of Directors**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that allow removal of directors only for cause.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that allow only continuing directors to elect replacement directors to fill board vacancies.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

**Stock Ownership Requirements**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such shareholder stock ownership requirement proposals. Term Limits / Retirement Age

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals and **AGAINST** shareholder proposals limiting the tenure of outside directors or imposing a mandatory retirement age for outside directors unless the proposal seeks to relax existing standards.

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**<u>2- Compensation</u>**

**Frequency of Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking an annual "Say on Pay", and **AGAINST** those seeking less frequent "Say on Pay".

**Proposals to Provide an Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation *<u>(Canada)</u>***

The Funds shall vote **FOR** if it is an **ANNUAL** vote unless the issuer already provides an annual shareholder vote.

**Executive Pay Evaluation**

**Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay) and Remuneration Reports or Committee Members in Absence of Such Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking ratification of the issuer's executive compensation structure unless the program includes practices or features not supported under these Guidelines and the proposal receives a negative Proxy Advisory Firm recommendation.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Provisions that permit or give the Board sole discretion for repricing, replacement, buy back, exchange, or any other form of alternative options. (**<u>Note</u>**: cancellation of options would not be considered an exchange unless the cancelled options were re-granted or expressly returned to the plan reserve for reissuance.);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single Trigger Severance provisions that do not require an actual change in control to be triggered in new or amended employment agreements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single Trigger Severance provisions that do not require an actual change in control to be triggered and the Long-Term Incentive Plan's performance period is less than three years;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Plans that allow named executive officers to have material input into setting their own compensation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Short-Term Incentive Plans in which treatment of payout factors has been inconsistent (e.g., exclusion of losses but not gains);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Long-Term Incentive Plans in which performance measures hurdles/measures are set based on a backward-looking performance period;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Company plans in international markets that provide for contract or notice periods or severance/termination payments that exceed market practices (e.g., relative to multiple of annual compensation); and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Compensation structures at externally managed issuers (EMI) or externally managed REITs (EMR) that lack adequate disclosure based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's assessment.

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends opposing and none of the above factors have been triggered.

**Golden Parachutes**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals due to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single or modified-single trigger severance provisions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total Named Executive Officer ("NEO") payout as a percentage of the total equity value;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Aggregate of all single-triggered components (cash and equity) as a percentage of the total NEO payout;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Excessive payout; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Recent material amendments or new agreements that incorporate problematic features.

**<u>Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans Including OBRA</u>**

**Equity Compensation**

The Funds shall consider compensation and employee benefit plans, including those in connection with OBRA<sup>3</sup>, or the issuance of shares in connection with such plans on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. The Funds shall vote the plan or issuance based on factors and related vote treatment under the Executive Pay Evaluation section above or based on circumstances specific to such equity plans as follows:

The Funds shall vote **FOR** a plan, if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Board independence is the only concern;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment places a cap on annual grants;

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<sup>3</sup> OBRA is an employee-funded defined contribution plan for certain employees of publicly held companies.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment adopts or changes administrative features to comply with Section 162(m) of OBRA;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment adds performance-based goals to comply with Section 162(m) of OBRA; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Cash or cash-and-stock bonus components are approved for exemption from taxes under Section 162(m) of OBRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Funds shall give primary consideration to management's assessment that such plan meets the requirements for exemption of performance-based compensation.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** a plan if it:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Exceeds recommended costs (*U.S.* or *Canada*);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Incorporates share allocation disclosure methods that prevent a cost or dilution assessment;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Exceeds recommended burn rates and/or dilution limits, including cases in which dilution cannot be fully assessed (e.g., due to inadequate disclosure);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits deep or near-term discounts (or the equivalent, such as dividend equivalents on unexercised options) to executives or directors;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Provides for retirement benefits or equity incentive awards to outside directors if not in line with market practice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits financial assistance to executives, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, or related parties that is not in line with market practice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits plan administrators to benefit from the plan as potential recipients;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits for an overly liberal change in control definition. (This refers to plans that would reward recipients even if the event does not result in an actual change in control or results in a change in control but does not terminate the employment relationship.);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits for post-employment vesting or exercise of options if deemed inappropriate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits plan administrators to make material amendments without shareholder approval; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits procedure amendments that do not preserve shareholder approval rights.

**Amendment Procedures for Equity Compensation Plans and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Toronto Stock Exchange Issuers)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** if the amendment procedures do not preserve shareholder approval rights.

**Stock Option Plans for Independent Internal Statutory Auditors (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals.

**Matching Share Plans**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if the matching share plan does not meet recommended standards considering holding period, discounts, dilution, participation, purchase price, or performance criteria.

**Employee Stock Purchase Plans or Capital Issuance in Support Thereof**

Voting decisions are generally based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

**<u>Director Compensation</u>**

**Non-Executive Director Compensation**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** cash-based proposals.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** performance-based equity-based proposals and patterns of excessive pay.

**Bonus Payments (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** if all bonus payments are for directors or auditors who have served as executives of the issuer and **AGAINST** if any bonus payments are for outsiders.

**Bonus Payments – Scandals**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** bonus proposals for a retiring director or continuing director or auditor when culpability for any malfeasance may be attributable to the nominee.

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis bundled bonus proposals for retiring directors or continuing directors or auditors where culpability for malfeasance may not be attributable to all nominees.

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**Severance Agreements**

**Vesting of Equity Awards upon Change in Control**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking a specific treatment (*e.g.,* double-trigger or pro- rata) of equity that vests upon change in control unless evidence exists of abuse in historical compensation practices.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals regarding the treatment of equity if change(s) in control severance provisions are double-triggered. The funds shall vote **FOR** the proposal if such provisions are not double-triggered.

**Executive Severance or Termination Arrangements, including those Related to Executive Recruitment or Retention**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such compensation arrangements if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The primary concerns raised would not result in a negative vote under these Guidelines on a management "Say on Pay" proposal or the relevant board or committee member(s);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer has provided adequate rationale and/or disclosure; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Support is recommended as a condition to a major transaction such as a merger. Treatment of Severance Provisions

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** new or materially amended plans, contracts, or payments that include a single trigger change in control severance provisions or do not require an actual change in control in order to be triggered.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals seeking double triggers on change in control severance provisions.

**<u>Compensation-Related Shareholder Proposals</u>**

**Executive and Director Compensation**

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis shareholder proposals that seek to impose new compensation structures or policies.

**Holding Periods**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals requiring mandatory issuer stock holding periods for officers and directors.

**Submit Severance and Termination Payments for Shareholder Ratification**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals to submit executive severance agreements for shareholder ratification if such proposals specify change in control events, supplemental executive retirement plans, or deferred executive compensation plans, or if the listing exchange requires ratification thereof.

**<u>3- Audit-Related</u>** 

**Auditor Ratification and/or Remuneration**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals except in such cases as indicated below. The Funds shall consider auditor ratification and/or remuneration on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if:

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** auditor ratification and/or remuneration if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Proxy Advisory Firm raises questions of auditor independence or disclosure including the auditor selection process;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total fees for non-audit services exceed 50 percent of aggregated auditor fees (including audit-related fees, and tax compliance and preparation fees as applicable); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evidence exists of excessive compensation relative to the size and nature of the issuer.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** an auditor ratification and/or remuneration proposal if the issuer has failed to disclose audit fees.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that ask the issuer to present its auditor for ratification annually.

**Auditor Independence**

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals asking issuers to prohibit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services (or capping the level of non-audit services) on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Audit Firm Rotation**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals asking for mandatory audit firm rotation.

**Indemnification of Auditors**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** auditor indemnification proposals.

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**Independent Statutory Auditors (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** an independent statutory auditor proposal if the candidate is or was affiliated with the issuer, its primary bank(s), or one of its top shareholders.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors implicated in scandals, malfeasance, or at issuers exhibiting poor internal controls.

**<u>4- Shareholder Rights and Defenses</u>**

**Advance Notice for Shareholder Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals relating to advance notice period requirements provided that the period requested is in accordance with applicable law and no material governance concerns have arisen regarding the issuer.

**Corporate Documents / Article and Bylaw Amendments or Related Director Actions**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposal if the change or policy is editorial in nature or if shareholder rights are protected.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposal if it seeks to impose a negative impact on shareholder rights or diminishes accountability to shareholders including cases in which the issuer failed to opt out of a law that affects shareholder rights (*e.g.,* staggered board).

The Funds shall, with respect to article amendments for *<u>Japanese</u>* issuers:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** management proposals to amend an issuer's articles to expand its business lines in line with its current industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** management proposals to amend an issuer's articles to provide for an expansion or reduction in the size of the board unless the expansion/reduction is clearly disproportionate to the growth/decrease in the scale of the business or raises anti-takeover concerns;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If anti-takeover concerns exist, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals including bundled proposals to amend an issuer's articles to authorize the Board to vary the annual meeting record date or to otherwise align them with provisions of a takeover defense; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's guidelines relating to management proposals regarding amendments to authorize share repurchases at the board's discretion, and vote **AGAINST** proposals unless there is little to no likelihood of a creeping takeover or constraints on liquidity (free float of shares is low) and in cases in which the issuer trades at below book value or faces a real likelihood of substantial share sales, or in which this amendment is bundled with other amendments that are clearly in shareholders' interest.

**Majority Voting Standard**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals that seek director election via an affirmative majority vote in connection with a shareholder meeting provided such vote contains a plurality carve-out for contested elections and provided such standard does not conflict with applicable law in the issuer's country of incorporation.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** amendments to corporate documents or other actions promoting a majority standard.

**Cumulative Voting**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals to restore or permit cumulative voting.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting if the issuer:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Is controlled;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Maintains a classified board of directors; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Maintains a dual class voting structure.

Proposals may be supported irrespective of classified board status if an issuer plans to declassify its board or adopt a majority voting standard.

**Confidential Voting**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that request issuers to adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent election inspectors so long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the case of a contested election management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honors its confidential voting policy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the dissidents agree the policy shall remain in place; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the dissidents do not agree the confidential voting policy shall be waived.

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**Fair Price Provisions**

The Funds shall consider proposals to adopt fair price provisions on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** fair price provisions containing shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

**Poison Pills**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals in connection with poison pills or anti-takeover activities (e.g., disclosure requirements or issuances, transfers, or repurchases) that can be reasonably construed as an anti-takeover measure based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that ask an issuer to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification or to redeem that poison pill in lieu thereof, unless:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shareholders have approved the plan's adoption;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer has already implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the poison pill; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The board had determined that it was in the best interest of shareholders to adopt a poison pill without delay, provided that such plan shall be put to shareholder vote within twelve months of adoption or expire and would immediately terminate if not approved by a majority of the votes cast.

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals to redeem an issuer's poison pill on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Proxy Access**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to allow shareholders to nominate directors and list those nominees in the issuer's proxy statement and on its proxy card, provided that criteria meet the Funds' internal thresholds and that such standard does not conflict with applicable law in the country in which the issuer is incorporated. The Funds shall consider shareholder and management proposals that appear on the same agenda on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals also supported by the Proxy Advisory Firm.

**Quorum Requirements**

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis proposals to lower quorum requirements for shareholder meetings below a majority of the shares outstanding.

**Exclusive Forum**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to designate Delaware or New York as the exclusive forum for certain legal actions as defined by the issuer ("Exclusive Forum") if the issuer's state of incorporation is the same as its proposed Exclusive Forum, otherwise they shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Reincorporation Proposals**

The Funds shall consider proposals to change an issuer's state of incorporation on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals not assessed as:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A potential takeover defense; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A significant reduction of minority shareholder rights that outweigh the aggregate positive impact, but if assessed as such the Funds shall consider management's rationale for the change.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management reincorporation proposals upon which another key proposal, such as a merger transaction, is contingent if the other key proposal is also supported.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder reincorporation proposals not supported by the issuer.

**Shareholder Advisory Committees**

The Funds shall consider proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee on a **CASE-BY-CASE**

basis.

**Right to Call Special Meetings**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to permit shareholders to call special meetings.

The Funds shall consider management proposals to adjust the thresholds applicable to call a special meeting on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings when any of the following apply:

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Company does not currently permit shareholders to do so;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Existing ownership threshold is greater than 25 percent; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Sole concern relates to a net-long position requirement. Written Consent

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals seeking the right to act via written consent if the issuer:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits shareholders to call special meetings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Does not impose supermajority vote requirements on business combinations/actions (e.g., a merger or acquisition) and on bylaw or charter amendments; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has otherwise demonstrated its accountability to shareholders (e.g., the issuer has reasonably addressed majority-supported shareholder proposals).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals seeking the right to act via written consent if the above conditions are not present.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals to eliminate the right to act via written consent. State Takeover Statutes

The Funds shall consider proposals to opt-in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions) on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote and **FOR** proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements, except:

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the issuer has shareholder(s) holding significant ownership percentages and retaining existing supermajority requirements would protect minority shareholder interests.

**Time-Phased Voting**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to implement and **FOR** proposals to eliminate time-phased or other forms of voting that do not promote a "one share, one vote" standard.

**5- <u>Capital and Restructuring</u>**

The Funds shall consider management proposals to make changes to the capital structure not otherwise addressed under these Guidelines, on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis, voting with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation unless they utilize a contrary recommendation from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing excessive board discretion.

**<u>Capital</u>**

**Common Stock Authorization**

The Funds shall consider proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. The Proxy Advisory Firm's proprietary approach of determining appropriate thresholds shall be utilized in evaluating such proposals. In cases in which such requests are above the allowable threshold the Funds shall utilize an issuer-specific qualitative review (e.g., considering rationale and prudent historical usage).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals within the Proxy Advisory Firm's permissible thresholds or those in excess of but meeting Proxy Advisory Firm's qualitative standards, to authorize capital increases, unless the issuer states that the additionally issued stock may be used as a takeover defense.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to authorize capital increases exceeding the Proxy Advisory Firm's thresholds when an issuer's shares are at risk of delisting.

Notwithstanding the above, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of a class of stock if these Guidelines do not support the issuance which the increase is intended to service (e.g., merger or acquisition proposals).

**Dual Class Capital Structures** 

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to create or perpetuate dual class capital structures with unequal voting rights (e.g., exchange offers, conversions, and recapitalizations) unless supported by the Proxy Advisory Firm (e.g., utilize a "one share, one vote" standard, contain a sunset provision of seven or fewer years to avert bankruptcy or generate non-dilutive financing, or are not designed to increase the voting power of an insider or significant shareholder).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in issuers that have dual-class capital structures.

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The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to eliminate dual-class capital structures.

**General Share Issuances / Increases in Authorized Capital**

The Funds shall consider specific issuance requests on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis based on the proposed use and the issuer's rationale.

The Proxy Advisory Firm's assessment shall govern Fund voting decisions to determine support for requests for general issuances (with or without preemptive rights), authorized capital increases, convertible bonds issuances, warrants issuances, or related requests to repurchase and reissue shares.

**Preemptive Rights**

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals that seek preemptive rights or management proposals that seek to eliminate them on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. In evaluating proposals on preemptive rights, the Funds shall consider an issuer's size and shareholder base characteristics.

**Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock unless doing so raises other concerns not otherwise supported under these Guidelines.

**Preferred Stock**

Utilize the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach for evaluating issuances or authorizations of preferred stock considering the Proxy Advisory Firm's support of special circumstances such as mergers or acquisitions in addition to the following criteria:

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis proposals to increase the number of shares of "blank check" preferred shares or preferred stock authorized for issuance. This approach incorporates both qualitative and quantitative measures including a review of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Past performance (*e.g.,* board governance, shareholder returns, and historical share usage); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The current request (*e.g.,* rationale, whether shares are "blank check" and "declawed", and dilutive impact as determined through the Proxy Advisory Firm's model for assessing appropriate thresholds).

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing issuance of preferred stock or creation of new classes of preferred stock having unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights ("blank check" preferred stock).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to issue or create "blank check" preferred stock in cases in which the issuer expressly states that the stock shall not be used as a takeover defense or not utilize a disparate voting rights structure.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** in cases in which the issuer expressly states that, or fails to disclose whether, the stock may be used as a takeover defense.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to authorize or issue preferred stock in cases in which the issuer specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.

**Preferred Stock (International)**

Fund voting decisions should generally be based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach, and the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** the creation of a new class of preferred stock or issuances of preferred stock up to 50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock so long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets the Proxy Advisory Firm's guidelines on equity issuance requests; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **AGAINST** the creation of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) A new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to common shares; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) "Blank check" preferred stock unless the board states that the authorization shall not be used to thwart a takeover bid.

**Shareholder Proposals Regarding Blank Check Preferred Stock**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals requesting shareholder ratification of "blank check" preferred stock placements other than those shares issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course of business.

**Share Repurchase Programs**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms but vote **AGAINST** plans containing terms favoring selected parties.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to cancel repurchased shares.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals for share repurchase methods lacking adequate risk mitigation or exceeding appropriate market volume or duration parameters.

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The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals seeking share repurchase programs on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis giving primary consideration to input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split provided that the increase in authorized shares falls within the Proxy Advisory Firm's allowable thresholds.

**Reverse Stock Splits**

The Funds shall consider management proposals to implement a reverse stock split on a **CASE-BY-CASE** considering management's rationale and/or disclosure if the split constitutes a capital increase that effectively exceeds the Proxy Advisory Firm's permissible threshold due to the lack of a proportionate reduction in the number of shares authorized.

**Allocation of Income and Dividends**

With respect to *<u>Japanese</u>* and *<u>South Korean</u>* issuers, the Funds shall consider management proposals concerning income allocation and the dividend distribution, including adjustments to reserves to make capital available for such purposes, on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis voting with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendations to oppose such proposals for cases in which:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent without adequate explanation; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The payout is excessive given the issuer's financial position.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such issuer management proposals *<u>in other markets</u>*.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals in which issuers seek to establish or maintain disparate dividend distributions between stockholders of the same share class (*e.g.,* long-term stockholders receiving a higher dividend ratio ("Loyalty Dividends")).

*<u>In any market</u>*, in the event multiple proposals regarding dividends are on the same agenda the Funds shall vote **FOR** the management proposal if the proposal meets the support conditions described above and shall vote **AGAINST** the shareholder proposal; otherwise, the Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternatives**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** most stock (scrip) dividend proposals but vote **AGAINST** proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.

**Tracking Stock**

The Funds shall consider the creation of tracking stock on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis giving primary consideration to the input from relevant Investment Professional(s).

**Capitalization of Reserves**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to capitalize the issuer's reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase the par value of shares unless the Proxy Advisory Firm raises concerns not otherwise supported under these Guidelines.

**Debt Instruments and Issuance Requests (*<u>International</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing excessive board discretion to issue or set terms for debt instruments (e.g., commercial paper).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** debt issuances for issuers when the gearing level (current debt-to-equity ratio) does not exceed the Proxy Advisory Firm's defined thresholds.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals in which the debt issuance will result in an excessive gearing level as set forth in the Proxy Advisory Firm's defined thresholds, or for which inadequate disclosure precludes calculation of the gearing level, unless the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such requests results in support of the proposal.

**Acceptance of Deposits (*<u>India</u>*)**

Fund voting decisions are based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

**Debt Restructurings**

The Funds shall consider proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Financing Plans**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** the adoption of financing plans if they are in shareholders' best economic interests.

------

**Investment of Company Reserves (*International*)**

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**<u>Restructuring</u>**

**Mergers and Acquisitions, Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs) and Corporate Restructurings**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** a proposal not typically supported under these Guidelines if a key proposal such as a merger transaction is contingent upon its support and a vote **FOR** is recommended by the Proxy Advisory Firm or relevant Investment Professional(s).

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's evaluation approach if the relevant Investment Professional(s) do not provide input with regard thereto.

**Waiver on Tender-Bid Requirement**

The Funds shall consider proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if seeking a waiver for a major shareholder or concert party from the requirement to make a buyout offer to minority shareholders, voting **FOR** when little concern of a creeping takeover exists, and the issuer has provided a reasonable rationale for the request.

**Related Party Transactions**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** approval of such transactions, unless the agreement requests a strategic move outside the issuer's charter, contains unfavorable or high-risk terms (e.g., deposits without security interest or guaranty), or is deemed likely to have a negative impact on director or related party independence.

**6- <u>Environmental and Social Issues</u>**

**Environmental and Social Proposals**

Institutional shareholders now routinely scrutinize shareholder proposals regarding environmental and social matters. Accordingly, in addition to governance risks and opportunities, issuers should also assess their environmental and social risks and opportunities as they pertain to stakeholders including their employees, shareholders, communities, suppliers, and customers.

Issuers should adequately disclose how they evaluate and mitigate such material risks in order to allow shareholders to assess how well the issuers mitigate and leverage their social and environmental risks and opportunities. Issuers should adopt disclosure methodologies considering recommendations from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), or Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to foster uniform disclosure and to allow shareholders to assess risks across issuers.

Accordingly, the Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals related to environmental, sustainability and corporate social responsibility if the issuer's disclosure and/or its management of the issue(s) appears inadequate relative to its peers and if the proposal:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• applies to the issuer's business,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• enhances long-term shareholder value,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• requests more transparency and commitment to improve the issuer's environmental and/or social risks,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• aims to benefit the issuer's stakeholders,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• is reasonable and not unduly onerous or costly, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• is not requesting data that is primarily duplicative to data the issuer already publicly provides.

**Environmental**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals relating to environmental impact that reasonably:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• aim to reduce negative environmental impact, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other contributing factors to global climate change; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• request disclosure relating to how the issuer addresses its climate impact.

**Social**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals relating to corporate social responsibility that request disclosure of how the issuer manages its:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• employee and board diversity; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• human capital management, human rights, and supply chain risks.

**Approval of Donations**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals if they are for single- or multi-year authorities and prior disclosure of amounts is provided. The Funds shall otherwise vote **AGAINST** such proposals.

------

**7- <u>Routine/Miscellaneous</u>**

**Routine Management Proposals**

The Funds shall consider proposals for which the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends voting **AGAINST** on a

**CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Authority to Call Shareholder Meetings on Less than 21 Days' Notice**

For issuers in the *<u>United Kingdom</u>*, the Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis assessing whether the issuer has provided clear disclosure of its compliance with any hurdle conditions for authority imposed by applicable law and has historically limited its use of such authority to time-sensitive matters.

**Approval of Financial Statements and Director and Auditor Reports**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if concerns exist regarding inadequate disclosure, remuneration arrangements (including severance/termination payments exceeding local standards for multiples of annual compensation), or consulting agreements with non-executive directors.

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if other concerns exist regarding severance/termination payments.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if concerns exist regarding the issuer's financial accounts and reporting, including related party transactions.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** board-issued reports receiving a negative recommendation from the Proxy Advisory Firm resulting from concerns regarding board independence or inclusion of non-independent directors on the audit committee.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals if the only reason for a negative Proxy Advisory Firm recommendation is to express disapproval of broader issuer or board practices.

**Other Business**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals for Other Business.

**Adjournment**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** when presented with a primary proposal such as a merger or corporate restructuring that is also supported.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** when not presented with a primary proposal, such as a merger, and a proposal on the ballot is opposed.

The Funds shall consider other circumstances on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Changing Corporate Name**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals requesting a corporate name change. Multiple Proposals

The Funds may vote **FOR** multiple proposals of a similar nature presented as options to the issuer management's favored course of action, provided that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Support for a single proposal is not operationally required;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No single proposal is deemed superior in the interest of the Fund(s); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Each proposal would otherwise be supported under these Guidelines.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** any proposals that would otherwise be opposed under these Guidelines.

**Bundled Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals if all of the bundled items are supported under these Guidelines.

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if one or more items are not supported under these Guidelines and/or the Proxy Advisory Firm deems the negative impact, on balance, to outweigh any positive impact.

**Moot Proposals**

This instruction pertains to items for which support has become moot (e.g., a director for whom support has become moot since the time the individual was nominated (e.g., due to death, disqualification, or determination not to accept appointment)); the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support if the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends that course of action.

**8- <u>Investment Companies Registered Under the Investment Company Act of 1940</u>**

Investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Companies) generally have different matters requiring shareholder approval and are subject to different regulatory requirements than operating issuers. Accordingly, the Funds shall consider matters related to Investment Companies on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

------

**STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION** 

February 28, 2026

**Voya Mutual Funds**

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100

Scottsdale, Arizona 85258

1-800-992-0180

**Voya VACS Series EME Fund**

Ticker: VVIFX

This Statement of Additional Information (the "SAI") contains additional information about the Fund listed above (the "Fund"). This SAI is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Fund's prospectus dated February 28, 2026, as supplemented or revised from time to time (the "Prospectus"). The Fund's financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, including the independent registered public accounting firm's report thereon found in the Fund's [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465926002440/tm2531593d1_ncsr.htm) for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, are incorporated into this SAI by reference. The Fund's Prospectus, shareholder reports, financial statements and other information may be obtained free of charge by contacting the Fund at the address and phone number written above or by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

------

The Fund named in this communication, including without limitation, Voya VACS Series EME Fund (the "Fund") has been developed solely by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates. The Fund is not in any way connected to or sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the "LSE Group"). FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies.

All rights in the Russell branded indices named in this communication, including without limitation, FTSE Emerging Plus Korea Select Factor Index (the "FTSE Russell Indices") vest in the relevant LSE Group company which owns the FTSE Russell Index. "FTSE<sup>®</sup>" used by any other LSE Group company under license.

The FTSE Russell Indices are calculated by or on behalf of FTSE International Limited or its affiliate, agent, or partner. The LSE Group does not accept any liability whatsoever to any person arising out of (a) the use of, reliance on, or any error in the FTSE Russell Indices or (b) investment in or operation of the Fund. The LSE Group makes no claim, prediction, warranty, or representation either as to the results to be obtained from the Fund or the suitability of the FTSE Russell Indices for the purpose to which it they are being put by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates. FTSE Russell Index Data Source: LSE Group.© LSE Group 2025. Neither LSE Group nor its licensors accept any liability for any errors or omissions in the indexes or data and no party may rely on any indexes or data contained in this communication. No further distribution of data from the LSE Group is permitted without the relevant LSE Group company's express written consent. The LSE Group does not promote, sponsor or endorse the content of this communication.

Certain information contained herein (the "Information") is sourced from/copyright of MSCI Inc., MSCI ESG Research LLC, or their affiliates ("MSCI"), or information providers (together, the "MSCI Parties") and may have been used to calculate scores, signals, or other indicators. The Information is for internal use only and may not be reproduced or disseminated in whole or part without prior written permission. The Information may not be used for, nor does it constitute, an offer to buy or sell, or a promotion or recommendation of, any security, financial instrument or product, trading strategy, or index, nor should it be taken as an indication or guarantee of any future performance. Some funds may be based on or linked to MSCI indexes, and MSCI may be compensated based on the fund's assets under management or other measures. MSCI has established an information barrier between index research and certain Information. None of the Information in and of itself can be used to determine which securities to buy or sell or when to buy or sell them. The Information is provided "as is" and the user assumes the entire risk of any use it may make or permit to be made of the Information. No MSCI Party warrants or guarantees the originality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Information and each expressly disclaims all express or implied warranties. No MSCI Party shall have any liability for any errors or omissions in connection with any Information herein, or any liability for any direct, indirect, special, punitive, consequential or any other damages (including lost profits) even if notified of the possibility of such damages.

------

**Table of Contents** 

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **[INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_1)** | 1 |
| **[HISTORY OF](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_2)[the Trust](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_2)**  | 2 |
| **[SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_2)[Fund](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_2)[INVESTMENTS AND RISKS](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_2)** | 2 |
| **[PORTFOLIO TURNOVER](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_42)** | 42 |
| **[FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_43)** | 43 |
| **[DISCLOSURE OF](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_44)[the Fund's PORTFOLIO SECURITIES](#xx_7ca06ea6-54c8-4573-a472-88b8d960451b_44)** | 44 |
| **[MANAGEMENT OF](#xx_d54de60f-e468-4b09-9713-90a7887f8818_1)[the Trust](#xx_d54de60f-e468-4b09-9713-90a7887f8818_1)** | 46 |
| **[CODE OF ETHICS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_8)** | 59 |
| **[PROXY VOTING POLICY](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_8)** | 59 |
| **[PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_8)** | 59 |
| **[INVESTMENT ADVISER](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_9)** | 60 |
| **[EXPENSES](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_11)** | 62 |
| **[EXPENSE LIMITATIONS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_11)** | 62 |
| **[NET FUND FEES WAIVED, REIMBURSED, OR RECOUPED](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_11)** | 62 |
| **[Sub-Advisers](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_11)** | 62 |
| **[PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_12)** | 63 |
| **[PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_16)** | 67 |
| **[OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_18)** | 69 |
| **[PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_19)** | 70 |
| **[ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_22)** | 73 |
| **[PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_23)** | 74 |
| **[TAX CONSIDERATIONS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_25)** | 76 |
| **[FINANCIAL STATEMENTS](#xx_1772ee66-3f49-445f-8570-003ef0684009_35)** | 86 |
| **[APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF CREDIT RATINGS](#xx_593f357f-0912-4cc7-927b-27c7cf6c612e_1)** | A-1 |
| **[APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICY](#xx_ac19dbf5-1600-4a7f-ae47-99bcf42a0977_1)** | B-1 |

---

------

**INTRODUCTION AND GLOSSARY**

This SAI is designed to elaborate upon information contained in the Fund's Prospectus, including the discussion of certain securities and investment techniques. The more detailed information contained in this SAI is intended for investors who have read the Prospectus and are interested in a more detailed explanation of certain aspects of some of the Fund's securities and investment techniques. Some investment techniques are described only in the Prospectus and are not repeated here.

Capitalized terms used, but not defined, in this SAI have the same meaning as in the Prospectus and some additional terms are defined particularly for this SAI.

Following are definitions of general terms that may be used throughout this SAI:

**1933 Act**: Securities Act of 1933, as amended

**1934 Act**: Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended

**1940 Act**: Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, including the rules and regulations thereunder, and the terms of applicable no-action relief or exemptive orders granted thereunder

**Affiliated Fund**: A fund within the Voya family of funds

**Board**: The Board of Trustees for the Trust

**Business Day**: Each day the NYSE opens for regular trading

**CDSC**: Contingent deferred sales charge

**CFTC:** United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission

**Code**: Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended

**Distributor**: Voya Investments Distributor, LLC

**Distribution Agreement**: The Distribution Agreement for the Fund, as described herein

**ETF**: Exchange-Traded Fund

**EU**: European Union

**Expense Limitation Agreement**: The Expense Limitation Agreement(s) for the Fund, as described herein

**FDIC:** Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

**FHLMC:** Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation

**FINRA**: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

**Fiscal Year End of the Fund**: October 31

**Fitch:** Fitch Ratings

**FNMA:** Federal National Mortgage Association

**Fund**: One or more of the investment management companies listed on the front cover of this SAI

**GNMA:** Government National Mortgage Association

**Independent Trustees**: The Trustees of the Board who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund

**Investment Adviser:** Voya Investments, LLC or Voya Investments

**Investment Management Agreement**: The Investment Management Agreement for the Fund, as described herein

**IPO:** Initial Public Offering

**IRA:** Individual Retirement Account

**IRS**: United States Internal Revenue Service

**LIBOR**: London Interbank Offered Rate

**MLPs**: Master Limited Partnerships

**Moody's:** Moody's Investors Service, Inc.

**NAV**: Net Asset Value

**NRSRO:** Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization

**NYSE**: New York Stock Exchange

------

**OTC:** Over-the-counter

**Principal Underwriter**: Voya Investments Distributor, LLC or the "Distributor"

**Prospectus**: One or more prospectuses for the Fund

**REIT**: Real Estate Investment Trust

**REMICs**: Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits

**RIC**: A "Regulated Investment Company," pursuant to the Code

**Rule 12b-1**: Rule 12b-1 (under the 1940 Act)

**Rule 12b-1 Plan**: A Distribution and/or Shareholder Service Plan adopted under Rule 12b-1

**Rule 144A:** Rule 144A under the 1933 Act

**S&L:** Savings & Loan Association

**S&P**: S&P Global Ratings

**SEC**: United States Securities and Exchange Commission

**SOFR:** Secured Overnight Financing Rate

**Sub-Adviser**: One or more sub-advisers for the Fund, as described herein

**Sub-Advisory Agreement**: The Sub-Advisory Agreement(s) for the Fund, as described herein

**Trust**: Voya Mutual Funds

**UK:** United Kingdom

**Underlying Funds**: Unless otherwise stated, other mutual funds or ETFs in which the Fund may invest

**Voya family of funds or the "funds"**: All of the registered investment companies managed by Voya Investments

**Voya IM**: Voya Investment Management Co. LLC

**HISTORY OF the Trust**

Voya Mutual Funds, an open-end management investment company that is registered under the 1940 Act, was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on December 17, 1992. On May 1, 2014, the name of the Trust changed from "ING Mutual Funds" to "Voya Mutual Funds."

**SUPPLEMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF Fund INVESTMENTS AND RISKS**

**Diversification and Concentration** 

*Diversified Investment Companies.* The 1940 Act generally requires that a diversified Fund may not, with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one issuer and may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities or investments in securities of other investment companies).

*Non-Diversified Investment Companies*. A non-diversified investment company under the 1940 Act means that a Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act in the proportion of its assets that it may invest in the obligations of a single issuer. The investment of a large percentage of a Fund's assets in the securities of a small number of issuers may cause the Fund's share price to fluctuate more than that of a diversified investment company. When compared to a diversified Fund, a non-diversified Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in a particular issuer and, therefore, has greater exposure to the risk of poor earnings or losses by an issuer.

*Concentration.* For purposes of the 1940 Act, concentration occurs when at least 25% of a Fund's assets are invested in any one industry or group of industries.

The Fund is classified as a "diversified" Fund as that term is defined under the 1940 Act. In addition, the Fund has a fundamental policy against concentration.

**Investments, Investment Strategies, and Risks** 

The Fund invests in a variety of investment types and employs a number of investment strategies and techniques. The Fund may make other investments and engage in other types of strategies or techniques, to the extent consistent with its investment objective(s) and strategies and except where otherwise prohibited by applicable law or the Fund's own investment restrictions, as set forth in the Prospectus or this SAI.

The discussion below provides additional information about certain of the investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies that the Investment Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser(s) may use in managing the Fund as well as the risks associated with such investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies. The investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies as well as the risks associated with such investments, investment techniques, and investment strategies are presented below in alphabetical order to facilitate readability, and their order does not imply that the Fund prioritizes one investment, investment technique, or investment strategy

------

over another nor does it imply that the realization of one risk is more likely to occur or have a greater adverse impact than another risk. The information below supplements the discussion of the principal investment strategies and principal risks contained in the Fund's Prospectus, but does not describe every type of investment, investment technique, investment strategy, factor, or other consideration that the Fund may take into account nor does it describe every risk to which the Fund may be exposed.

The Fund may use any or all of these investment types, investment techniques, or investment strategies at any one time, and the fact that the Fund may use an investment type, investment technique, or investment strategy does not mean that it will be used.

**Temporary Defensive Positions** 

When the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser to the Fund anticipates adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions, the Fund may temporarily depart from its principal investment strategies as a defensive measure. In such circumstances, the Fund may make investments believed to present less risk, such as cash, cash equivalents, money market fund shares and other money market instruments, debt instruments that are high quality or higher quality than normal, more liquid securities, or others. While the Fund invests defensively, it may not achieve its investment objective. The Fund's defensive investment position may not be effective in protecting its value. It is impossible to predict accurately how long such defensive position may be utilized.

Unless otherwise indicated, the Fund's investment objective, policies, investment strategies, and practices are non-fundamental. For additional information, see the section entitled "Fundamental and Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions" below.

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

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Asset Class/Investment Technique** | **Voya VACS Series EME** <br> **Fund**<br>|
| Artificial Intelligence | X |
| Asset-Backed Securities | X |
| Bank Instruments | X |
| Borrowing | X |
| Commercial Paper | X |
| Commodities |  |
| Common Stocks | X |
| Convertible Securities | X |
| Corporate Debt Instruments | X |
| Credit-Linked Notes | X |
| Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates |  |
| Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities |  |
| Depositary Receipts | X |
| Derivative Instruments | X |
| Emerging Markets Investments | X |
| Equity-Linked Notes |  |
| Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments | X |
| Event-Linked Bonds |  |
| Floating or Variable Rate Instruments | X |
| Foreign (non-U.S.) Currencies | X |
| Foreign (non-U.S.) Investments | X |
| Forward Commitments | X |
| Futures Contracts | X |
| Guaranteed Investment Contracts | X |
| High-Yield Securities | X |
| Hybrid Instruments | X |
| Illiquid Securities | X |
| Inflation-Indexed Bonds |  |
| Initial Public Offerings | X |
| Inverse Floating Rate Securities |  |
| Master Limited Partnerships |  |
| Mortgage-Related Securities | X |
| Municipal Securities | X |
| Options | X  |

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Asset Class/Investment Technique** | **Voya VACS Series EME** <br> **Fund**<br>|
| Other Investment Companies and Pooled Investment Vehicles | X |
| Participation on Creditors' Committees |  |
| Participatory Notes | X |
| Preferred Stocks | X |
| Private Investments in Public Companies |  |
| Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts |  |
| Repurchase Agreements | X |
| Restricted Securities | X |
| Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Roll Transactions | X |
| Rights and Warrants | X |
| Securities Lending | X |
| Senior and Other Bank Loans | X |
| Short Sales |  |
| Small- and Mid-Capitalization Issuers | X |
| Sovereign Debt | X |
| Special Purpose Acquisition Companies | X |
| Special Situation Issuers | X |
| Structured Notes (Debt Instruments) |  |
| Supranational Entities |  |
| Swap Transactions and Options on Swap Transactions | X |
| To Be Announced Sale Commitments | X |
| Trust Preferred Securities | X |
| U.S. Government Securities and Obligations |  |
| When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions | X |
| Zero-Coupon, Deferred Interest and Pay-in-Kind Bonds | X |

---

**Artificial Intelligence:** Artificial intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that would otherwise require human intelligence and encompasses various different forms of artificial intelligence, including machine learning models. Artificial intelligence is typically designed to analyze data, learn from patterns and experiences, make decisions, and solve problems. Artificial intelligence can be categorized into two types: narrow artificial intelligence, which is designed for specific tasks, and general artificial intelligence, which has the ability to perform any intellectual task that a human can do and includes generative artificial intelligence ("GAI"). GAI is a type of artificial intelligence technology that produces new text, images, audio, and other content based on training data that includes examples of the desired output. Typically, users enter questions, queries, or other inputs that prompt the GAI model or tool to produce output. In addition, some software uses GAI to suggest changes, summarize information, or translate text. Artificial intelligence has various applications in many fields such as healthcare, finance, transportation, and law.

The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may use and/or expand its use of artificial intelligence in connection with its business, operating and investment activities and the Fund's investments may also use such technologies. Actual usage of such artificial intelligence will vary, and while the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser expects from time to time to adopt and adjust usage policies and procedures governing the use of artificial intelligence by its personnel, there is a risk of misuse of artificial intelligence technologies.

Artificial intelligence is highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data and complex algorithms, but it is not possible nor practicable to incorporate all data that would be relevant for a task conducted by artificial intelligence. Therefore, it is possible that the information provided through use of artificial intelligence could be insufficient, incomplete, inaccurate or biased leading to adverse effects for the Fund, including, potentially, operational errors and investment losses. It is also possible that, given the limited transparency into the decision-making of artificial intelligence models, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may have limited ability to examine the bases for the selections and other outputs of artificial intelligence models.

Artificial intelligence and its current and potential future applications, including in the investment and financial sectors, as well as the regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to rapidly evolve, and it is impossible to predict the full extent of future applications or regulations. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to artificial intelligence generally or artificial intelligence's use in any industry in particular may alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the ability of the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, the Fund or its investments to utilize artificial intelligence in the manner it has to-date, and may have an adverse impact on the ability of the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser, or the Fund or its investments to continue to operate as intended.

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**Asset-Backed Securities:** Asset-backed securities are securities backed by assets that may include such items as credit card and automobile finance receivables, home equity sharing agreements or loans, student loans, consumer loans, installment loan contracts, home equity loans, mobile home loans, boat loans, business and small business loans, project finance loans, airplane leases, and leases of various other types of real and personal property (including those relating to railcars, containers, or telecommunication, energy, and/or other infrastructure assets and infrastructure-related assets), and other non-mortgage-related income streams, such as income from renewable energy projects and franchise rights. Asset-backed securities are "pass-through" securities, meaning that principal and interest payments – net of expenses – made by the borrower on the underlying assets (such as credit card receivables) are passed through to the investor. The value of asset-backed securities based on debt instruments, like that of traditional debt instruments, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, these asset-backed securities differ from traditional debt instruments because of their potential for prepayment. A home equity sharing agreement is an agreement between a financial services company and a homeowner which allows a homeowner to access some of the equity in their home in exchange for a specified equity stake in the property. Unlike a mortgage, a home equity sharing agreement is not a loan and does not require a monthly payment. Instead, at the conclusion of the agreement term, the homeowner pays back the equity advance and a percentage of any appreciation in the property value. The price paid for asset-backed securities, the yield expected from such securities and the average life of the securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying assets more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the asset-backed security. Moreover, when the proceeds of a prepayment are reinvested in these circumstances, a rate of interest will likely be received that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. To the extent that asset-backed securities are purchased at a premium, prepayments may result in a loss to the extent of the premium paid. If such securities are bought at a discount, both scheduled payments and unscheduled prepayments generally will also result in the recognition of income. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying assets may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer term security. Since the value of longer-term asset-backed securities generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than the value of shorter-term asset-backed securities maturity extension risk could increase volatility. When interest rates decline, the value of an asset-backed security with prepayment features may not increase as much as that of other debt instruments, and as noted above, changes in market rates of interest may accelerate or retard prepayments and thus affect maturities. During periods of deteriorating economic conditions, such as recessions or periods of rising unemployment, delinquencies and losses generally increase, sometimes dramatically, with respect to securitizations involving loans, sales contracts, receivables and other obligations underlying asset-backed securities. The effects of COVID-19, and governmental responses to the effects of the pandemic may result in increased delinquencies and losses and may have other, potentially unanticipated, adverse effects on such investments and the markets for those investments.

The credit quality of asset-backed securities depends primarily on the quality of the underlying assets, the rights of recourse available against the underlying assets and/or the issuer, the level of credit enhancement, if any, provided for the securities, and the credit quality of the credit-support provider, if any. The values of asset-backed securities may be affected by other factors, such as the availability of information concerning the pool of assets and its structure, the market's perception of the asset backing the security, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool of assets, the originator of the underlying assets, or the entities providing the credit enhancement. The market values of asset-backed securities also can depend on the ability of their servicers to service the underlying assets and are, therefore, subject to risks associated with servicers' performance. In some circumstances, a servicer's or originator's mishandling of documentation related to the underlying assets (*e.g.*, failure to document a security interest in the underlying assets properly) may affect the rights of the security holders in and to the underlying assets. In addition, the insolvency of an entity that generated the assets underlying an asset-backed security is likely to result in a decline in the market price of that security as well as costs and delays. Asset-backed securities that do not have the benefit of a security interest in the underlying assets present certain additional risks that are not present with asset-backed securities that do have a security interest in the underlying assets. For example, many securities backed by credit card receivables are unsecured. Additionally, asset-backed securities may be "subordinated" to other interests in the same pool, and a holder of those "subordinated" securities would receive payments only after any obligations to other more "senior" investors have been satisfied.

<u>Collateralized Debt Obligations</u>: Collateralized Debt Obligations ("CDOs") are a type of asset-backed security and include collateralized bond obligations ("CBOs"), collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs"), and other similarly structured securities. A CBO is an obligation of a trust or other special purpose vehicle backed by a pool of bonds. A CLO is an obligation of a trust or other special purpose vehicle typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include senior secured and unsecured loans and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade, or equivalent unrated loans. CDOs may incur management fees and administrative expenses.

For both CBOs and CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, which vary in risk and yield. The riskier portions are the residual, equity, and subordinate tranches, which bear some or all of the risk of default by the debt instruments or loans in the trust, and therefore protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches of a CBO trust or CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than junior tranches. Despite the protection from the riskier tranches, senior CBO or CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults (including collateral default), the total loss of the riskier tranches due to losses in the collateral, market anticipation of defaults, fraud by the trust, and the illiquidity of CBO or CLO securities.

The risks of an investment in a CDO largely depend on the type of underlying collateral securities and the tranche in which there are investments. Typically, CBOs, CLOs, and other CDOs are privately offered and sold, and thus are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CDOs may be characterized as illiquid. CDOs are subject to the typical risks associated with debt instruments discussed elsewhere in this SAI and the Prospectus, including interest rate risk, prepayment and extension risk, credit risk, liquidity risk and market risk. Additional risks of CDOs include: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will be insufficient to make interest or other payments; (ii) the possibility that the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default, due to factors such as the

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availability of any credit enhancement, the level and timing of payments and recoveries on and the characteristics of the underlying collateral, remoteness of those collateral assets from the originator or transferor, the adequacy of and ability to realize upon any related collateral, and the capability of the servicer of the securitized assets; and (iii) market and liquidity risks affecting the price of a structured finance investment, if required to be sold, at the time of sale. In addition, due to the complex nature of a CDO, an investment in a CDO may not perform as expected. An investment in a CDO also is subject to the risk that the issuer and the investors may interpret the terms of the instrument differently, giving rise to disputes.

**Bank Instruments:** Bank instruments include certificates of deposit ("CDs"), fixed-time deposits, and other debt and deposit-type obligations (including promissory notes that earn a specified rate of return) issued by: (i) a U.S. branch of a U.S. bank; (ii) a non-U.S. branch of a U.S. bank; (iii) a U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank; or (iv) a non-U.S. branch of a non-U.S. bank. Bank instruments may be structured as fixed-, variable- or floating-rate obligations.

CDs typically are interest-bearing debt instruments issued by banks and have maturities ranging from a few weeks to several years. Yankee dollar certificates of deposit are negotiable CDs issued in the United States by branches and agencies of non-U.S. banks. Eurodollar certificates of deposit are CDs issued by non-U.S. banks with interest and principal paid in U.S. dollars. Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar CDs typically have maturities of less than two years and have interest rates that typically are pegged to SOFR. Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity. Bankers' acceptances are a customary means of effecting payment for merchandise sold in import-export transactions and are a general source of financing. A fixed-time deposit is a bank obligation payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate. There are generally no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed-time deposit to a third party, although there is generally no market for such deposits. Typically, there are penalties for early withdrawals of time deposits. Promissory notes are written commitments of the maker to pay the payee a specified sum of money either on demand or at a fixed or determinable future date, with or without interest.

Certain bank instruments, such as some CDs, are insured by the FDIC up to certain specified limits. Many other bank instruments, however, are neither guaranteed nor insured by the FDIC or the U.S. government. These bank instruments are "backed" only by the creditworthiness of the issuing bank or parent financial institution. U.S. and non-U.S. banks are subject to different governmental regulation. They are subject to the risks of investing in the particular issuing bank and of investing in the banking and financial services sector generally. Certain obligations of non-U.S. banks, including Eurodollar and Yankee dollar obligations, involve different and/or heightened investment risks than those affecting obligations of U.S. banks, including, among others, the possibilities that: (i) their liquidity could be impaired because of political or economic developments; (ii) the obligations may be less marketable than comparable obligations of U.S. banks; (iii) a non-U.S. jurisdiction might impose withholding and other taxes at high levels on interest income; (iv) non-U.S. deposits may be seized or nationalized; (v) non-U.S. governmental restrictions such as exchange controls may be imposed, which could adversely affect the payment of principal and/or interest on those obligations; (vi) there may be less publicly available information concerning non-U.S. banks issuing the obligations; and (vii) the reserve requirements and accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards, practices and requirements applicable to non-U.S. banks may differ (including those that are less stringent) from those applicable to U.S. banks. Non-U.S. banks generally are not subject to examination by any U.S. government agency or instrumentality.

**Borrowing:** Borrowing may result in leveraging of the Fund's assets. This borrowing may be secured or unsecured. Borrowing, like other forms of leverage, will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund's portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs which may or may not be recovered by appreciation of the securities purchased, if any. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate. Provisions of the 1940 Act require the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets made for temporary administrative purposes. Any borrowings for temporary administrative purposes in excess of 5% of total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell holdings at that time.

From time to time, the Fund may enter into, and make borrowings for temporary purposes related to the redemption of shares under, a credit agreement with third-party lenders. Borrowings made under such credit agreements will be allocated pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board.

The Fund may engage in other transactions that may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund's portfolio, including, by way of example, reverse repurchase agreements, dollar rolls, and derivatives transactions. The Fund will generally not treat such transactions as borrowings of money.

**Commercial Paper:** Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies. Commercial paper may consist of U.S. dollar- or foreign currency-denominated obligations of U.S. or non-U.S. issuers, and may be rated or unrated. The rate of return on commercial paper may be linked or indexed to the level of exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and a foreign currency or currencies.

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Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper is commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called "private placement" exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act ("Section 4(a)(2) paper"). Section 4(a)(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the U.S. federal securities laws, and generally is sold to investors who agree that they are purchasing the paper for investment and not with a view to public distribution. Any resale by the purchaser must be in an exempt transaction. Section 4(a)(2) paper is normally resold to other investors through or with the assistance of the issuer or dealers who make a market in Section 4(a)(2) paper, thus providing liquidity.

**Commodities:** The Fund may gain exposure to commodity markets by investing in commodity-related instruments. Such instruments include, (i) commodity-linked derivatives such as futures contracts and options, that are designed to provide the Fund with exposure to the commodities market without necessarily investing directly in physical commodities; and (ii) exchange traded investment vehicles that are designed to provide exposure to the investment return of assets that trade in the commodities markets, without investing directly in physical commodities. Commodities values may be highly volatile, and may decline rapidly and without warning. The values of commodity related instruments will typically be substantially affected by changes in the values of their underlying commodity, commodity index, futures contract, or other economic variable to which they are related. Additionally, economic leverage will increase the volatility of these instruments as they may increase or decrease in value more quickly than the underlying commodity or other relevant economic variable.

**Common Stocks:** Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. A common stock may decline in value due to an actual or perceived deterioration in the prospects of the issuer, an actual or anticipated reduction in the rate at which dividends are paid, or other factors affecting the value of an investment, or due to a decline in the values of stocks generally or of stocks of issuers in a particular industry or market sector. The values of common stocks may be highly volatile. If an issuer of common stock is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of debt instruments and preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock, and as a result the common stock could become worthless.

**Convertible Securities:** Convertible securities are securities that combine the investment characteristics of debt instruments and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt instruments or preferred stock that may be converted (on a voluntary or mandatory basis) within a specified period of time (normally for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. Convertible securities also include debt instruments with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt instruments and equity securities. Other convertible securities with additional or different features and risks may become available in the future. Convertible securities involve risks similar to those of both debt instruments and equity securities. In a corporation's capital structure, convertible securities are senior to common stock but are usually subordinated to senior debt instruments of the issuer.

The market value of a convertible security is a function of its "investment value" and its "conversion value." A security's "investment value" represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (*i.e*., a nonconvertible debt instrument). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer, and the seniority of the security in the issuer's capital structure. A security's "conversion value" is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like a nonconvertible debt instruments or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that circumstance, the convertible security takes on the characteristics of a debt instrument, and the price moves in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that case, the convertible security's price may be as volatile as that of common stock. Because both interest rates and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security generally is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar debt instrument, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying equity security. Convertible securities are often rated below investment grade or are not rated, and they are generally subject to greater levels of credit risk and liquidity risk.

<u>Contingent Convertible Securities (</u><u>"CoCos"):</u> CoCos are a form of hybrid debt instrument. They are subordinated instruments that are designed to behave like bonds or preferred equity in times of economic health for the issuer, yet absorb losses when a pre-determined trigger event affecting the issuer occurs. CoCos are either convertible into equity at a predetermined share price or written down if a pre-specified trigger event occurs. Trigger events vary by individual security and are defined by the documents governing the contingent convertible security. Such trigger events may include a decline in the issuer's capital below a specified threshold level, an increase in the issuer's risk-weighted assets, the share price of the issuer falling to a particular level for a certain period of time, and certain regulatory events. CoCos are subject to credit, interest rate, high-yield securities, foreign investments and market risks associated with both debt instruments and equity securities. In March 2023, a Swiss regulator required a write-down of outstanding CoCos to zero, notwithstanding the fact that the equity shares continued to exist and have economic value. It is currently unclear whether regulators of issuers in other jurisdictions will take similar actions. In addition, CoCos have no stated maturity and have fully discretionary coupons. If the CoCos are converted into the issuer's underlying equity securities following a conversion event, each holder will be subordinated due to their conversion from being the holder of a debt instrument to being the holder of an equity instrument, hence worsening the holder's standing in a bankruptcy proceeding.

**Corporate Debt Instruments:** Corporate debt instruments are long and short-term debt instruments typically issued by businesses to finance their operations. Corporate debt instruments are issued by public or private issuers, as distinct from debt instruments issued by a government or its agencies. The issuer of a corporate debt instrument typically has a contractual obligation to pay interest at a stated rate on specific dates and to repay principal periodically or on a specified maturity date. The broad category of corporate debt instruments includes debt issued by U.S. or non-U.S. issuers of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. The category also includes bank

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loans, as well as assignments, participations and other interests in bank loans. Corporate debt instruments may be rated investment grade or below investment grade and may be structured as fixed-, variable or floating-rate obligations or as zero-coupon, pay-in-kind and step-coupon securities and may be privately placed or publicly offered. They may also be senior or subordinated obligations. Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt instruments, as well as the range of creditworthiness of issuers, corporate debt instruments can have widely varying risk/return profiles.

Corporate debt instruments carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that an investor could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt instrument is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt instruments that are rated below investment grade (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher rated debt instruments. The credit risk of a particular issuer's debt instrument may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher-ranking (senior) debt instruments have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) debt instruments. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated debt instruments while continuing to make payments on senior debt instruments. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior debt instruments may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. The market value of corporate debt instruments may be expected to rise and fall inversely with interest rates generally. In general, corporate debt instruments with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt instruments with shorter terms. The value of a corporate debt instrument may also be affected by supply and demand for similar or comparable securities in the marketplace. Fluctuations in the value of portfolio securities subsequent to their acquisition will not affect cash income from such securities but will be reflected in NAV. Corporate debt instruments generally trade in the over-the-counter market and can be less liquid than other types of investments, particularly during adverse market and economic conditions.

**Credit-Linked Notes:** Credit-linked notes are privately negotiated obligations whose returns are linked to the returns of one or more designated securities or other instruments that are referred to as "reference securities," such as an emerging market bond. A credit-linked note typically is issued by a special purpose trust or similar entity and is a direct obligation of the issuing entity. The entity, in turn, invests in debt instruments or derivative contracts in order to provide the exposure set forth in the credit-linked note. The periodic interest payments and principal obligations payable under the terms of the note typically are conditioned upon the entity's receipt of payments on its underlying investment. Purchasing a credit-linked note assumes the risk of the default or, in some cases, other declines in credit quality of the reference securities. There is also exposure to the issuer of the credit-linked note in the full amount of the purchase price of the note and the note is often not secured by the reference securities or other collateral.

The market for credit-linked notes may be or may become illiquid. The number of investors with sufficient understanding to support transacting in the notes may be quite limited, and may include only the parties to the original purchase/sale transaction. Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the value for credit-linked notes. In certain cases, a market price for a credit-linked note may not be available and it may be difficult to determine a fair value of the note.

**Custodial Receipts and Trust Certificates:** Custodial receipts and trust certificates, which may be underwritten by securities dealers or banks, represent interests in instruments held by a custodian or trustee. The instruments so held may include U.S. government securities or other types of instruments. The custodial receipts or trust certificates may evidence ownership of future interest payments, principal payments or both on the underlying instruments, or, in some cases, the payment obligation of a third party that has entered into an interest rate swap or other arrangement with the custodian or trustee. The holder of custodial receipts and trust certificates will bear its proportionate share of the fees and expenses charged to the custodial account or trust. There may also be investments in separately issued interests in custodial receipts and trust certificates. Custodial receipts may be issued in multiple tranches, representing different interests in the payment streams in the underlying instruments (including as to priority of payment).

In the event an underlying issuer fails to pay principal and/or interest when due, a holder could be required to assert its rights through the custodian bank, and assertion of those rights may be subject to delays, expenses, and risks that are greater than those that would have been involved if the holder had purchased a direct obligation of the issuer. In addition, in the event that the trust or custodial account in which the underlying instruments have been deposited is determined to be an association taxable as a corporation instead of a non-taxable entity, the yield on the underlying instruments would be reduced by the amount of any taxes paid.

Certain custodial receipts and trust certificates may be synthetic or derivative instruments that pay interest at rates that reset inversely to changing short-term rates and/or have embedded interest rate floors and caps that require the issuer to pay an adjusted interest rate if market rates fall below, or rise above, a specified rate. These instruments include inverse and range floaters. Because some of these instruments represent relatively recent innovations and the trading market for these instruments is less developed than the markets for traditional types of instruments, it is uncertain how these instruments will perform under different economic and interest-rate scenarios. Also, because these instruments may be leveraged, their market values may be more volatile than other types of instruments and may present greater potential for capital gain or loss, including potentially loss of the entire principal investment. The possibility of default by an issuer or the issuer's credit provider may be greater for these derivative instruments than for other types of instruments. In some cases, it may be difficult to determine the fair value of a derivative instrument because of a lack of reliable objective information, and an established secondary market for some instruments may not exist. In many cases, the IRS has not ruled on the tax treatment of the interest or payments received on such derivative instruments.

**Delayed Funding Loans and Revolving Credit Facilities:** Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities are borrowing arrangements in which the lender agrees to make loans, up to a maximum amount, upon demand by the borrower during a specified term. A revolving credit facility differs from a delayed funding loan in that, as the borrower repays the loan, an amount equal to the repayment may be borrowed again during the term of the revolving credit facility (whereas, in the case of a delayed funding loan, such amounts may not be "re-borrowed"). Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities usually provide for floating or variable rates of interest. Agreeing to

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participate in a delayed fund loan or a revolving credit facility may have the effect of requiring an increased investment in an issuer at a time when such investment might not otherwise have been made (including at a time when the issuer's financial condition makes it unlikely that such amounts will be repaid). To the extent that there is such a commitment to advancing additional funds, assets that are determined to be liquid by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser in accordance with procedures established by the Board will at times be segregated, in an amount sufficient to meet such commitments.

Delayed funding loans and revolving credit facilities may be subject to restrictions on transfer and only limited opportunities may exist to resell such instruments. As a result, such investments may not be sold at an opportune time or may have to be resold at less than fair market value.

**Depositary Receipts:** Depositary receipts are typically trust receipts issued by a U.S. bank or trust company that evince an indirect interest in underlying securities issued by a foreign entity, and are in the form of sponsored or unsponsored American Depositary Receipts ("ADRs"), European Depositary Receipts ("EDRs") and Global Depositary Receipts ("GDRs").

Generally, ADRs are publicly traded on a U.S. stock exchange or in the OTC market, and are denominated in U.S. dollars, and the depositaries are usually a U.S. financial institution, such as a bank or trust company, but the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer.

GDRs may be traded in any public or private securities markets in U.S dollars or other currencies and generally represent securities held by institutions located anywhere in the world. For GDRs, the depositary may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S issuer.

EDRs are generally issued by a European bank and traded on local exchanges.

Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored. Although the two types of depositary receipt facilities are similar, there are differences regarding a holder's rights and obligations and the practices of market participants. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depositary), although most sponsored depositary receipt holders may bear costs such as deposit and withdrawal fees. Depositaries of most sponsored depositary receipts agree to distribute notices of shareholder meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and financial information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuer's request. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts, which are created independently of the issuer of the underlying security, generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depositary usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of non-cash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights with respect to the underlying securities to depositary receipt holders. As a result, available information concerning the issuer of an unsponsored depositary receipt may not be as current as for sponsored depositary receipts, and the prices of unsponsored depositary receipts may be more volatile than if such instruments were sponsored by the issuer.

In addition, a depositary or issuer may unwind its depositary receipt program, or the relevant exchange may require depositary receipts to be delisted, which could require the Fund to sell its depositary receipts (potentially at disadvantageous prices) or to convert them into shares of the underlying non-U.S. security (which could adversely affect their value or liquidity). Depositary receipts also may be subject to illiquidity risk, and trading in depositary receipts may be suspended by the relevant exchange.

ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are subject to many of the same risks associated with investing directly in foreign issuers. Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities it will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying securities. The value of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action.

**Derivative Instruments:** Derivatives are financial contracts whose values change based on changes in the values of one or more underlying assets or the difference between underlying assets. Underlying assets may include a security or other financial instrument, asset, currency, interest rate, credit rating, commodity, volatility measure, or index. Examples of derivative instruments include swap agreements, forward commitments, futures contracts, and options. Derivatives may be traded on contract markets or exchanges, or may take the form of contractual arrangements between private counterparties. Investing in derivatives involves counterparty risk, particularly with respect to contractual arrangements between private counterparties. Derivatives can be highly volatile and involve risks in addition to, and potentially greater than, the risks of the underlying asset(s). Gains or losses from derivatives can be substantially greater than the derivatives' original cost and can sometimes be unlimited. Derivatives typically involve leverage. Derivatives can be complex instruments and can involve analysis and processing that differs from that required for other investment types. If the value of a derivative does not correlate well with the particular market or other asset class the derivative is intended to provide exposure to, the derivative may not have the effect intended. Derivatives can also reduce the opportunity for gains or result in losses by offsetting positive returns in other investments. Derivatives can be less liquid than other types of investments. Legislation and regulation of derivatives in the United States and other countries, including margin, clearing, trading, reporting, and position limits, may make derivatives more costly and/or less liquid, limit the availability of certain types of derivatives, cause changes in the use of derivatives, or otherwise adversely affect the use of derivatives.

Certain derivative transactions require margin or collateral to be posted to and/or exchanged with a broker, prime broker, futures commission merchant, exchange, clearing house, or other third party, whether directly or through a segregated custodial account. If an entity holding the margin or collateral becomes bankrupt or insolvent or otherwise fails to perform its obligations due to financial difficulties, there could be delays and/or losses in liquidating open positions purchased or sold through such entity and/or recovering amounts owed, including a loss of all or part of its collateral or margin deposits with such entity.

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Some derivatives may be used for "hedging," meaning that they may be used when the manager seeks to protect investments from a decline in value, which could result from changes in interest rates, market prices, currency fluctuations, and other market factors. Derivatives may also be used when the manager seeks to increase liquidity; implement a cash management strategy; invest in a particular stock, bond, or segment of the market in a more efficient or less expensive way; modify the characteristics of portfolio investments; and/or to enhance return. However, when derivatives are used, their successful use is not assured and will depend upon the manager's ability to predict and understand relevant market movements.

<u>Derivatives Regulation</u>: The U.S. government has enacted legislation that provides for regulation of the derivatives market, including clearing, margin, reporting, and registration requirements. The EU, the UK, and certain other jurisdictions have implemented or are in the process of implementing similar requirements, which will affect derivatives transactions with a counterparty organized in, or otherwise subject to, the EU's or other jurisdiction's derivatives regulations. Clearing rules and other rules and regulations could, among other things, restrict a registered investment company's ability to engage in, or increase the cost of, derivatives transactions, for example, by eliminating the availability of some types of derivatives, increasing margin or capital requirements, or otherwise limiting liquidity or increasing transaction costs. While these rules and regulations and central clearing of some derivatives transactions are designed to reduce systemic risk (e.g., the risk that the interdependence of large derivatives dealers could cause them to suffer liquidity, solvency, or other challenges simultaneously), there is no assurance that they will achieve that result, and in the meantime, central clearing and related requirements may expose investors to different kinds of costs and risks. For example, in the event of a counterparty's (or its affiliate's) insolvency, the Fund's ability to exercise remedies (such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral) could be stayed or eliminated under new special resolution regimes adopted in the United States, the EU, the UK and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, the liabilities of counterparties who are subject to such proceedings in the EU and the UK could be reduced, eliminated, or converted to equity in such counterparties (sometimes referred to as a "bail in").

Additionally, U.S. regulators, the EU, the UK, and certain other jurisdictions have adopted minimum margin and capital requirements for uncleared derivatives transactions. These regulations have had a material impact on the use of uncleared derivatives. These rules impose minimum margin requirements on derivatives transactions between a registered investment company and its counterparties and in certain cases increase the amount of margin required. They impose regulatory requirements on the timing of transferring margin and the types of collateral that parties are permitted to exchange.

Short sales are subject to certain SEC regulations and certain EU and UK regulations (under which there are restrictions on net short sales in certain securities). If the SEC or regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions were to adopt additional restrictions regarding short sales, they could restrict the Fund's ability to engage in short sales in certain circumstances, and the Fund may be unable to execute its investment strategy as a result. In response to market events, the SEC and regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions may adopt (and in certain cases, have adopted) bans or other restrictions on short sales of certain securities or on derivatives and other hedging instruments used to achieve a similar economic effect. Such bans or other restrictions may make it impossible for the Fund to execute certain investment strategies and may have a material adverse effect on the Fund's ability to generate returns. See also "Risks of transactions in futures contracts and related options" for more information.

The SEC adopted Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act ("Rule 18f-4"), related to the use of derivatives, reverse repurchase agreements, and certain other transactions by registered investment companies. In connection with the adoption of Rule 18f-4, the SEC withdrew prior guidance requiring compliance with an asset segregation framework for covering certain derivative instruments and related transactions. Rule 18f-4, like the prior guidance, provides a mechanism by which the Fund is able to engage in derivatives transactions, even if the derivatives are considered to be "senior securities" for purposes of Section 18 of the 1940 Act, and it is expected that the Fund will continue to rely on that exemption, to the extent applicable. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires a fund to apply value-at-risk ("VaR") leverage limits to its investments in derivatives transactions and certain other transactions that create future payment and delivery obligations as well as implement a derivatives risk management program. Generally, these requirements apply unless a fund satisfies Rule 18f-4's "limited derivatives users" exception. When a fund invests in reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, including certain tender option bonds, Rule 18f-4 requires the fund to either aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness when calculating the fund's asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions.

<u>Exclusions of the Investment Adviser from commodity pool operator definition</u>: With respect to the Fund, the Investment Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of "commodity pool operator" ("CPO") under the Commodity Exchange Act (the "CEA") and the rules thereunder and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Fund, the Investment Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of "commodity trading advisor" under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC.

The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its exposure to "commodity interests." Commodity interests include futures, options on futures, and certain swaps, which, in turn, include non-deliverable forward currency contracts. Compliance with the terms of the CPO exclusion may limit the ability of the Investment Adviser to manage the investment program of the Fund in the same manner as it would in the absence of the exclusion. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity interests markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Investment Adviser's reliance on the exclusion, or the Fund, its investment strategies, or this SAI.

**Emerging Markets Investments:** Investments in emerging markets are generally subject to a greater risk of loss than investments in developed markets. This may be due to, among other things, the possibility of greater market volatility, lower trading volume and liquidity, greater risk of expropriation, nationalization, and social, political and economic instability, greater reliance on a few industries, international trade or revenue from particular commodities, less developed accounting, legal and regulatory systems, higher levels of inflation, deflation or

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currency devaluation, greater risk of market shut down, and more significant governmental limitations on investment activity as compared to those typically found in a developed market. In addition, issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may have less financial stability than in other countries. As a result, there will tend to be an increased risk of price volatility in investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to a base currency. Settlement and asset custody practices for transactions in emerging markets may differ from those in developed markets. Such differences may include possible delays in settlement and certain settlement practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, which increases the likelihood of a "failed settlement." Failed settlements can result in losses. For these and other reasons, investments in emerging markets are often considered speculative.

<u>Investing through Bond Connect</u>: Chinese debt instruments trade on the China Interbank Bond Market ("CIBM") and may be purchased through a market access program that is designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("Bond Connect"). There are significant risks inherent in investing in Chinese debt instruments, similar to the risks of other debt instruments markets in emerging markets. The prices of debt instruments traded on the CIBM may fluctuate significantly due to low trading volume and potential lack of liquidity. The rules to access debt instruments that trade on the CIBM through Bond Connect are relatively new and subject to change, which may adversely affect the Fund's ability to invest in these instruments and to enforce its rights as a beneficial owner of these instruments. Trading through Bond Connect is subject to a number of restrictions that may affect the Fund's investments and returns.

Investments made through Bond Connect are subject to order, clearance and settlement procedures that are relatively untested in China, which could pose risks to the Fund. CIBM does not support all trading strategies (such as short selling) and investments in Chinese debt instruments that trade on the CIBM are subject to the risks of suspension of trading without cause or notice, trade failure or trade rejection and default of securities depositories and counterparties. Furthermore, Chinese debt instruments purchased via Bond Connect will be held via a book entry omnibus account in the name of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority Central Money Markets Unit ("CMU") maintained with a China-based depository (either the China Central Depository & Clearing Co. ("CDCC") or the Shanghai Clearing House ("SCH")). The Fund's ownership interest in these Chinese debt instruments will not be reflected directly in book entry with CDCC or SCH and will instead only be reflected on the books of the Fund's Hong Kong sub-custodian. Therefore, the Fund's ability to enforce its rights as a bondholder may depend on CMU's ability or willingness as record-holder of the bonds to enforce the Fund's rights as a bondholder. Additionally, the omnibus manner in which Chinese debt instruments are held could expose the Fund to the credit risk of the relevant securities depositories and the Fund's Hong Kong sub-custodian. While the Fund holds a beneficial interest in the instruments it acquires through Bond Connect, the mechanisms that beneficial owners may use to enforce their rights are untested. In addition, courts in China have limited experience in applying the concept of beneficial ownership. Moreover, Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect generally may not be sold, purchased or otherwise transferred other than through Bond Connect in accordance with applicable rules.

The Fund's investments in Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect are generally subject to a number of regulations and restrictions, including Chinese securities regulations and listing rules, loss recovery limitations and disclosure of interest reporting obligations. The Fund will not benefit from access to Hong Kong investor compensation funds, which are set up to protect against defaults of trades, when investing through Bond Connect. Bond Connect can only operate when both China and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. The rules applicable to taxation of Chinese debt instruments acquired through Bond Connect remain subject to further clarification. Uncertainties in the Chinese tax rules governing taxation of income and gains from investments via Bond Connect could result in unexpected tax liabilities for the Fund, which may negatively affect investment returns for shareholders.

<u>Investing through Stock Connect</u>: The Fund may, directly or indirectly (through, for example, participation notes or other types of equity-linked notes), purchase shares in mainland China-based companies that trade on Chinese stock exchanges such as the Shanghai Stock Exchange and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange ("China A-Shares") through the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect ("Stock Connect"), a mutual market access program designed to, among other things, enable foreign investment in the People's Republic of China ("PRC") via brokers in Hong Kong. There are significant risks inherent in investing in China A-Shares through Stock Connect. The underdeveloped state of PRC's investment and banking systems subjects the settlement, clearing, and registration of China A-Shares transactions to heightened risks. Stock Connect can only operate when both PRC and Hong Kong markets are open for trading and when banking services are available in both markets on the corresponding settlement days. As such, if either or both markets are closed on a U.S. trading day, the Fund may not be able to dispose of its China A-Shares in a timely manner, which could adversely affect the Fund's performance. PRC regulations require that the Fund that wishes to sell its China A-Shares pre-deliver the China A-Shares to a broker. If the China A-Shares are not in the broker's possession before the market opens on the day of sale, the sell order will be rejected. This requirement could also limit the Fund's ability to dispose of its China A-Shares purchased through Stock Connect in a timely manner. Additionally, Stock Connect is subject to daily quota limitations on purchases of China A Shares. Once the daily quota is reached, orders to purchase additional China A-Shares through Stock Connect will be rejected. The Fund's investment in China A-Shares may only be traded through Stock Connect and is not otherwise transferable. Stock Connect utilizes an omnibus clearing structure, and the Fund's shares will be registered in its custodian's name on the Central Clearing and Settlement System. This may limit the ability of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser to effectively manage the Fund, and may expose the Fund to the credit risk of its custodian or to greater risk of expropriation. Investment in China A-Shares through Stock Connect may be available only through a single broker that is an affiliate of the Fund's custodian, which may affect the quality of execution provided by such broker. Stock Connect restrictions could also limit the ability of the Fund to sell its China A-Shares in a timely manner, or to sell them at all. Further, different fees, costs and taxes are imposed on foreign investors acquiring China A-Shares acquired through Stock Connect, and these fees, costs and taxes may be higher than comparable fees, costs and taxes imposed on owners of other securities providing similar investment exposure. Stock Connect trades are settled in Renminbi ("RMB"), the official currency of PRC, and investors must have timely access to a reliable supply of RMB in Hong Kong, which cannot be guaranteed.

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**Equity-Linked Notes:** An equity-linked note ("ELN") is an investment whose value is based on the value of a single equity security, basket of equity securities, or an index of equity securities (each, an "underlying equity"). Generally, when purchasing an ELN, the Fund pays the counterparty (usually a bank or brokerage firm) the current value of the underlying equity plus a commission. Upon the maturity of the ELN, the Fund generally is entitled to receive the par value plus a return based on the appreciation of the underlying equity. If the underlying equity has depreciated in value or if the price fluctuates outside of a preset range, depending on the type of ELN in which the Fund invested, the Fund may receive only the principal amount of the note, or may lose the principal invested in the ELN entirely.

ELNs are available with an assortment of features, such as periodic coupon payments (*e.g.*, monthly, quarterly, or semiannually); varied participation rates (the rate at which the Fund participates in the appreciation of the underlying equity); limitations on the appreciation potential of the underlying equity by a maximum payment or call right; and different protection levels on the Fund's principal investment. In addition, when the underlying equity is foreign securities or indices, an ELN may be priced with or without currency exposure. The Fund may engage in all types of ELNs, including those that: (1) provide for protection of the Fund's principal in exchange for limited participation in the appreciation of the underlying equity, and (2) do not provide for such protection and subject the Fund to the risk of loss of the Fund's principal investment.

An ELN may provide interest income, thereby offering a yield advantage over investing directly in the underlying equity. ELNs also may enable the Fund to obtain a return (the coupon payment) without risk to principal (in principal-protected ELNs) if the general price movement of the underlying equity is correctly anticipated. The Fund's successful use of ELNs will usually depend on the Sub-Adviser's ability to accurately assess the terms of the ELN and forecast the credit quality of the issuer and the movements in the value of the underlying equity. Should the prices of the underlying equity move in an unexpected manner, the Fund may not achieve the anticipated benefits of the investment in the ELN, and it may realize losses, which could be significant and could include the Fund's entire principal investment.

In addition, an investment in an ELN possesses the risks associated with the underlying equity, such as management risk, market risk, and as applicable, foreign securities and currency risks. In addition, because ELNs are in note form, ELNs are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. An ELN also bears the risk that the issuer of the ELN will default or become bankrupt. In such an event, the Fund may have difficulty being repaid, or fail to be repaid, the principal amount of, or income from, its investment. A downgrade or impairment to the credit rating of the issuer may also negatively impact the value of the ELN, regardless of the price of the underlying equity.

The Fund may also experience liquidity issues when investing in ELNs. The secondary market for ELNs may be limited, and the lack of liquidity in the secondary market may make ELNs difficult to sell and value. The market for those ELNs that are exchange traded may be thinly traded and no assurance of liquidity is provided.

ELNs may exhibit price behavior that does not correlate with the underlying equity. In addition, the performance of an ELN is the responsibility only of the issuer of the ELN and not the issuer of the underlying equity. As the holder of an ELN, the Fund generally has no rights to the underlying equity, including no voting rights or rights to receive dividends, although the amount of expected dividends to be paid during the term of the instrument are factored into the pricing and valuation of the underlying equity at inception.

An ELN is a form of Structured Note. See "Structured Notes" for more information.

<u>Europe:</u> European financial markets are vulnerable to volatility and losses arising from concerns about the potential exit of member countries from the EU and/or the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union (the "EMU") and, in the latter case, the reversion of those countries to their national currencies. Defaults by EMU member countries on sovereign debt, as well as any future discussions about exits from the EMU, may negatively affect the Fund's investments in the defaulting or exiting country, in issuers, both private and governmental, with direct exposure to that country, and in European issuers generally. The UK left the EU on January 31, 2020 (commonly known as "Brexit"). The UK and the EU entered into a Trade and Cooperation Agreement that sets out the agreement for certain parts of the future relationship from January 1, 2021, but uncertainty remains in certain areas regarding the future UK-EU relationship.

From January 1, 2021, EU laws ceased to apply in the UK, with many being assimilated into UK law. The UK government has enacted legislation to repeal, replace or make substantial amendments to these laws, with a view to them being replaced by purely domestic legislation. The process of revoking EU laws and replacing them with bespoke UK laws has already begun, creating unpredictable consequences for financial markets and investments. Brexit could significantly impact the UK, European, and global macroeconomic conditions, leading to prolonged political, legal, regulatory, tax, and economic uncertainty. This uncertainty may affect opportunities, pricing, availability, and cost of financing, regulation, values, or exit opportunities of companies or assets based in, doing business with, or having significant relationships in the UK or EU.

**Eurodollar and Yankee Dollar Instruments:** Eurodollar instruments are bonds that pay interest and principal in U.S. dollars held in banks outside the United States, primarily in Europe. Eurodollar instruments are usually issued on behalf of multinational companies and foreign governments by large underwriting groups composed of banks and issuing houses from many countries. The Eurodollar market is relatively free of regulations resulting in deposits that may pay somewhat higher interest than onshore markets. Their offshore locations make them subject to political and economic risk in the country of their domicile. Yankee dollar instruments are U.S. dollar-denominated bonds issued in the United States by foreign banks and corporations. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities issued by U.S. issuers and may carry the same risks as investing in foreign (non-U.S.) securities.

**Event-Linked Bonds:** Event-linked exposure typically results in gains or losses depending on the occurrence of a specific "trigger" event, such as a hurricane, earthquake, or other physical or weather-related phenomena. Some event-linked bonds are commonly referred to as "catastrophe bonds." They may be issued by government agencies, insurance companies, reinsurers, special purpose corporations or other on-shore or off-shore entities. If a trigger event causes losses exceeding a specific amount in the geographic region and time

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period specified in a bond, there may be a loss of a portion, or all, of the principal invested in the bond. If no trigger event occurs, the principal plus interest will be recovered. For some event-linked bonds, the trigger event or losses may be based on issuer-wide losses, index-portfolio losses, industry indices, or readings of scientific instruments rather than specified actual losses. Event-linked bonds often provide for extensions of maturity that are mandatory, or optional, at the discretion of the issuer, in order to process and audit loss claims in those cases where a trigger event has, or possibly has, occurred.

**Floating or Variable Rate Instruments:** Variable and floating rate instruments are a type of debt instrument that provides for periodic adjustments in the interest rate paid on the instrument. Variable rate instruments provide for the automatic establishment of a new interest rate on set dates, while floating rate instruments provide for an automatic adjustment in the interest rate whenever a specified interest rate changes. Variable rate instruments will be deemed to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the next readjustment of the interest rate.

There is a risk that the current interest rate on variable and floating rate instruments may not accurately reflect current market interest rates or adequately compensate the holder for the current creditworthiness of the issuer. Some variable or floating rate instruments are structured with liquidity features such as: (1) put options or tender options that permit holders (sometimes subject to conditions) to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries; or (2) auction rate features, remarketing provisions, or other maturity-shortening devices designed to enable the issuer to refinance or redeem outstanding debt instruments (market-dependent liquidity features). The market-dependent liquidity features may not operate as intended as a result of the issuer's declining creditworthiness, adverse market conditions, or other factors or the inability or unwillingness of a participating broker-dealer to make a secondary market for such instruments. As a result, variable or floating rate instruments that include market-dependent liquidity features may lose value and the holders of such instruments may be required to retain them for an extended period of time or indefinitely.

Generally, changes in interest rates will have a smaller effect on the market value of variable and floating rate instruments than on the market value of comparable debt instruments. Thus, investing in variable and floating rate instruments generally allows less potential for capital appreciation and depreciation than investing in comparable debt instruments.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Currencies:** Investments in issuers in different countries are often denominated in foreign currencies. Changes in the values of those currencies relative to the U.S. dollar may have a positive or negative effect on the values of investments denominated in those currencies. Investments may be made in currency exchange contracts or other currency-related transactions (including derivatives transactions) to manage exposure to different currencies. Also, these contracts may reduce or eliminate some or all of the benefits of favorable currency fluctuations. The values of foreign currencies may fluctuate in response to, among other factors, interest rate changes, intervention (or failure to intervene) by national governments, central banks, or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, the imposition of currency controls, and other political or regulatory developments. Currency values can decrease significantly both in the short term and over the long term in response to these and other developments. Continuing uncertainty as to the status of the Euro and the EMU has created significant volatility in currency and financial markets generally. Any partial or complete dissolution of the EMU, or any continued uncertainty as to its status, could have significant adverse effects on currency and financial markets, and on the values of portfolio investments. Some foreign countries have managed currencies, which do not float freely against the U.S. dollar.

**Foreign (Non-U.S.) Investments:** Investments in non-U.S. issuers (including depositary receipts) entail risks not typically associated with investing in U.S. issuers. Similar risks may apply to instruments traded on a U.S. exchange that are issued by issuers with significant exposure to non-U.S. countries. The less developed a country's securities market is, the greater the level of risk. In certain countries, legal remedies available to investors may be more limited than those available with regard to U.S. investments. Because non-U.S. instruments are normally denominated and traded in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the value of the assets may be affected favorably or unfavorably by currency exchange rates, exchange control regulations, and restrictions or prohibitions on the repatriation of non-U.S. currencies. Income and gains with respect to investments in certain countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and many non-U.S. issuers are not subject to accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards, regulatory framework and practices comparable to those in the United States. The securities of some non-U.S. issuers are less liquid and at times more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers. Foreign (non-U.S.) security trading, settlement, and custodial practices (including those involving securities settlement where the assets may be released prior to receipt of payment) are often less well developed than those in U.S. markets, and may result in increased risk of substantial delays in the event of a failed trade or in insolvency of, or breach of obligation by, a foreign broker-dealer, securities depository, or foreign sub-custodian. Non-U.S. transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions and custody costs, may be higher than in the United States. In addition, there may be a possibility of nationalization or expropriation of assets, imposition of currency exchange controls, imposition of tariffs or other economic and trade sanctions, entering or exiting trade or other intergovernmental agreements, confiscatory taxation, political or financial instability, and diplomatic developments that could adversely affect the values of the investments in certain non-U.S. countries. In certain foreign markets an issuer's securities are blocked from trading at the custodian or sub-custodian level for a specified number of days before and, in certain instances, after a shareholder meeting where such shares are voted. This is referred to as "share blocking." The blocking period can last up to several weeks. Share blocking may prevent buying or selling securities during this period, because during the time shares are blocked, trades in such securities will not settle. It may be difficult or impossible to lift blocking restrictions, with the particular requirements varying widely by country. Economic or other sanctions imposed on a foreign country or issuer by the U.S., or on the U.S. by a foreign country, could impair the Fund's ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain securities. Sanctions could also affect the value and/or liquidity of a foreign (non-U.S.) security. The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, which regulates auditors of U.S. public companies, is unable to inspect audit work papers in certain foreign countries. Investors

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in foreign countries often have limited rights and few practical remedies to pursue shareholder claims, including class actions or fraud claims, and the ability of the SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice and other authorities to bring and enforce actions against foreign issuers or foreign persons is limited.

**Forward Commitments:** Forward commitments are contracts to purchase securities for a fixed price at a future date beyond customary settlement time. A forward commitment may be disposed of prior to settlement. Such a disposition would result in the realization of short-term profits or losses.

Payment for the securities pursuant to one of these transactions is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the risks of ownership (including the risks of price and yield fluctuations) and the risk that the security will not be issued or delivered as anticipated. If the Fund makes additional investments while a delayed delivery purchase is outstanding, this may result in a form of leverage. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date, or if the other party fails to complete the transaction.

<u>Forward Currency Contracts</u>: A forward currency contract is an obligation to purchase or sell a specified currency against another currency at a future date and price as agreed upon by the parties. Forward contracts usually are entered into with banks and broker-dealers and usually are for less than one year, but may be renewed. Forward contracts may be held to maturity and make the contemplated payment and delivery, or, prior to maturity, enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Secondary markets generally do not exist for forward currency contracts, with the result that closing transactions generally can be made for forward currency contracts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty. Thus, there can be no assurance that the Fund would be able to close out a forward currency contract at a favorable price or time prior to maturity.

Forward currency transactions may be used for hedging purposes. For example, the Fund might sell a particular currency forward if it holds bonds denominated in that currency but the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) anticipates, and seeks to protect the Fund against, a decline in the currency against the U.S. dollar. Similarly, the Fund might purchase a currency forward to "lock in" the dollar price of securities denominated in that currency which the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) anticipates purchasing for the Fund.

Hedging against a decline in the value of a currency does not limit fluctuations in the prices of portfolio securities or prevent losses to the extent they arise from factors other than changes in currency exchange rates. In addition, hedging transactions may limit opportunities for gain if the value of the hedged currency should rise. Moreover, it may not be possible to hedge against a devaluation that is so generally anticipated that no contracts are available to sell the currency at a price above the devaluation level it anticipates. The cost of engaging in currency exchange transactions varies with such factors as the currency involved, the length of the contract period, and prevailing market conditions. Because currency exchange transactions are usually conducted on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.

**Futures Contracts:** A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy or sell in the future a specific quantity of an underlying asset at a specific price and time agreed upon when the contract is made. Futures contracts are traded in the U.S. only on commodity exchanges or boards of trade - known as "contract markets" - approved for such trading by the CFTC, and must be executed through a futures commission merchant (also referred to herein as a "broker") which is a member of the relevant contract market. Futures are subject to the creditworthiness of the futures commission merchant(s) and clearing organizations involved in the transaction.

Certain futures contracts are physically settled (*i.e*., involve the making and taking of delivery of a specified amount of an underlying asset). For instance, the sale of physically settled futures contracts on foreign currencies or financial instruments creates an obligation of the seller to deliver a specified quantity of an underlying foreign currency or financial instrument called for in the contract for a stated price at a specified time. Conversely, the purchase of such futures contracts creates an obligation of the purchaser to pay for and take delivery of the underlying asset called for in the contract for a stated price at a specified time. In some cases, the specific instruments delivered or taken, respectively, on the settlement date are not determined until on or near that date. That determination is made in accordance with the rules of the exchange on which the sale or purchase was made.

Some futures contracts are cash settled (rather than physically settled), which means that the purchase price is subtracted from the current market value of the instrument and the net amount, if positive, is paid to the purchaser by the seller of the futures contract and, if negative, is paid by the purchaser to the seller of the futures contract. See, for example, "Index Futures Contracts" below.

The value of a futures contract typically fluctuates in correlation with the increase or decrease in the value of the underlying asset. The buyer of a futures contract enters into an agreement to purchase the underlying asset on the settlement date and is said to be "long" the contract. The seller of a futures contract enters into an agreement to sell the underlying asset on the settlement date and is said to be "short" the contract.

The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying asset unless the contract is held until the settlement date. The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures commission merchant when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin is typically calculated as a percentage of the contract's notional amount. A futures contract is valued daily at the official settlement price of the exchange on which it is traded. Each day cash is paid or received, called "variation margin," equal to the daily change in value of the futures contract. The minimum initial margin required for a futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be modified during the term of the contract. Additional margin may be required by the futures commission merchant.

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The risk of loss in trading futures contracts can be substantial, because of the low margin required, the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures pricing, and the potential high volatility of the futures markets. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) to the investor. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract may result in unlimited losses. In the event of adverse price movements, an investor would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In addition, on the settlement date, an investor may be required to make or take delivery of the assets underlying the futures positions it holds.

Futures can be held until their settlement dates, or can be closed out by offsetting purchases or sales of futures contracts before then if a liquid market is available. It may not be possible to liquidate or close out a futures contract at any particular time or at an acceptable price and an investor would remain obligated to meet margin requirements until the position is closed. Moreover, most futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day's settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially resulting in substantial losses. The inability to close futures positions could require maintaining a futures positions under circumstances where the manager would not otherwise have done so, resulting in losses.

If the Fund buys or sells a futures contract as a hedge to protect against a decline in the value of a portfolio investment, changes in the value of the futures position may not correlate as expected with changes in the value of the portfolio investment. As a result, it is possible that the futures position will not provide the desired hedging protection, or that money will be lost on both the futures position and the portfolio investment.

<u>Index Futures Contracts</u>: An index futures contract is a contract to buy or sell specified units of an index at a specified future date at a price agreed upon when the contract is made. The value of a unit is based on the current value of the index. Under such contracts no delivery of the actual securities or other assets making up the index takes place. Rather, upon expiration of the contract, settlement is made by exchanging cash in an amount equal to the difference between the contract price and the closing price of the index at expiration, net of variation margin previously paid.

<u>Interest Rate Futures Contracts</u>: An interest rate futures contract is an agreement to take or make delivery of either: (i) an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of a particular interest rate index, debt instrument, or index of debt instruments at the beginning and at the end of the contract period; or (ii) a specified amount of a particular debt instrument at a future date at a price set at the time of the contract. Interest rate futures contracts may be bought or sold in an attempt to protect against the effects of interest rate changes on current or intended investments in debt instruments or generally to adjust the duration and interest rate sensitivity of an investment portfolio. For example, if the Fund owned long-term bonds and interest rates were expected to increase, the Fund might enter into interest rate futures contracts for the sale of debt instruments. Such a sale would have much the same effect as selling some of the long-term bonds in the Fund's portfolio. If interest rates did increase, the value of the debt instruments in the portfolio would decline, but the value of the interest rate futures contracts would be expected to increase, subject to the correlation risks described below, thereby keeping the NAV of the Fund from declining as much as it otherwise would have.

Similarly, if interest rates were expected to decline, interest rate futures contracts may be purchased to hedge in anticipation of subsequent purchases of long-term bonds at higher prices. Since the fluctuations in the value of the interest rate futures contracts should be similar to that of long-term bonds, an interest rate futures contract may protect against the effects of the anticipated rise in the value of long-term bonds until the necessary cash becomes available or the market stabilizes. At that time, the interest rate futures contracts could be liquidated and cash could then be used to buy long-term bonds on the cash market. Similar results could be achieved by selling bonds with long maturities and investing in bonds with short maturities when interest rates are expected to increase. However, the futures market may be more liquid than the cash market in certain cases or at certain times.

<u>Gold Futures Contracts</u>: A gold futures contract is a standardized contract which is traded on a regulated commodity futures exchange, and which provides for the future sale of a specified amount of gold at a specified date, time, and price. If the Fund purchases a gold futures contract, it becomes obligated to pay for the gold from the seller in accordance with the terms of the contract. If the Fund sells a gold futures contract, it becomes obligated to sell the gold to the purchaser in accordance with the terms of the contract.

The Fund's ability to invest directly in commodities and commodity-linked instruments may be limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC and could adversely affect the Fund's ability to so qualify. If the Fund's investments in such instruments were to exceed applicable limits or if such investments were to be recharacterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund might be unable to qualify as a RIC for one or more years, which would adversely affect the value of the Fund.

<u>Foreign Currency Futures</u>: Currency futures contracts are similar to currency forward contracts (described above), except that they are traded on exchanges (and always have margin requirements) and are standardized as to contract size and settlement date. Most currency futures call for payment in U.S. dollars. A foreign currency futures contract is a standardized exchange-traded contract for the future sale of a specified amount of a foreign currency at a price set at the time of the contract. Foreign currency futures contracts traded in the U.S. are designed by and traded on exchanges regulated by the CFTC, such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and have margin requirements.

At the maturity of a deliverable currency futures contract, the Fund either may accept or make delivery of the currency specified in the contract, or at or prior to maturity enter into a closing transaction involving the purchase or sale of an offsetting contract. Closing transactions with respect to futures contracts may be effected only on a commodities exchange or board of trade which provides a market in such

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contracts. There is no assurance that a liquid market on an exchange or board of trade will exist for any particular contract or at any particular time. In such event, it may not be possible to close a futures position and, in the event of adverse price movements, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments of variation margin.

<u>Margin Payments</u>: If the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it is required to deposit with a futures commission merchant an amount of cash, U.S. Treasury bills, or other permissible collateral equal to a percentage of the amount of the futures contract. This amount is known as "initial margin." The nature of initial margin is different from that of margin in security transactions in that it does not involve borrowing money to finance transactions. Rather, initial margin is similar to a performance bond or good faith deposit that is returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract, assuming the Fund satisfies its contractual obligations.

Subsequent payments to and from the broker occur on a daily basis in a process known as "marking to market." These payments are called "variation margin" and are made as the value of the futures contract fluctuates. For example, when the Fund sells a futures contract and the price of the underlying asset rises above the contract price, the Fund's position declines in value. The Fund then pays the broker a variation margin payment generally equal to the difference between the contract price of the futures contract and the market price of the underlying asset. Conversely, if the price of the underlying asset falls below the contract price of the contract, the Fund's futures position increases in value. The broker then must make a variation margin payment generally equal to the difference between the contract price of the futures contract and the market price of the underlying asset. If an exchange or futures commission merchant raises initial margin rates, the Fund would have to provide additional capital to cover the higher margin rates which could require closing out other positions earlier than anticipated.

If the Fund terminates a position in a futures contract, a final determination of variation margin would be made, additional cash would be paid by or to the Fund, and the Fund would realize a loss or a gain. Such closing transactions involve additional commission costs.

<u>Options on Futures Contracts</u>: Options on futures contracts generally operate in the same manner as options purchased or written directly on the underlying assets. A futures option gives the holder, in return for the premium paid, the right, but not the obligation, to assume a position in a futures contract (a long position if the option is a call and a short position if the option is a put) at a specified exercise price at any time during the period of the option (or on a specified date, depending on its terms). Upon exercise of the option, the delivery of the futures position by the writer of the option to the holder of the option will be accompanied by delivery of the accumulated balance in the writer's futures margin account which represents the amount by which the market price of the futures contract, at exercise, exceeds (in the case of a call) or is less than (in the case of a put) the exercise price of the option on the futures. If an option is exercised on the last trading day prior to its expiration date, the settlement will be made entirely in cash. Purchasers of options who fail to exercise their options prior to the expiration date suffer a loss of the premium paid (plus transaction costs).

Like the buyer or seller of a futures contract, the holder or writer of an option has the right to terminate its position prior to the scheduled expiration of the option by selling or purchasing an option of the same series, at which time the person entering into the closing sale or purchase transaction will realize a gain or loss. There is no guarantee that such closing sale or purchase transactions can be effected.

The Fund would be required to deposit initial margin and maintenance margin with respect to put and call options on futures contracts written by it pursuant to brokers' requirements similar to those described above in connection with the discussion on futures contracts. See "Margin Payments" above.

<u>Risks of transactions in futures contracts and related options</u>: Successful use of futures contracts is subject to the ability of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) to predict movements in various factors affecting financial markets. Compared to the purchase or sale of futures contracts, the purchase of call or put options on futures contracts involves less potential risk to the Fund because the maximum amount at risk is the premium paid for the options (plus transaction costs). However, there may be circumstances when the purchase of a call or put option on a futures contract would result in a loss when the purchase or sale of a futures contract would not result in a loss, such as when there is no movement in the prices of the underlying futures contracts. The writing of an option on a futures contract involves risks similar to those risks relating to the sale of futures contracts.

The use of futures and related options involves the risk of imperfect correlation among movements in the prices of the assets underlying the futures and options, of the options and futures contracts themselves, and, in the case of hedging transactions, of the underlying assets which are the subject of a hedge. The successful use of these strategies further depends on the ability of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) to forecast market movements such as movements in interest rates correctly. It is possible that, where the Fund has purchased puts on futures contracts to hedge its portfolio against a decline in the market, the securities or index on which the puts are purchased may increase in value and the value of securities held in the portfolio may decline. If this occurred, the Fund would lose money on the puts and also experience a decline in value in its portfolio securities. In addition, the prices of futures, for a number of reasons, may not correlate perfectly with movements in the underlying asset due to certain market distortions. For example, all participants in the futures market are subject to margin deposit requirements. Such requirements may cause investors to close futures contracts through offsetting transactions, which could distort the normal relationship between the underlying asset and futures markets. The margin requirements in the futures markets are less onerous than margin requirements in the securities markets in general, and as a result the futures markets may attract more speculators than the securities markets do. Increased participation by speculators in the futures markets may also cause temporary price distortions.

There is no assurance that higher than anticipated trading activity or other unforeseen events might not, at times, render certain market clearing facilities inadequate, and thereby result in the institution by exchanges of special procedures which may interfere with the timely execution of customer orders.

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The ability to establish and close out positions will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market. It is not certain that this market will develop or continue to exist for a particular futures contract or option. The Fund's futures commission merchant may limit the Fund's ability to invest in certain futures contracts. Such restrictions may adversely affect the Fund's performance and its ability to achieve its investment objective.

The CFTC, certain foreign (non-U.S.) regulators, and many futures exchanges have established (and continue to evaluate and monitor) limits, referred to as "position limits," on the maximum net long or net short positions which any person may hold or control in particular options and futures contracts. In addition, U.S. federal position limits apply to swaps that are economically equivalent to futures contracts on certain agricultural, energy, and metals commodities. All positions owned or controlled by the same person or entity, even if in different accounts, must be aggregated for purposes of complying with these limits, unless an exemption applies. Thus, even if the Fund's holding does not exceed applicable position limits, it is possible that some or all of the positions in client accounts managed by the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) and its affiliates may be aggregated for this purpose. It is possible that the trading decisions of the Investment Adviser (or Sub-Adviser, if applicable) may be affected by the sizes of such aggregate positions. The modification of investment decisions or the elimination of open positions, if it occurs, may adversely affect the performance of the Fund. A violation of position limits could also lead to regulatory action materially adverse to the Fund's investment strategy. The Fund may also be affected by other regimes, including those of the EU and UK, and trading venues that impose position limits on commodity derivative contracts.

**Guaranteed Investment Contracts:** Guaranteed Investment Contracts ("GICs") are issued by insurance companies. An insurance company issuing a GIC typically agrees, in return for the purchase price of the contract, to pay interest at an agreed upon rate (which may be a fixed or variable rate) and to repay principal. GICs typically guarantee that the interest rate will not be less than a certain minimum rate. The insurance company may assess periodic charges against a GIC for expense and service costs allocable to it, and the charges will be deducted from the value of the deposit fund. A GIC is a general obligation of the issuing insurance company and not a separate account. The purchase price paid for a GIC becomes part of the general assets of the insurance company, and the contract is paid from the insurance company's general assets. Generally, a GIC is not assignable or transferable without the permission of the issuing insurance company, and an active secondary market in GICs does not currently exist. In addition, the issuer may not be able to pay the principal amount to the Fund on seven days' notice or less, at which time the investment may be considered illiquid securities. GICs are not backed by the U.S. government nor are they insured by the FDIC. GICs are generally guaranteed only by the insurance companies that issue them.

**High-Yield Securities:** High-yield securities (commonly referred to as "junk bonds") are debt instruments that are rated below investment grade. Investing in high-yield securities involves special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher rated debt instruments. While investments in high-yield securities generally provide greater income and increased opportunity for capital appreciation than investments in higher quality securities, investments in high-yield securities typically entail greater price volatility as well as principal and income risk. High-yield securities are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer's continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high-yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of higher quality debt instruments.

High-yield securities may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than investment grade securities. The prices of high-yield securities are likely to be sensitive to adverse economic downturns or individual corporate developments. A projection of an economic downturn or of a period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in high-yield security prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged issuer to make principal and interest payments on its debt instruments. If an issuer of high-yield securities defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, additional expenses to seek recovery may be incurred.

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the price at which a high-yield security could be sold, and could adversely affect daily NAV. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high-yield securities, especially in a thinly traded market. When secondary markets for high-yield securities are less liquid than the market for higher grade securities, it may be more difficult to value lower rated securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation because there is less reliable, objective data available.

Credit ratings issued by credit rating agencies are designed to evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments of rated securities. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of lower-quality securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may or may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the market value of the securities. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. Each credit rating agency applies its own methodology in measuring creditworthiness and uses a specific rating scale to publish its ratings. For more information on credit agency ratings, please see Appendix A. Furthermore, high-yield debt instruments may not be registered under the 1933 Act, and, unless so registered, the Fund will not be able to sell such high-yield debt instruments except pursuant to an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act. This may further limit the Fund's ability to sell high-yield debt instruments or to obtain the desired price for such securities.

Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high-yield securities structured as zero-coupon or pay-in-kind instruments. Income accrues on these instruments prior to the receipt of cash payments, which income must be distributed to shareholders when it accrues, potentially requiring the liquidation of other investments, including at times when such liquidation may not be advantageous, in order to comply with the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

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**Hybrid Instruments:** A hybrid instrument may be a debt instrument, preferred stock, depositary share, trust certificate, warrant, convertible security, certificate of deposit or other evidence of indebtedness on which a portion of or all interest payments, and/or the principal or stated amount payable at maturity, redemption or retirement, is determined by reference to prices, changes in prices, or differences between prices, of securities, currencies, intangibles, goods, commodities, indexes, economic factors or other measures, including interest rates, currency exchange rates, or commodities or securities indices, or other indicators. Thus, hybrid instruments may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, debt instruments with interest or principal payments or redemption terms determined by reference to the value of a currency or commodity or securities index at a future point in time, preferred stocks with dividend rates determined by reference to the value of a currency, or convertible securities with the conversion terms related to a particular commodity.

Hybrid instruments can be an efficient means of creating exposure to a particular market, or segment of a market, with the objective of enhancing total return. For example, the Fund may wish to take advantage of expected declines in interest rates in several European countries, but avoid the transaction costs associated with buying and currency-hedging the foreign bond positions. One solution would be to purchase a U.S. dollar-denominated hybrid instrument whose redemption price is linked to the average three-year interest rate in a designated group of countries. The redemption price formula would provide for payoffs of greater than par if the average interest rate was lower than a specified level and payoffs of less than par if rates were above the specified level. Furthermore, the Fund could limit the downside risk of the security by establishing a minimum redemption price so that the principal paid at maturity could not be below a predetermined minimum level if interest rates were to rise significantly. The purpose of this arrangement, known as a structured security with an embedded put option, would be to give the Fund the desired European bond exposure while avoiding currency risk, limiting downside market risk, and lowering transactions costs. Of course, there is no guarantee that the strategy would be successful, and the Fund could lose money if, for example, interest rates do not move as anticipated or credit problems develop with the issuer of the hybrid instrument.

<u>Risks of Investing in Hybrid Instruments</u>: The risks of investing in hybrid instruments reflect a combination of the risks of investing in securities, swaps, options, futures and currencies. An investment in a hybrid instrument may entail significant risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional debt instrument. The risks of a particular hybrid instrument will depend upon the terms of the instrument, but may include the possibility of significant changes in the benchmark(s) or the prices of the underlying assets to which the instrument is linked. Such risks generally depend upon factors unrelated to the operations or credit quality of the issuer of the hybrid instrument, which may not be foreseen by the purchaser, such as economic and political events, the supply and demand profiles of the underlying assets and interest rate movements. Hybrid instruments may be highly volatile.

The return on a hybrid instrument will be reduced by the costs of the swaps, options, or other instruments embedded in the instrument.

Hybrid instruments are potentially more volatile and carry greater market risks than traditional debt instruments. Depending on the structure of the particular hybrid instrument, changes in an underlying asset may be magnified by the terms of the hybrid instrument and have an even more dramatic and substantial effect upon the value of the hybrid instrument. Also, the prices of the hybrid instrument and the underlying asset may not move in the same direction or at the same time.

Hybrid instruments may bear interest or pay preferred dividends at below market (or even nominal) rates. Alternatively, hybrid instruments may bear interest at above market rates but bear an increased risk of principal loss (or gain). Leverage risk occurs when the hybrid instrument is structured so that a given change in an underlying asset is multiplied to produce a greater value change in the hybrid instrument, thereby magnifying the risk of loss as well as the potential for gain.

If a hybrid instrument is used as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the hybrid instrument may not correlate as expected with the portfolio investment, resulting in losses. While hedging strategies involving hybrid instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other investments.

Hybrid instruments may also carry liquidity risk since the instruments are often "customized" to meet the portfolio needs of a particular investor. The Fund may be prohibited from transferring a hybrid instrument, or the number of possible purchasers may be limited by applicable law or because few investors have an interest in purchasing such a customized product. Because hybrid instruments are typically privately negotiated contracts between two parties, the value of a hybrid instrument will depend on the willingness and ability of the issuer of the instrument to meet its obligations. Hybrid instruments also may not be subject to regulation by the CFTC, which generally regulates the trading of futures, options on futures, and certain swaps.

<u>Synthetic Convertible Securities</u>: Synthetic convertible securities are derivative positions composed of two or more different securities whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities. For example, the Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt instrument and a warrant or option, which enables the Fund to have a convertible-like position with respect to a company, group of companies, or stock index. Synthetic convertible securities are typically offered by financial institutions and investment banks in private placement transactions. Upon conversion, the Fund generally receives an amount in cash equal to the difference between the conversion price and the then-current value of the underlying security. Unlike a true convertible security, a synthetic convertible security comprises two or more separate securities, each with its own market value. Therefore, the market value of a synthetic convertible security is the sum of the values of its debt component and its convertible component. For this reason, the value of a synthetic convertible security and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

**Illiquid Securities:** Illiquid investment means any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. With the exception of money market funds, Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act requires the Fund to adopt a liquidity risk management program to assess and manage its liquidity risk. Under its

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program, the Fund is required to classify its investments into specific liquidity categories and monitor compliance with limits on investments in illiquid securities. While the liquidity risk management program attempts to assess and manage liquidity risk, there is no guarantee it will be effective in its operations and it may not reduce the liquidity risk inherent in the Fund's investments.

**Inflation-Indexed Bonds:** Inflation-indexed bonds are debt instruments whose principal and/or interest value are adjusted periodically according to a rate of inflation (usually a consumer price index). Two structures are most common. The U.S. Treasury and some other issuers use a structure that accrues inflation into the principal value of the bond. Most other issuers pay out the inflation accruals as part of a semi-annual coupon.

U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities ("TIPS") currently are issued with maturities of five, ten, or thirty years, although it is possible that bonds with other maturities will be issued in the future. The principal amount of TIPS adjusts for inflation, although the inflation-adjusted principal is not paid until maturity. Semi-annual coupon payments are determined as a fixed percentage of the inflation-adjusted principal at the time the payment is made.

If the rate measuring inflation falls, the principal value of inflation-indexed bonds will be adjusted downward, and consequently the interest payable on these bonds (calculated with respect to a smaller principal amount) will be reduced. At maturity, TIPS are redeemed at the greater of their inflation-adjusted principal or at the par amount at original issue. If an inflation-indexed bond does not provide a guarantee of principal at maturity, the adjusted principal value of the bond repaid at maturity may be less than the original principal.

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

While these bonds, if held to maturity, are expected to be protected from long-term inflationary trends, short-term increases in inflation may lead to a decline in value. If nominal interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to an expansion of non-inflationary economic activity), investors in these bonds may not be protected to the extent that the increase in rates is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

The inflation adjustment of TIPS is tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Consumers ("CPI-U"), which is calculated monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The CPI-U is a measurement of price changes in the cost of living, made up of components such as housing, food, transportation, and energy.

Other issuers of inflation-protected bonds include other U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities, corporations, and foreign governments. There can be no assurance that the CPI-U or any foreign inflation index will accurately measure the real rate of inflation in the prices of goods and services. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the rate of inflation in a foreign country will be correlated to the rate of inflation in the United States. If interest rates rise due to reasons other than inflation (for example, due to changes in currency exchange rates), investors in these bonds may not be protected to the extent that the increase is not reflected in the bond's inflation measure.

Any increase in principal for an inflation-protected bond resulting from inflation adjustments is considered to be taxable income in the year it occurs. For direct holders of inflation-protected bonds, this means that taxes must be paid on principal adjustments even though these amounts are not received until the bond matures. Similarly, with respect to inflation-protected instruments held by the Fund, both interest income and the income attributable to principal adjustments must currently be distributed to shareholders in the form of cash or reinvested shares.

**Initial Public Offerings:** The value of an issuer's securities may be highly unstable at the time of its IPO and for a period thereafter due to factors such as market psychology prevailing at the time of the IPO, the absence of a prior public market, the small number of shares available, and limited availability of investor information. Securities purchased in an IPO may be held for a very short period of time. As a result, investments in IPOs may increase portfolio turnover, which increases brokerage and administrative costs and may result in additional distributions to shareholders. Investors in IPOs can be adversely affected by substantial dilution of the value of their shares due to sales of additional shares, and by concentration of control in existing management and principal shareholders.

Investments in IPOs may have a substantial beneficial effect on investment performance. Investment returns earned during a period of substantial investment in IPOs may not be sustained during other periods of more-limited, or no, investments in IPOs. In addition, as an investment portfolio increases in size, the impact of IPOs on performance will generally decrease. Investment in securities offered in an IPO may lose money. There can be no assurance that investments in IPOs will be available or improve performance. Investments in secondary public offerings may be subject to certain of the foreign risks. The Fund will not necessarily participate in an IPO in which other mutual funds or accounts managed by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser participate.

**Inverse Floating Rate Securities:** Inverse floaters have variable interest rates that typically move in the opposite direction from movements in prevailing interest rates, most often short-term rates. Accordingly, the values of inverse floaters, or other instruments or certificates structured to have similar features, generally move in the opposite direction from interest rates. The value of an inverse floater can be considerably more volatile than the value of other debt instruments of comparable maturity and quality. Inverse floaters incorporate varying degrees of leverage. Generally, greater leverage results in greater price volatility for any given change in interest rates. Inverse floaters may be subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale and therefore may be less liquid than other types of instruments.

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**Master Limited Partnerships:** MLPs typically are characterized as "publicly traded partnerships" that qualify to be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes and are typically engaged in one or more aspects of the exploration, production, processing, transmission, marketing, storage or delivery of energy-related commodities, such as natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal, crude oil or refined petroleum products. Generally, an MLP is operated under the supervision of one or more managing general partners. Limited partners are not involved in the day-to-day management of the partnership.

Investments in MLPs are generally subject to many of the risks that apply to partnerships. For example, holders of the units of MLPs may have limited control and limited voting rights on matters affecting the partnership. There may be fewer corporate protections afforded investors in an MLP than investors in a corporation. Conflicts of interest may exist among unit holders, subordinated unit holders, and the general partner of an MLP, including those arising from incentive distribution payments. MLPs that concentrate in a particular industry or region are subject to risks associated with such industry or region. MLPs holding credit-related investments are subject to interest rate risk and the risk of default on payment obligations by debt issuers. Investments held by MLPs may be illiquid. MLP units may trade infrequently and in limited volume, and they may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than securities of larger or more broadly based issuers.

The manner and extent of direct and indirect investments in MLPs and limited liability companies may be limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC under the Code, and any such investments may adversely affect the ability of the Fund to so qualify.

**Mortgage-Related Securities:** Mortgage-related securities are interests in pools of residential or commercial mortgage loans, including mortgage loans made by savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, commercial banks and others. Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations. There may also be investments in debt instruments which are secured with collateral consisting of mortgage-related securities (see "Collateralized Mortgage Obligations").

Financial downturns (particularly an increase in delinquencies and defaults on residential mortgages, falling home prices, and unemployment) may adversely affect the market for mortgage-related securities. Many so-called sub-prime mortgage pools become distressed during periods of economic distress and may trade at significant discounts to their face value during such periods. In addition, for mortgage-related securities, when market conditions result in an increase in the default rates on the underlying mortgages and the foreclosure values of the underlying real estate are below the outstanding amount of the underlying mortgages, collection of the full amount of accrued interest and principal on these investments may be doubtful. Such market conditions may significantly impair the value and liquidity of these investments and may result in a lack of correlation between their credit ratings and value. Certain types of real estate may be adversely affected by changing usage trends, such as office buildings as a result of work-from-home practices and commercial facilities as a result of an increase in online shopping, which could in turn result in defaults and declines in value of mortgage-related securities secured by such properties. In addition, various market and governmental actions may impair the ability to foreclose on or exercise other remedies against underlying mortgage holders, or may reduce the amount received upon foreclosure. These factors may cause certain mortgage-related securities to experience lower valuations and reduced liquidity. There is also no assurance that the U.S. government will take further action to support the mortgage-related securities industry, as it has in the past, should the economy experience another downturn. Further, legislative action and any future government actions may significantly alter the manner in which the mortgage-related securities market functions. Each of these factors could ultimately increase the risk of losses on mortgage-related securities.

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

The rate of pre-payments on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of pre-payment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The residential mortgage market in the United States has in the past experienced difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of certain mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential mortgage loans (especially subprime and second-lien mortgage loans) generally have increased in the past and may continue to increase, and a decline in or flattening of housing values (as has occurred in the past and which may continue to occur in many housing markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates. Also, a number of residential mortgage loan originators have experienced serious financial difficulties or bankruptcy. Due largely to the foregoing, reduced investor demand for mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities and increased investor yield requirements have caused limited liquidity in the secondary market for certain mortgage-related securities, which can adversely affect the market value of mortgage-related securities. It is possible that such limited liquidity in such secondary markets could continue or worsen.

<u>Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>: Adjustable rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARM MBSs") have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARM MBSs permits participation in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARM MBSs are based. Such ARM MBSs generally have higher current yield and

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lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional debt instruments of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, there can be reinvestment in the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARM MBSs, however, have limits on the allowable annual or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, there is no benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (*i.e*., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARM MBSs behave more like debt instruments and less like adjustable rate debt instruments and are subject to the risks associated with debt instruments. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

<u>Agency Mortgage-Related Securities</u>: The principal governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration (the "FHA"), or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (the "VA"). Government-related guarantors (*i.e*., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government) include FNMA and FHLMC. FNMA is a government-sponsored corporation. FNMA purchases conventional (*i.e*., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved sellers/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by FNMA are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. FHLMC is a government-sponsored corporation that issues Participation Certificates ("PCs"), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. FHLMC guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.

On September 6, 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA") placed FNMA and FHLMC into conservatorship. As the conservator, FHFA succeeded to all rights, titles, powers and privileges of FNMA and FHLMC and of any stockholder, officer or director of FNMA and FHLMC with respect to FNMA and FHLMC and the assets of FNMA and FHLMC. FHFA selected a new chief executive officer and chairman of the board of directors for each of FNMA and FHLMC.

FNMA and FHLMC are continuing to operate as going concerns while in conservatorship and each remain liable for all of its obligations, including its guaranty obligations, associated with its mortgage-backed securities. The Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement is intended to enhance each of FNMA's and FHLMC's ability to meet its obligations. The FHFA has indicated that the conservatorship of each enterprise will end when the director of FHFA determines that FHFA's plan to restore the enterprise to a safe and solvent condition has been completed.

Under the Federal Housing Finance Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (the "Reform Act"), which was included as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, FHFA, as conservator or receiver, has the power to repudiate any contract entered into by FNMA or FHLMC prior to FHFA's appointment as conservator or receiver, as applicable, if FHFA determines, in its sole discretion, that performance of the contract is burdensome and that repudiation of the contract promotes the orderly administration of FNMA's or FHLMC's affairs. The Reform Act requires FHFA to exercise its right to repudiate any contract within a reasonable period of time after its appointment as conservator or receiver.

FHFA, in its capacity as conservator, has indicated that it has no intention to repudiate the guaranty obligations of FNMA or FHLMC because FHFA views repudiation as incompatible with the goals of the conservatorship. However, in the event that FHFA, as conservator or if it is later appointed as receiver for FNMA or FHLMC, were to repudiate any such guaranty obligation, the conservatorship or receivership estate, as applicable, would be liable for actual direct compensatory damages in accordance with the provisions of the Reform Act. Any such liability could be satisfied only to the extent of FNMA's or FHLMC's assets available therefor.

In the event of repudiation, the payments of interest to holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would be reduced if payments on the mortgage loans represented in the mortgage loan groups related to such mortgage-backed securities are not made by the borrowers or advanced by the servicer. Any actual direct compensatory damages for repudiating these guaranty obligations may not be sufficient to offset any shortfalls experienced by such mortgage-backed security holders.

Further, in its capacity as conservator or receiver, FHFA has the right to transfer or sell any asset or liability of FNMA or FHLMC without any approval, assignment or consent. Although FHFA has stated that it has no present intention to do so, if FHFA, as conservator or receiver, were to transfer any such guaranty obligation to another party, holders of FNMA or FHLMC mortgage-backed securities would have to rely on that party for satisfaction of the guaranty obligation and would be exposed to the credit risk of that party.

In addition, certain rights provided to holders of mortgage-backed securities issued by FNMA and FHLMC under the operative documents related to such securities may not be enforced against FHFA, or enforcement of such rights may be delayed, during the conservatorship or any future receivership. The operative documents for FNMA and FHLMC mortgage-backed securities may provide (or with respect to securities issued prior to the date of the appointment of the conservator may have provided) that upon the occurrence of an event of default on the part of FNMA or FHLMC, in its capacity as guarantor, which includes the appointment of a conservator or receiver, holders of such mortgage-backed securities have the right to replace FNMA or FHLMC as trustee if the requisite percentage of mortgage-backed securities holders consent. The Reform Act prevents mortgage-backed security holders from enforcing such rights if the event of default arises solely because a conservator or receiver has been appointed. The Reform Act also provides that no person may exercise any right

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or power to terminate, accelerate or declare an event of default under certain contracts to which FNMA or FHLMC is a party, or obtain possession of or exercise control over any property of FNMA or FHLMC, or affect any contractual rights of FNMA or FHLMC, without the approval of FHFA, as conservator or receiver, for a period of 45 or 90 days following the appointment of FHFA as conservator or receiver, respectively.

To the extent third party entities involved with mortgage-backed securities issued by private issuers are involved in litigation relating to the securities, actions may be taken that are adverse to the interests of holders of the mortgage-backed securities, including the Fund. For example, third parties may seek to withhold proceeds due to holders of the mortgage-related securities, including the Fund, to cover legal or related costs. Any such action could result in losses to the Fund.

<u>Collateralized Mortgage Obligations</u>: Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") are debt obligations of a legal entity that are collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMOs may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, FHLMC, or FNMA, and their income streams. The issuer of a series of mortgage pass-through securities may elect to be treated as a REMIC. REMICs include governmental and/or private entities that issue a fixed pool of mortgages secured by an interest in real property. REMICs are similar to CMOs in that they issue multiple classes of securities, but unlike CMOs, which are required to be structured as debt instruments, REMICs may be structured as indirect ownership interests in the underlying assets of the REMICs themselves. Although CMOs and REMICs differ in certain respects, characteristics of CMOs described below apply in most cases to REMICs as well.

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

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

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

The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of CMOs is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMOs and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the pre-payment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to pre-payments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities. See "Mortgage-Related Securities—Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities." In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances, the initial investment in a CMO residual may never be fully recouped.

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

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

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

Mortgage-related securities include, among other things, securities that reflect an interest in reverse mortgages. In a reverse mortgage, a lender makes a loan to a homeowner based on the homeowner's equity in his or her home. While a homeowner must be age 62 or older to qualify for a reverse mortgage, reverse mortgages may have no income restrictions. Repayment of the interest or principal for the loan is generally not required until the homeowner dies, sells the home, or ceases to use the home as his or her primary residence.

There are three general types of reverse mortgages: (1) single-purpose reverse mortgages, which are offered by certain state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations; (2) federally-insured reverse mortgages, which are backed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and (3) proprietary reverse mortgages, which are privately offered loans. A mortgage-related security may be backed by a single type of reverse mortgage. Reverse mortgage-related securities include agency and privately issued mortgage-related securities. The principal government guarantor of reverse mortgage-related securities is GNMA.

Reverse mortgage-related securities may be subject to risks different than other types of mortgage-related securities due to the unique nature of the underlying loans. The date of repayment for such loans is uncertain and may occur sooner or later than anticipated. The timing of payments for the corresponding mortgage-related security may be uncertain. Because reverse mortgages are offered only to persons 62 and older and there may be no income restrictions, the loans may react differently than traditional home loans to market events.

<u>Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities</u>: SMBS are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBS may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

SMBS are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the "IO class"), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or "PO class"). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including pre-payments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated pre-payments of principal, there may be failure to recoup some or all of the initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. As a result, the mortgage loans underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other underwriting characteristics than government or government-sponsored mortgage-related securities and have wider variances in a number of terms including interest rate, term, size, purpose and borrower characteristics. Mortgage pools underlying privately issued mortgage-related securities more frequently include second mortgages, high loan-to-value ratio mortgages and manufactured housing loans, in addition to commercial mortgages and other types of mortgages where a government or government sponsored entity guarantee is not available. The coupon rates and maturities of the underlying mortgage loans in a privately-issued mortgage-related securities pool may vary to a

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greater extent than those included in a government guaranteed pool, and the pool may include subprime mortgage loans. Subprime loans are loans made to borrowers with weakened credit histories or with a lower capacity to make timely payments on their loans. For these reasons, the loans underlying these securities have had in many cases higher default rates than those loans that meet government underwriting requirements.

The risk of non-payment is greater for mortgage-related securities that are backed by loans that were originated under weak underwriting standards, including loans made to borrowers with limited means to make repayment. A level of risk exists for all loans, although, historically, the poorest performing loans have been those classified as subprime. Other types of privately issued mortgage-related securities, such as those classified as pay-option adjustable rate or Alt-A have also performed poorly. Even loans classified as prime have experienced higher levels of delinquencies and defaults. Market factors that may adversely affect mortgage loan repayment include adverse economic conditions, unemployment, a decline in the value of real property, or an increase in interest rates.

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

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

Mortgage-related securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, are not subject to the investment restrictions related to industry concentration by virtue of the exclusion from that test available to all U.S. government securities. The assets underlying such securities may be represented by a portfolio of residential or commercial mortgages (including both whole mortgage loans and mortgage participation interests that may be senior or junior in terms of priority of repayment) or portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities issued or guaranteed by GNMA, FNMA or FHLMC. Mortgage loans underlying a mortgage-related security may in turn be insured or guaranteed by the FHA or the VA. In the case of privately issued mortgage-related securities whose underlying assets are neither U.S. government securities nor U.S. government-insured mortgages, to the extent that real properties securing such assets may be located in the same geographical region, the security may be subject to a greater risk of default than other comparable securities in the event of adverse economic, political or business developments that may affect such region and, ultimately, the ability of residential homeowners to make payments of principal and interest on the underlying mortgages.

<u>Tiered Index Bonds</u>: Tiered index bonds are relatively new forms of mortgage-related securities. The interest rate on a tiered index bond is tied to a specified index or market rate. So long as this index or market rate is below a predetermined "strike" rate, the interest rate on the tiered index bond remains fixed. If, however, the specified index or market rate rises above the "strike" rate, the interest rate of the tiered index bond will decrease. Thus, under these circumstances, the interest rate on a tiered index bond, like an inverse floater, will move in the opposite direction of prevailing interest rates, with the result that the price of the tiered index bond may be considerably more volatile than that of a fixed-rate bond.

**Municipal Securities:** Municipal securities are debt instruments issued by state and local governments, municipalities, territories and possessions of the United States, regional government authorities, and their agencies and instrumentalities of states, and multi-state agencies or authorities, the interest of which, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer at the time of issuance, is exempt from U.S. federal income tax. Municipal securities include both notes (which have maturities of less than one (1) year) and bonds (which have maturities of one (1) year or more) that bear fixed or variable rates of interest.

In general, municipal securities are issued to obtain funds for a variety of public purposes such as the construction, repair, or improvement of public facilities including airports, bridges, housing, hospitals, mass transportation, schools, streets, water and sewer works. Municipal securities may be issued to refinance outstanding obligations as well as to raise funds for general operating expenses and lending to other public institutions and facilities.

The two principal classifications of municipal securities are "general obligation" securities and "revenue" securities. General obligation securities are obligations secured by the issuer's pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Characteristics and methods of enforcement of general obligation bonds vary according to the law applicable to a particular issuer, and the taxes that can be levied for the payment of debt instruments may be limited or unlimited as to rates or amounts of special assessments. Revenue securities are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility, a class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax. Revenue bonds are issued to finance a wide variety of capital projects including, among others: electric, gas, water, and sewer systems; highways, bridges, and tunnels; port and airport facilities; colleges and universities; and hospitals. Conditions in those sectors may affect the overall municipal securities markets.

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Some longer-term municipal bonds give the investor the right to "put" or sell the security at par (face value) to the issuer within a specified number of days following the investor's request. This demand feature enhances a security's liquidity by shortening its effective maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, the longer-term securities still held could experience substantially more volatility.

Insured municipal debt involves scheduled payments of interest and principal guaranteed by a private, non-governmental or governmental insurance company. The insurance does not guarantee the market value of the municipal debt or the value of the shares.

Municipal securities are subject to credit and market risk. Generally, prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate less with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues. The secondary market for municipal bonds typically has been less liquid than that for taxable debt instruments, and this may affect the Fund's ability to sell particular municipal bonds at then-current market prices, especially in periods when other investors are attempting to sell the same securities.

Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money-market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded.

Securities, including municipal securities, are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the federal Bankruptcy Code (including special provisions related to municipalities and other public entities), and laws, if any, that may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power, ability or willingness of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal securities may be materially affected or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable. Such litigation or conditions may from time to time have the effect of introducing uncertainties in the market for municipal securities or certain segments thereof, or of materially affecting the credit risk with respect to particular securities. Adverse economic, business, legal or political developments might affect all or a substantial portion of the Fund's municipal securities in the same manner.

From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress that, if enacted, would have the effect of restricting or eliminating the U.S. federal income tax exemption for interest on debt instruments issued by states and their political subdivisions. U.S. federal tax laws limit the types and amounts of tax-exempt bonds issuable for certain purposes, especially industrial development bonds and private activity bonds. Such limits may affect the future supply and yields of these types of municipal securities. Further proposals limiting the issuance of municipal securities may well be introduced in the future.

<u>Industrial Development and Pollution Control Bonds</u>: Industrial development bonds and pollution control bonds, which in most cases are revenue bonds and generally are not payable from the unrestricted revenues of an issuer, are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to raise money to finance privately operated facilities for business, manufacturing, housing, sport complexes, and pollution control. The principal security for these bonds is generally the net revenues derived from a particular facility, group of facilities, or in some cases, the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue sources. Consequently, the credit quality of these securities is dependent upon the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds and any guarantor to meet its financial obligations.

<u>Moral Obligation Securities</u>: Moral obligation securities are usually issued by special purpose public authorities. A moral obligation security is a type of state issued municipal bond which is backed by a moral, not a legal, obligation. If the issuer of a moral obligation security cannot fulfill its financial responsibilities from current revenues, it may draw upon a reserve fund, the restoration of which is a moral commitment, but not a legal obligation, of the state or municipality that created the issuer.

<u>Municipal Lease Obligations and Certificates of Participation</u>: Municipal lease obligations and participations in municipal leases are undivided interests in an obligation in the form of a lease or installment purchase or conditional sales contract which is issued by a state, local government, or a municipal financing corporation to acquire land, equipment, and/or facilities (collectively hereinafter referred to as "Lease Obligations"). Generally Lease Obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the municipality's taxing power is pledged. Instead, a Lease Obligation is ordinarily backed by the municipality's covenant to budget for, appropriate, and make the payments due under the Lease Obligation. As a result of this structure, Lease Obligations are generally not subject to state constitutional debt limitations or other statutory requirements that may apply to other municipal securities.

Lease Obligations may contain "non-appropriation" clauses, which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for that purpose on a yearly basis. If the municipality does not appropriate in its budget enough to cover the payments on the Lease Obligation, the lessor may have the right to repossess and relet the property to another party. Depending on the property subject to the lease, the value of the property may not be sufficient to cover the debt.

In addition to the risk of "non-appropriation," municipal lease securities may not have as highly liquid a market as conventional municipal bonds.

<u>Short-Term Municipal Obligations</u>: Short-term municipal securities include tax anticipation notes, revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, construction loan notes and short-term discount notes. Tax anticipation notes are used to finance working capital needs of municipalities and are issued in anticipation of various seasonal tax revenues, to be payable from these specific future taxes. They are usually general obligations of the issuer, secured by the taxing power of the municipality for the payment of principal and interest when due. Revenue anticipation notes are generally issued in expectation of receipt of other kinds of revenue, such as the revenues expected to be generated

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from a particular project. Bond anticipation notes normally are issued to provide interim financing until long-term financing can be arranged. The long-term bonds then provide the money for the repayment of the notes. Construction loan notes are sold to provide construction financing for specific projects. After successful completion and acceptance, many such projects may receive permanent financing through another source. Short-term Discount notes (tax-exempt commercial paper) are short-term (365 days or less) promissory notes issued by municipalities to supplement their cash flow. Revenue anticipation notes, construction loan notes, and short-term discount notes may, but will not necessarily, be general obligations of the issuer.

**Options:** An option gives the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) a specific amount or value of a particular underlying asset at a specific price (called the "exercise" or "strike" price) at one or more specific times before the option expires. The underlying asset of an option contract can be a security, currency, index, future, swap, commodity, or other type of financial instrument. The seller of an option is called an option writer. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option purchaser is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case, for example, if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date.

Options can be traded either through established exchanges ("exchange-traded options") or privately negotiated transactions OTC options. Exchange-traded options are standardized with respect to, among other things, the underlying asset, expiration date, contract size and strike price. The terms of OTC options are generally negotiated by the parties to the option contract which allows the parties greater flexibility in customizing the agreement, but OTC options are generally less liquid than exchange-traded options.

All option contracts involve credit risk if the counterparty to the option contract (*e.g*., the clearing house or OTC counterparty) or the third party effecting the transaction in the case of cleared options (*e.g*., futures commission merchant or broker/dealer) fails to perform. The value of an OTC option that is not cleared is dependent on the credit worthiness of the individual counterparty to the contract and may be greater than the credit risk associated with cleared options.

The purchaser of a put option obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell a specific amount or value of a particular asset to the option writer at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the option premium. The purchaser of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if the price of the underlying asset falls. However, if the underlying asset's price does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, the purchaser of a put option can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The purchaser of a call option obtains the right (but not the obligation) to purchase a specified amount or value of an underlying asset from the option writer at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the option premium. The purchaser of a typical call option can expect to realize a gain if the price of the underlying asset rises. However, if the underlying asset's price does not rise enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, the buyer of a call option can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The purchaser of a call or put option may terminate its position by allowing the option to expire, exercising the option or closing out its position by entering into an offsetting option transaction if a liquid market is available. If the option is allowed to expire, the purchaser will lose the entire premium. If the option is exercised, the purchaser would complete the purchase or sale, as applicable, of the underlying asset to the option writer at the strike price.

The writer of a put or call option takes the opposite side of the transaction from the option's purchaser. In return for receipt of the premium, the writer assumes the obligation to buy or sell (depending on whether the option is a put or a call) a specified amount or value of a particular asset at the strike price if the purchaser of the option chooses to exercise it. A call option written on a security or other instrument held by the Fund (commonly known as "writing a covered call option") limits the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying asset above the exercise price of the option. A call option written on securities that are not currently held by the Fund is commonly known as "writing a naked call option." During periods of declining securities prices or when prices are stable, writing these types of call options can be a profitable strategy to increase income with minimal capital risk. However, when securities prices increase, the Fund would be exposed to an increased risk of loss, because if the price of the underlying asset or instrument exceeds the option's exercise price, the Fund would suffer a loss equal to the amount by which the market price exceeds the exercise price at the time the call option is exercised, minus the premium received. Calls written on securities that the Fund does not own are riskier than calls written on securities owned by the Fund because there is no underlying asset held by the Fund that can act as a partial hedge. When such a call is exercised, the Fund must purchase the underlying asset to meet its call obligation or make a payment equal to the value of its obligation in order to close out the option. Calls written on securities that the Fund does not own have speculative characteristics and the potential for loss is theoretically unlimited. There is also a risk, especially with less liquid preferred and debt instruments, that the asset may not be available for purchase.

Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option purchaser. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer's potential loss is equal to the amount the option is "in-the-money" when the option is exercised offset by the premium received when the option was written. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying asset exceeds the strike price of the option, and so the call option writer's loss is theoretically unlimited. A put option is in-the-money if the strike price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying asset, and so the put option writer's loss is limited to the strike price. Generally, any profit realized by an option purchaser represents a loss for the option writer. The writer of an option may seek to terminate a position in the option before exercise by closing out its position by entering into an offsetting option transaction if a liquid market is available. If the market is not liquid for an offsetting option, however, the writer must continue to be prepared to sell or purchase the underlying asset at the strike price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes.

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If the Fund is the writer of a cleared option, the Fund is required to deposit initial margin. Additional variation margin may also be required. If the Fund is the writer of an uncleared option, the Fund may be required to deposit initial margin and additional variation margin.

A physical delivery option gives its owner the right to receive physical delivery (if it is a call), or to make physical delivery (if it is a put) of the underlying asset when the option is exercised. A cash-settled option gives its owner the right to receive a cash payment based on the difference between a determined value of the underlying asset at the time the option is exercised and the fixed exercise price of the option. In the case of physically settled options, it may not be possible to terminate the position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. A cash-settled call conveys the right to receive a cash payment if the determined value of the underlying asset at exercise exceeds the exercise price of the option, and a cash-settled put conveys the right to receive a cash payment if the determined value of the underlying asset at exercise is less than the exercise price of the option.

Combination option positions are positions in more than one option at the same time. A spread involves being both the buyer and writer of the same type of option on the same underlying asset but different exercise prices and/or expiration dates. A straddle consists of purchasing or writing both a put and a call on the same underlying asset with the same exercise price and expiration date.

The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying asset in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying asset and the remaining period to the expiration date.

If a trading market in particular options were illiquid, investors in those options would be unable to close out their positions until trading resumes, and option writers may be faced with substantial losses if the value of the underlying asset moves adversely during that time. There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist for any particular options product at any specific time. Lack of investor interest, changes in volatility, or other factors or conditions might adversely affect the liquidity, efficiency, continuity, or even the orderliness of the market for particular options. Exchanges or other facilities on which options are traded may establish limitations on options trading, may order the liquidation of positions in excess of these limitations, or may impose other sanctions that could adversely affect parties to an options transaction.

Many options, in particular OTC options, are complex and often valued based on subjective factors. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to the Fund.

<u>Foreign Currency Options</u>: Put and call options on foreign currencies may be bought or sold either on exchanges or in the OTC market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires. Currency options traded on U.S. or other exchanges may be subject to position limits which may limit the ability of the Fund to reduce foreign currency risk using such options.

<u>Index Options:</u> An index option is a put or call option on a securities index or other (typically securities-related) index. In contrast to an option on a security, the holder of an index option has the right to receive a cash settlement amount upon exercise of the option. This settlement amount is equal to: (i) the amount, if any, by which the fixed exercise price of the option exceeds (in the case of a call) or is below (in the case of a put) the closing value of the underlying index on the date of exercise, multiplied; by (ii) a fixed "index multiplier." The index underlying an index option may be a "broad-based" index, such as the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index or the NYSE Composite Index, the changes in value of which ordinarily will reflect movements in the stock market in general. In contrast, certain options may be based on narrower market indices, such as the S&P 100 Index, or on indices of securities of particular industry groups, such as those of oil and gas or technology issuers. A stock index assigns relative values to the stocks included in the index, and the index fluctuates with changes in the market values of the stocks so included. The composition of the index is changed periodically. The risks of purchasing and selling index options are generally similar to the risks of purchasing and selling options on securities.

**Other Investment Companies and Pooled Investment Vehicles:** Securities of other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles, including shares of closed-end investment companies, unit investment trusts, ETFs, open-end investment companies, and private investment funds represent interests in managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments. Investing in another investment company or pooled investment vehicle exposes the Fund to all the risks of that other investment company or pooled investment vehicle as well as additional expenses at the other investment company or pooled investment vehicle-level, such as a proportionate share of portfolio management fees and operating expenses. Such expenses are in addition to the expenses the Fund pays in connection with its own operations. Investing in a pooled investment vehicle involves the risk that the vehicle will not perform as anticipated. The amount of assets that may be invested in another investment company or pooled investment vehicle or in other investment companies or pooled investment vehicles generally may be limited by applicable law.

The securities of other investment companies, particularly closed-end funds, may be leveraged and, therefore, will be subject to the risks of leverage. The securities of closed-end investment companies and ETFs carry the risk that the price paid or received may be higher or lower than their NAV. Closed-end investment companies and ETFs are also subject to certain additional risks, including the risks of illiquidity and of possible trading halts due to market conditions or other factors.

In making decisions on the allocation of the assets in other investment companies, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser are subject to several conflicts of interest when they serve as the investment adviser and sub-adviser to one or more of the other investment companies. These conflicts could arise because the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser or their affiliates earn higher net advisory fees (the advisory fee received less any sub-advisory fee paid and fee waivers or expense subsidies) on some of the other investment companies than others. For example, where the other investment companies have a sub-adviser that is affiliated with the Investment Adviser, the entire advisory fee is retained by a Voya company. Even where the net advisory fee is not higher for other investment companies sub-advised

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by an affiliate of the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may have an incentive to prefer affiliated sub-advisers for other reasons, such as increasing assets under management or supporting new investment strategies, which in turn would lead to increased income to Voya. Further, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may believe that redemption from another investment company will be harmful to that investment company, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser or an affiliate. Therefore, the Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may have incentives to allocate and reallocate in a fashion that would advance its own economic interests, the economic interests of an affiliate, or the interests of another investment company.

The Investment Adviser has informed the Board that its investment process may be influenced by an affiliated insurance company that issues financial products in which the Fund may be offered as an investment option. In certain of those products an affiliated insurance company may offer guaranteed lifetime income or death benefits. The Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's investment decisions, including their allocation decisions with respect to the other investment companies, may benefit the affiliated insurance company issuing such benefits. For example, selecting and allocating assets to other investment companies which invest primarily in debt instruments or in a more conservative or less volatile investment style, may reduce the regulatory capital requirements which the affiliated insurance company must satisfy to support its guarantees under its products, may help reduce the affiliated insurance company's risk from the lifetime income or death benefits, or may make it easier for the insurance company to manage its risk through the use of various hedging techniques.

The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser have adopted various policies and procedures that are intended to identify, monitor, and address actual or potential conflicts of interest. Nonetheless, investors bear the risk that the Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's allocation decisions may be affected by their conflicts of interest.

<u>Exchange-Traded Funds</u>: ETFs are investment companies whose shares trade like a stock throughout the day. Certain ETFs use a "passive" investment strategy and will not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets. Other ETFs are actively managed (*i.e*., they do not seek to replicate the performance of a particular index). The value of an ETF's shares will change based on changes in the values of the investments it holds. The value of an ETF's shares will also likely be affected by factors affecting trading in the market for those shares, such as illiquidity, exchange or market rules, and overall market volatility. The market price for ETF shares may be higher or lower than the ETF's NAV. The timing and magnitude of cash flows in and out of an ETF could create cash balances that act as a drag on the ETF's performance. An active secondary market in an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained and may be halted or interrupted due to actions by its listing exchange, unusual market conditions or other reasons. Substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs could adversely affect the liquidity and value of the shares of the Fund to the extent it invests in ETFs. There can be no assurance an ETF's shares will continue to be listed on an active exchange.

<u>Holding Company Depositary Receipts</u>: Holding Company Depositary Receipts ("HOLDRs") are securities that represent beneficial ownership in a group of common stocks of specified issuers in a particular industry. HOLDRs are typically organized as grantor trusts, and are generally not required to register as investment companies under the 1940 Act. Each HOLDR initially owns a set number of stocks, and the composition of a HOLDR does not change after issue, except in special cases like corporate mergers, acquisitions or other specified events. As a result, stocks selected for those HOLDRs with a sector focus may not remain the largest and most liquid in their industry, and may even leave the industry altogether. If this happens, HOLDRs invested may not provide the same targeted exposure to the industry that was initially expected. Because HOLDRs are not subject to concentration limits, the relative weight of an individual stock may increase substantially, causing the HOLDRs to be less diversified and creating more risk.

<u>Private Funds</u>: Private funds are private investment funds, pools, vehicles, or other structures, including hedge funds and private equity funds. They may be organized as corporations, partnerships, trusts, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, or any other form of business organization (collectively, "Private Funds"). Investments in Private Funds may be highly speculative and highly volatile and may produce gains or losses at rates that exceed those of the Fund's other holdings and of publicly offered investment pools. Private Funds may engage actively in short selling. Private Funds may utilize leverage without limit and, to the extent the Fund invests in Private Funds that utilize leverage, the Fund will indirectly be exposed to the risks associated with that leverage and the values of its shares may be more volatile as a result.

Many Private Funds invest significantly in issuers in the early stages of development, including issuers with little or no operating history, issuers operating at a loss or with substantial variation in operation results from period to period, issuers with the need for substantial additional capital to support expansion or to maintain a competitive position, or issuers with significant financial leverage. Such issuers may also face intense competition from others including those with greater financial resources or more extensive development, manufacturing, distribution or other attributes, over which the Fund will have no control.

Interests in a Private Fund will be subject to substantial restrictions on transfer and, in some instances, may be non-transferable for a period of years. Private Funds may participate in only a limited number of investments and, as a consequence, the return of a particular Private Fund may be substantially adversely affected by the unfavorable performance of even a single investment. Certain Private Funds may pay their investment managers a fee based on the performance of the Private Fund, which may create an incentive for the manager to make investments that are riskier or more speculative than would be the case if the manager was paid a fixed fee. Many Private Funds are not registered under the 1940 Act and, consequently, such funds are not subject to the restrictions on affiliated transactions and other protections applicable to registered investment companies. The valuations of securities held by Private Funds, which are generally unlisted and illiquid, may be very difficult and will often depend on the subjective valuation of the managers of the Private Funds, which may prove to be inaccurate. Inaccurate valuations of a Private Fund's portfolio holdings will affect the ability of the Fund to calculate its NAV accurately.

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**Participation on Creditors' Committees:** The Fund may from time to time participate on committees formed by creditors to negotiate with the management of financially troubled issuers of securities held by the Fund. Such participation may incur additional expenses such as legal fees and may make the Fund an "insider" of the issuer for purposes of the federal securities laws, which may restrict such Fund's ability to trade in or acquire additional positions in a particular security when it might otherwise desire to do so. Participation on such committees may also expose the Fund to potential liabilities under the federal bankruptcy laws or other laws governing the rights of creditors and debtors.

**Participatory Notes:** The Fund may invest in instruments that have economic characteristics similar to equity securities, such as participatory notes or other structured notes or instruments that may be developed from time to time. Participatory notes are a type of derivative instrument used by foreign investors to access local markets and to gain exposure to, primarily, equity securities of issuers listed on a local exchange. Rather than purchasing securities directly, the Fund may purchase a participatory note from a broker-dealer, which holds the securities on behalf of the noteholders.

Participatory notes are similar to depositary receipts except that: (1) brokers, not U.S. banks, are depositories for the securities; and (2) noteholders may remain anonymous to market regulators.

The value of the participatory notes will be directly related to the value of the underlying securities. Any dividends or capital gains collected from the underlying securities are remitted to the noteholder.

The risks of investing in participatory notes include derivatives risk and foreign investments risk. The foreign investments risk associated with participatory notes is similar to those of investing in depositary receipts. However, unlike depositary receipts, participatory notes are subject to counterparty risk based on the uncertainty of the counterparty's (*i.e.*, the broker's) ability to meet its obligations.

**Preferred Stocks:** Preferred stock represents an equity interest in an issuer that generally entitles the holder to receive, in preference to the holders of other stocks such as common stocks, dividends and a fixed share of the proceeds resulting from a liquidation of the issuer.

Preferred stocks may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, fixed, participating, auction rate or other. If interest rates rise, a fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the value of preferred stocks to decline either absolutely or relative to alternative investments. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions that allow the issuer to redeem or call the stock.

Preferred stock is subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, because a substantial portion of the return on a preferred stock may be the dividend, its value may react similarly to that of a debt instrument to changes in interest rates. An issuer's preferred stock generally pays dividends only after the issuer makes required payments to holders of its debt instruments and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred stock will usually react more strongly than debt instruments to actual or perceived changes in the issuer's financial condition or prospects. Preferred stocks of smaller issuers may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger issuers.

**Private Investments in Public Companies:** In a typical private placement by a publicly-held company ("PIPE") transaction, a buyer will acquire, directly from an issuer seeking to raise capital in a private placement pursuant to Regulation D under the 1933 Act, common stock or a security convertible into common stock, such as convertible notes or convertible preferred stock. The issuer's common stock is usually publicly traded on a U.S. securities exchange or in the OTC market, but the securities acquired will be subject to restrictions on resale imposed by U.S. securities laws absent an effective registration statement. In recognition of the illiquid nature of the securities being acquired, the purchase price paid in a PIPE transaction (or the conversion price of the convertible securities being acquired) will typically be fixed at a discount to the prevailing market price of the issuer's common stock at the time of the transaction. As part of a PIPE transaction, the issuer usually will be contractually obligated to seek to register within an agreed upon period of time for public resale under the U.S. securities laws the common stock or the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the convertible securities. If the issuer fails to so register the shares within that period, the buyer may be entitled to additional consideration from the issuer (*e.g*., warrants to acquire additional shares of common stock), but the buyer may not be able to sell its shares unless and until the registration process is successfully completed. Thus PIPE transactions present certain risks not associated with open market purchases of equities.

Among the risks associated with PIPE transactions is the risk that the issuer may be unable to register the shares for public resale in a timely manner or at all, in which case the shares may be saleable only in a privately negotiated transaction at a price less than that paid, assuming a suitable buyer can be found. Disposing of the securities may involve time-consuming negotiation and legal expenses, and selling them promptly at an acceptable price may be difficult or impossible. Even if the shares are registered for public resale, the market for the issuer's securities may nevertheless be "thin" or illiquid, making the sale of securities at desired prices or in desired quantities difficult or impossible.

While private placements may offer attractive opportunities not otherwise available in the open market, the securities purchased are usually "restricted securities" or are "not readily marketable." Restricted securities cannot be sold without being registered under the 1933 Act, unless they are sold pursuant to an exemption from registration (such as Rules 144 or 144A under the 1933 Act). Securities that are not readily marketable are subject to other legal or contractual restrictions on resale.

**Real Estate Securities and Real Estate Investment Trusts:** Investments in equity securities of issuers that are principally engaged in the real estate industry are subject to certain risks associated with the ownership of real estate and with the real estate industry in general. These risks include, among others: possible declines in the value of real estate; risks related to general and local economic conditions; possible lack of availability of mortgage funds or other limitations on access to capital; overbuilding; risks associated with leverage; market illiquidity; extended vacancies of properties; increase in competition, property taxes, capital expenditures and operating expenses; changes in zoning laws or other governmental regulation; costs resulting from the clean-up of, and liability to third parties for damages resulting

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from, other acts that destroy real property; tenant bankruptcies or other credit problems; casualty or condemnation losses; uninsured damages from floods, earthquakes or other natural disasters; limitations on and variations in rents, including decreases in market rates for rents; investment in developments that are not completed or that are subject to delays in completion; and changes in interest rates. In addition, certain types of real estate may be adversely affected by changing usage trends, such as office buildings as a result of work-from-home practices and commercial facilities as a result of an increase in online shopping, which could in turn result in defaults and declines in value of mortgage-backed securities secured by such properties. To the extent that assets underlying the Fund's investments are concentrated geographically, by property type or in certain other respects, the Fund may be subject to certain of the foregoing risks to a greater extent. Investments by the Fund in securities of issuers providing mortgage servicing will be subject to the risks associated with refinancing and their impact on servicing rights.

The prices of real estate-related assets generally have not decreased as much as may be expected based on historical correlations between rising interest rates and prices of real estate-related assets. This presents an increased risk of a correction or severe downturn in real estate-related asset prices, which could adversely impact the value of other investments as well (such as loans, securitized debt, and other debt instruments). This risk is particularly present with respect to commercial real estate-related asset prices, and the value of other investments with a connection to the commercial real estate sector. In addition, if the Fund receives rental income or income from the disposition of real property acquired as result of a default on securities the Fund owns, the receipt of such income may adversely affect the Fund's ability to qualify as a RIC because of certain income source requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

REITs are pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in income-producing real estate or real estate-related loans or interests. The affairs of REITs are managed by the REIT's sponsor and, as such, the performance of the REIT is dependent on the management skills of the REIT's sponsor. REITs are not diversified, and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs possess certain risks which differ from an investment in common stocks. REITs are financial vehicles that pool investor's capital to purchase or finance real estate. REITs may concentrate their investments in specific geographic areas or in specific property types, *i.e*., hotels, shopping malls, residential complexes and office buildings. REITs are subject to management fees and other expenses, and so the Fund that invests in REITs will bear its proportionate share of the costs of the REITs' operations. There are three general categories of REITs: Equity REITs, Mortgage REITs and Hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in direct fee ownership or leasehold ownership of real property; they derive most of their income from rents. Mortgage REITs invest mostly in mortgages on real estate, which may secure construction, development or long-term loans; the main source of their income is mortgage interest payments. Hybrid REITs hold both ownership and mortgage interests in real estate.

Investing in REITs involves certain unique risks in addition to those risks associated with investing in the real estate industry in general. The market value of REIT shares and the ability of the REITs to distribute income may be adversely affected by several factors, including rising interest rates, changes in the national, state and local economic climate and real estate conditions, perceptions of prospective tenants of the safety, convenience and attractiveness of the properties, the ability of the owners to provide adequate management, maintenance and insurance, the cost of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, increased competition from new properties, the impact of present or future environmental legislation and compliance with environmental laws, failing to maintain their eligibility for favorable tax-treatment under the Code and for exemptions from registration under the 1940 Act, changes in real estate taxes and other operating expenses, adverse changes in governmental rules and fiscal policies, adverse changes in zoning laws and other factors beyond the control of the issuers of the REITs.

REITs (especially mortgage REITs) are also subject to interest rate risk. Rising interest rates may cause REIT investors to demand a higher annual yield, which may, in turn, cause a decline in the market price of the equity securities issued by a REIT. Rising interest rates also generally increase the costs of obtaining financing, which could cause the value of investments in REITs to decline. During periods when interest rates are declining, mortgages are often refinanced. Refinancing may reduce the yield on investments in mortgage REITs. In addition, since REITs depend on payment under their mortgage loans and leases to generate cash to make distributions to their shareholders, investments in REITs may be adversely affected by defaults on such mortgage loans or leases.

Investing in certain REITs, which often have small market capitalizations, may also involve the same risks as investing in other small-capitalization issuers. REITs may have limited financial resources and their securities may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger issuer securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks such as those included in the S&P 500<sup>®</sup> Index. The management of a REIT may be subject to conflicts of interest with respect to the operation of the business of the REIT and may be involved in real estate activities competitive with the REIT. REITs may own properties through joint ventures or in other circumstances in which the REIT may not have control over its investments. REITs may involve significant amounts of leverage.

**Repurchase Agreements:** A repurchase agreement is a contract under which the Fund acquires a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the Fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price. Repurchase agreements may be viewed as loans which are collateralized by the securities subject to repurchase. The value of the underlying securities in such transactions will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including the interest factor. If the seller defaults, the Fund could realize a loss on the sale of the underlying security to the extent that the proceeds of sale including accrued interest are less than the resale price provided in the agreement including interest. In addition, if the seller should be involved in bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, the Fund may incur delay and costs in selling the underlying security or may suffer a loss of principal and interest if the Fund is treated as an unsecured creditor and required to return the underlying collateral to the seller's estate. To the extent that the Fund has invested a substantial portion of its assets in repurchase agreements, the investment return on such assets, and potentially the ability to achieve the investment objectives, will depend on the counterparties' willingness and ability to perform their obligations under the repurchase agreements. The SEC has finalized new rules requiring the central clearing of

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certain repurchase transactions involving U.S. Treasuries and compliance with these rules is expected to be required in the middle of 2027. The mandatory clearing of such repurchase transactions could increase the cost of repurchase transactions and impose added operational complexity which could make it more difficult for the Fund to execute certain investment strategies.

**Restricted Securities:** Securities that are legally restricted as to resale (such as those issued in private placements), including securities governed by Rule 144A and Regulation S, and securities that are offered in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, are referred to as "restricted securities." Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. Due to the absence of a public trading market, restricted securities may be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to value than publicly- traded securities. The price realized from the sale of these securities could be less than the amount originally paid or less than their fair value if they are resold in privately negotiated transactions. In addition, these securities may not be subject to disclosure and other investment protection requirements that are afforded to publicly-traded securities. Certain restricted securities represent investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risk. The Fund may incur additional expenses when disposing of restricted securities, including costs to register the sale of the securities. The Board has delegated to Fund management the responsibility for monitoring and determining the liquidity of restricted securities, subject to the Board's oversight.

**Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Dollar Roll Transactions:** Reverse repurchase agreements involve sales of portfolio securities to another party and an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the same securities at a later date at a fixed price. During the reverse repurchase agreement period, the Fund continues to receive principal and interest payments on the securities and also has the opportunity to earn a return on the collateral furnished by the counterparty to secure its obligation to redeliver the securities.

Dollar rolls involve selling securities (*e.g.,* mortgage-backed securities or U.S. Treasury securities) and simultaneously entering into a commitment to purchase those or similar securities on a specified future date and price from the same party. Mortgage-dollar rolls and U.S. Treasury rolls are types of dollar rolls. During the roll period, principal and interest paid on the securities is not received but proceeds from the sale can be invested.

Reverse repurchase agreement and dollar rolls involve the risk that the market value of the securities to be repurchased under the agreement may decline below the repurchase price. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement or dollar rolls files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such a buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the obligation to repurchase the securities and use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Additionally, reverse repurchase agreements entail many of the same risks as OTC derivatives. These include the risk that the counterparty to the reverse repurchase agreement may not be able to fulfill its obligations, that the parties may disagree as to the meaning or application of contractual terms, or that the instrument may not perform as expected. The SEC has finalized new rules requiring the central clearing of certain reverse repurchase transactions involving U.S. Treasuries and compliance with these rules is expected to be required in the middle of 2027. The mandatory clearing of such transactions could increase the cost of such transactions and impose added operational complexity which could make it more difficult for the Fund to execute certain investment strategies.

**Rights and Warrants:** Warrants and rights are types of securities that give a holder a right to purchase shares of common stock. Warrants usually are issued in conjunction with a bond or preferred stock and entitle a holder to purchase a specified amount of common stock at a specified price typically for a period of years. Rights are instruments, frequently distributed to an issuer's shareholders as a dividend, that usually entitle the holder to purchase a specified amount of common stock at a specified price on a specific date or during a specific period of time (typically for a period of only weeks). The exercise price on a right is normally at a discount from the market value of the common stock at the time of distribution.

Warrants may be used to enhance the marketability of a bond or preferred stock. Rights are frequently used outside of the United States as a means of raising additional capital from an issuer's current shareholders.

Warrants and rights do not carry with them the right to dividends or to vote, do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer and may or may not be transferable. Investments in warrants and rights may be considered more speculative than certain other types of investments. In addition, the value of a warrant or right does not necessarily change with the value of the underlying securities, and expires worthless if it is not exercised on or prior to its expiration date, if any.

Bonds issued with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock. Bonds also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional debt instruments.

Equity-linked warrants are purchased from a broker, who in turn is expected to purchase shares in the local market. If the Fund exercises its warrant, the shares are expected to be sold and the warrant redeemed with the proceeds. Typically, each warrant represents one share of the underlying stock. Therefore, the price and performance of the warrant are directly linked to the underlying stock, less transaction costs. In addition to the market risk related to the underlying holdings, the Fund bears counterparty risk with respect to the issuing broker. There is currently no active trading market for equity-linked warrants, and they may be highly illiquid.

Index-linked warrants are put and call warrants where the value varies depending on the change in the value of one or more specified securities indices. Index-linked warrants are generally issued by banks or other financial institutions and give the holder the right, at any time during the term of the warrant, to receive upon exercise of the warrant a cash payment from the issuer based on the value of the underlying index at the time of exercise. In general, if the value of the underlying index rises above the exercise price of the index-linked warrant, the holder of a call warrant will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the value of the index and the exercise price of the warrant; if the value of the underlying index falls, the holder of a put warrant

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will be entitled to receive a cash payment from the issuer upon exercise based on the difference between the exercise price of the warrant and the value of the index. The holder of a warrant would not be entitled to any payments from the issuer at any time when, in the case of a call warrant, the exercise price is greater than the value of the underlying index, or, in the case of a put warrant, the exercise price is less than the value of the underlying index. If the Fund were not to exercise an index-linked warrant prior to its expiration, then the Fund would lose the amount of the purchase price paid by it for the warrant.

Index-linked warrants are normally used in a manner similar to its use of options on securities indices. The risks of index-linked warrants are generally similar to those relating to its use of index options. Unlike most index options, however, index-linked warrants are issued in limited amounts and are not obligations of a regulated clearing agency, but are backed only by the credit of the bank or other institution that issues the warrant. Also, index-linked warrants may have longer terms than index options. Index-linked warrants are not likely to be as liquid as certain index options backed by a recognized clearing agency. In addition, the terms of index-linked warrants may limit the Fund's ability to exercise the warrants at such time, or in such quantities, as the Fund would otherwise wish to do.

Indirect investment in foreign equity securities may be made through international warrants, local access products, participation notes, or low exercise price warrants. International warrants are financial instruments issued by banks or other financial institutions, which may or may not be traded on a foreign exchange. International warrants are a form of derivative security that may give holders the right to buy or sell an underlying security or a basket of securities from or to the issuer for a particular price or may entitle holders to receive a cash payment relating to the value of the underlying security or basket of securities. International warrants are similar to options in that they are exercisable by the holder for an underlying security or the value of that security, but are generally exercisable over a longer term than typical options. These types of instruments may be American style exercise, which means that they can be exercised at any time on or before the expiration date of the international warrant, or European style exercise, which means that they may be exercised only on the expiration date. International warrants have an exercise price, which is typically fixed when the warrants are issued.

Low exercise price warrants are warrants with an exercise price that is very low relative to the market price of the underlying instrument at the time of issue (*e.g*., one cent or less). The buyer of a low exercise price warrant effectively pays the full value of the underlying common stock at the outset. In the case of any exercise of warrants, there may be a time delay between the time a holder of warrants gives instructions to exercise and the time the price of the common stock relating to exercise or the settlement date is determined, during which time the price of the underlying security could change significantly. These warrants entail substantial credit risk, since the issuer of the warrant holds the purchase price of the warrant (approximately equal to the value of the underlying investment at the time of the warrant's issue) for the life of the warrant.

The exercise or settlement date of the warrants and other instruments described above may be affected by certain market disruption events, such as difficulties relating to the exchange of a local currency into U.S. dollars, the imposition of capital controls by a local jurisdiction or changes in the laws relating to foreign investments. These events could lead to a change in the exercise date or settlement currency of the instruments, or postponement of the settlement date. In some cases, if the market disruption events continue for a certain period of time, the warrants may become worthless, resulting in a total loss of the purchase price of the warrants.

Investments in these instruments involve the risk that the issuer of the instrument may default on its obligation to deliver the underlying security or cash in lieu thereof. These instruments may also be subject to liquidity risk because there may be a limited secondary market for trading the warrants. They are also subject, like other investments in foreign (non-U.S.) securities, to foreign risk and currency risk.

**Securities Lending:** Securities lending involves lending of portfolio securities to qualified broker/dealers, banks or other financial institutions who may need to borrow securities in order to complete certain transactions, such as covering short sales, avoiding failure to deliver securities, or completing arbitrage operations. Securities are loaned pursuant to a securities lending agreement approved by the Board and under the terms, structure and the aggregate amount of such loans consistent with the 1940 Act. Lending portfolio securities increases the lender's income by receiving a fixed fee or a percentage of the collateral, in addition to receiving the interest or dividend on the securities loaned. As collateral for the loaned securities, the borrower gives the lender collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The collateral may consist of cash (including U.S. dollars and foreign currency), securities issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities, or such other collateral as may be approved by the Board. The borrower must also agree to increase the collateral if the value of the loaned securities increases but may request some of the collateral be returned if the market value of the loaned securities goes down.

During the existence of the loan, the lender will receive from the borrower amounts equivalent to any dividends, interest or other distributions on the loaned securities, as well as interest on such amounts. Loans are subject to termination by the lender or a borrower at any time. The Fund may choose to terminate a loan in order to vote in a proxy solicitation.

During the time a security is on loan and the issuer of the security makes an interest or dividend payment, the borrower pays the lender a substitute payment equal to any interest or dividends the lender would have received directly from the issuer of the security if the lender had not loaned the security. When a lender receives dividends directly from domestic or certain foreign corporations, a portion of the dividends paid by the lender itself to its shareholders and attributable to those dividends (but not the portion attributable to substitute payments) may be eligible for (i) treatment as "qualified dividend income" in the hands of individuals or (ii) the U.S. federal dividends received deduction in the hands of corporate shareholders. The Investment Adviser expects generally to follow the practice of causing the Fund to terminate a securities loan – and forego any income on the loan after the termination – in anticipation of a dividend payment. By doing so, a lender would receive the dividend directly from the issuer of the securities, rather than a substitute payment from the borrower of the securities, and thereby preserve the possibility of those tax benefits for certain shareholders. A lender's shares may be held by affiliates of the Investment Adviser, and the Investment Adviser's termination of securities loans under these circumstances (resulting in the lender's foregoing income from the loans after the termination) may provide an economic benefit to those affiliates.

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Securities lending involves counterparty risk, including the risk that a borrower may not provide additional collateral when required or return the loaned securities in a timely manner. Counterparty risk also includes a potential loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower or the Lending Agent defaults or fails financially. This risk is increased if loans are concentrated with a single borrower or limited number of borrowers. There are no limits on the number of borrowers that may be used and securities may be loaned to only one or a small group of borrowers. Participation in securities lending also incurs the risk of loss in connection with investments of cash collateral received from the borrowers. Cash collateral is invested in accordance with investment guidelines contained in the Securities Lending Agreement and approved by the Board. Some or all of the cash collateral received in connection with the securities lending program may be invested in one or more pooled investment vehicles, including, among other vehicles, money market funds managed by the Lending Agent (or its affiliates). The Lending Agent shares in any income resulting from the investment of such cash collateral, and an affiliate of the Lending Agent may receive asset-based fees for the management of such pooled investment vehicles, which may create a conflict of interest between the Lending Agent (or its affiliates) and the Fund with respect to the management of such cash collateral. To the extent that the value or return on investments of the cash collateral declines below the amount owed to a borrower, the Fund may incur losses that exceed the amount it earned on lending the security. The Lending Agent will indemnify the Fund from losses resulting from a borrower's failure to return a loaned security when due, but such indemnification does not extend to losses associated with declines in the value of cash collateral investments. The Investment Adviser is not responsible for any loss incurred by the Fund in connection with the securities lending program.

**Senior and Other Bank Loans:** Investments in variable or floating rate loans or notes ("Senior Loans") are typically made by purchasing an assignment of a portion of a Senior Loan from a third party, either in connection with the original loan transaction (*i.e.*, the primary market) or after the initial loan transaction (*i.e.*, in the secondary market). The Fund may also make its investments in Senior Loans through the use of derivative instruments as long as the reference obligation for such instrument is a Senior Loan. In addition, the Fund has the ability to act as an agent in originating and administering a loan on behalf of all lenders or as one of a group of co-agents in originating loans.

<u>Investment Quality and Credit Analysis</u>: The Senior Loans in which the Fund may invest generally are rated below investment grade credit quality or are unrated. In acquiring a loan, the manager will consider some or all of the following factors concerning the borrower: ability to service debt from internally generated funds; adequacy of liquidity and working capital; appropriateness of capital structure; leverage consistent with industry norms; historical experience of achieving business and financial projections; the quality and experience of management; and adequacy of collateral coverage. The manager performs its own independent credit analysis of each borrower. In so doing, the manager may utilize information and credit analyses from agents that originate or administer loans, other lenders investing in a loan, and other sources. The manager also may communicate directly with management of the borrowers. These analyses continue on a periodic basis for any Senior Loan held by the Fund.

<u>Senior Loan Characteristics</u>: Senior Loans are loans that are typically made to business borrowers to finance leveraged buy-outs, recapitalizations, mergers, stock repurchases, and internal growth. Senior Loans generally hold the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower and are usually secured by liens on the assets of the borrowers; including tangible assets such as cash, accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, common and/or preferred stocks of subsidiaries; and intangible assets including trademarks, copyrights, patent rights, and franchise value. They may also provide guarantees as a form of collateral. Senior Loans are typically structured to include two or more types of loans within a single credit agreement. The most common structure is to have a revolving loan and a term loan. A revolving loan is a loan that can be drawn upon, repaid fully or partially, and then the repaid portions can be drawn upon again. A term loan is a loan that is fully drawn upon immediately and once repaid it cannot be drawn upon again.

Sometimes there may be two or more term loans and they may be secured by different collateral, have different repayment schedules and maturity dates. In addition to revolving loans and term loans, Senior Loan structures can also contain facilities for the issuance of letters of credit and may contain mechanisms for lenders to pre-fund letters of credit through credit-linked deposits.

By virtue of their senior position and collateral, Senior Loans typically provide lenders with the first right to cash flows or proceeds from the sale of a borrower's collateral if the borrower becomes insolvent (subject to the limitations of bankruptcy law, which may provide higher priority to certain claims such as employee salaries, employee pensions, and taxes). This means Senior Loans are generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders.

Senior Loans typically pay interest, at least quarterly, at rates which equal a fixed percentage spread over a base rate such as SOFR. For example, if SOFR were 3% and the borrower was paying a fixed spread of 2.50%, the total interest rate paid by the borrower would be 5.50%. Base rates, and therefore the total rates paid on Senior Loans, float, *i.e.*, they change as market rates of interest change.

Although a base rate such as SOFR can change every day, loan agreements for Senior Loans typically allow the borrower the ability to choose how often the base rate for its loan will change. A single loan may have multiple reset periods at the same time, with each reset period applicable to a designated portion of the loan. Such periods can range from one day to one year, with most borrowers choosing monthly or quarterly reset periods. During periods of rising interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose longer reset periods, and during periods of declining interest rates, borrowers will tend to choose shorter reset periods. The fixed spread over the base rate on a Senior Loan typically does not change.

<u>Agents</u>: Senior Loans generally are arranged through private negotiations between a borrower and several financial institutions represented by an agent who is usually one of the originating lenders. In larger transactions, it is common to have several agents; however, generally only one such agent has primary responsibility for ongoing administration of a Senior Loan. Agents are typically paid fees by the borrower for their services.

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The agent is primarily responsible for negotiating the loan agreement which establishes the terms and conditions of the Senior Loan and the rights of the borrower and the lenders. An agent for a loan is required to administer and manage the loan and to service or monitor the collateral. The agent is also responsible for the collection of principal, interest, and fee payments from the borrower and the apportionment of these payments to the credit of all lenders which are parties to the loan agreement. The agent is charged with the responsibility of monitoring compliance by the borrower with the restrictive covenants in the loan agreement and of notifying the lenders of any adverse change in the borrower's financial condition. In addition, the agent generally is responsible for determining that the lenders have obtained a perfected security interest in the collateral securing the loan.

Loan agreements may provide for the termination of the agent's agency status in the event that it fails to act as required under the relevant loan agreement, becomes insolvent, enters FDIC receivership or, if not FDIC insured, enters into bankruptcy. Should such an agent, lender or assignor with respect to an assignment inter-positioned between the Fund and the borrower become insolvent or enter FDIC receivership or bankruptcy, any interest in the Senior Loan of such person and any loan payment held by such person for the benefit of the fund should not be included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate. If, however, any such amount were included in such person's or entity's bankruptcy estate, the Fund would incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment or could suffer a loss of principal or interest. In this event, the Fund could experience a decrease in the NAV.

Typically, under loan agreements, the agent is given broad discretion in enforcing the loan agreement and is obligated to use the same care it would use in the management of its own property. The borrower compensates the agent for these services. Such compensation may include special fees paid on structuring and funding the loan and other fees on a continuing basis. The precise duties and rights of an agent are defined in the loan agreement.

When the Fund is an agent it has, as a party to the loan agreement, a direct contractual relationship with the borrower and, prior to allocating portions of the loan to the lenders if any, assumes all risks associated with the loan. The agent may enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement. Agents also have voting and consent rights under the applicable loan agreement. Action subject to agent vote or consent generally requires the vote or consent of the holders of some specified percentage of the outstanding principal amount of the loan, which percentage varies depending on the relative loan agreement. Certain decisions, such as reducing the amount or increasing the time for payment of interest on or repayment of principal of a loan, or relating collateral therefor, frequently require the unanimous vote or consent of all lenders affected.

Pursuant to the terms of a loan agreement, the agent typically has sole responsibility for servicing and administering a loan on behalf of the other lenders. Each lender in a loan is generally responsible for performing its own credit analysis and its own investigation of the financial condition of the borrower. Generally, loan agreements will hold the agent liable for any action taken or omitted that amounts to gross negligence or willful misconduct. In the event of a borrower's default on a loan, the loan agreements provide that the lenders do not have recourse against the Fund for its activities as agent. Instead, lenders will be required to look to the borrower for recourse.

At times the Fund may also negotiate with the agent regarding the agent's exercise of credit remedies under a Senior Loan.

<u>Additional Costs</u>: When the Fund purchases a Senior Loan in the primary market, it may share in a fee paid to the original lender. When the Fund purchases a Senior Loan in the secondary market, it may pay a fee to, or forego a portion of the interest payments from, the lending making the assignment.

The Fund may be required to pay and receive various fees and commissions in the process of purchasing, selling, and holding loans. The fee component may include any, or a combination of, the following elements: arrangement fees, non-use fees, facility fees, letter of credit fees, and ticking fees. Arrangement fees are paid at the commencement of a loan as compensation for the initiation of the transaction. A non-use fee is paid based upon the amount committed but not used under the loan. Facility fees are on-going annual fees paid in connection with a loan. Letter of credit fees are paid if a loan involves a letter of credit. Ticking fees are paid from the initial commitment indication until loan closing or for an extended period. The amount of fees is negotiated at the time of closing.

<u>Loan Participation and Assignments</u>: The Fund's investment in loan participations typically will result in the fund having a contractual relationship only with the lender and not with the borrower. The Fund will have the right to receive payments of principal, interest, and any fees to which it is entitled only from the lender selling the participation and only upon receipt by the lender of the payments from the borrower. In connection with purchasing participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement relating to the loan, nor any right of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from any collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of both the borrower and the lender that is selling the participation. In the event of the insolvency of the lender selling the participation, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of the lender and may not benefit from any set-off between the lender and the borrower.

When the Fund is a purchaser of an assignment, it succeeds to all the rights and obligations under the loan agreement of the assigning lender and becomes a lender under the loan agreement with the same rights and obligations as the assigning lender. These rights include the ability to vote along with the other lenders on such matters as enforcing the terms of the loan agreement (*e.g*., declaring defaults, initiating collection action, etc.). Taking such actions typically requires at least a vote of the lenders holding a majority of the investment in the loan and may require a vote by lenders holding two-thirds or more of the investment in the loan. Because the Fund usually does not hold a majority of the investment in any loan, it will not be able by itself to control decisions that require a vote by the lenders.

Because assignments are arranged through private negotiations between potential assignees and potential assignors, the rights and obligations acquired by the Fund as the purchaser of an assignment may differ from, and be more limited than, those held by the assigning lender. Because there is no liquid market for such assets, the Fund anticipates that such assets could be sold only to a limited number of institutional investors. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the value of such assets and the Fund's

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ability to dispose of particular assignments or participations when necessary to meet redemption of fund shares, to meet the Fund's liquidity needs or, in response to a specific economic event such as deterioration in the creditworthiness of the borrower. The lack of a liquid secondary market for assignments and participations also may make it more difficult for the Fund to value these assets for purposes of calculating its NAV.

<u>Additional Information on Loans</u>: The loans in which the Fund may invest usually include restrictive covenants which must be maintained by the borrower. Such covenants, in addition to the timely payment of interest and principal, may include mandatory prepayment provisions arising from free cash flow and restrictions on dividend payments, and usually state that a borrower must maintain specific minimum financial ratios as well as establishing limits on total debt. A breach of covenant, that is not waived by the agent, is normally an event of acceleration, *i.e.*, the agent has the right to call the loan. In addition, loan covenants may include mandatory prepayment provisions stemming from free cash flow. Free cash flow is cash that is in excess of capital expenditures plus debt service requirements of principal and interest. The free cash flow shall be applied to prepay the loan in an order of maturity described in the loan documents. Under certain interests in loans, the Fund may have an obligation to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. The Fund generally ensures its ability to satisfy such demands by segregating sufficient assets in high quality short-term liquid investments or borrowing to cover such obligations.

A principal risk associated with acquiring loans from another lender is the credit risk associated with the borrower of the underlying loan. Additional credit risk may occur when the Fund acquires a participation in a loan from another lender because the fund must assume the risk of insolvency or bankruptcy of the other lender from which the loan was acquired.

Loans, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that investments, while having a stated one to ten year term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. The Fund generally holds loans to maturity unless it becomes necessary to sell them to satisfy any shareholder repurchase offers or to adjust the fund's portfolio in accordance with the manager's view of current or expected economics or specific industry or borrower conditions.

Loans frequently require full or partial prepayment of a loan when there are asset sales or a securities issuance. Prepayments on loans may also be made by the borrower at its election. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a loan to be shorter than its stated maturity. Prepayment may be deferred by the Fund. Prepayment should, however, allow the Fund to reinvest in a new loan and would require the Fund to recognize as income any unamortized loan fees. In many cases reinvestment in a new loan will result in a new facility fee payable to the Fund.

Because interest rates paid on these loans fluctuate periodically with the market, it is expected that the prepayment and a subsequent purchase of a new loan by the Fund will not have a material adverse impact on the yield of the portfolio.

<u>Bridge Loans</u>: The Fund may acquire interests in loans that are designed to provide temporary or "bridge" financing to a borrower pending the sale of identified assets or the arrangement of longer-term loans or the issuance and sale of debt obligations. Bridge loans often are unrated. The Fund may also invest in loans of borrowers that have obtained bridge loans from other parties. A borrower's use of bridge loans involves a risk that the borrower may be unable to locate permanent financing to replace the bridge loan, which may impair the borrower's perceived creditworthiness.

<u>Covenant-Lite Loans</u>: Loans in which the Fund may invest or to which the Fund may gain exposure indirectly through its investments in CDOs, CLOs or other types of structured securities may be considered "covenant-lite" loans. Covenant-lite refers to loans which do not incorporate traditional performance-based financial maintenance covenants. Covenant-lite does not refer to a loan's seniority in the borrower's capital structure nor to a lack of the benefit from a legal pledge of the borrower's assets, and it also does not necessarily correlate to the overall credit quality of the borrower. Covenant-lite loans generally do not include terms which allow the lender to take action based on the borrower's performance relative to its covenants. Such actions may include the ability to renegotiate and/or re-set the credit spread on the loan with the borrower, and even to declare a default or force a borrower into bankruptcy restructuring if certain criteria are breached. Covenant-lite loans typically still provide lenders with other covenants that restrict a company from incurring additional debt or engaging in certain actions. Such covenants can only be breached by an affirmative action of the borrower, rather than by a deterioration in the borrower's financial condition. Accordingly, the Fund may have fewer rights against a borrower when it invests in or has exposure to covenant-lite loans and, accordingly, may have a greater risk of loss on such investments as compared to investments in or exposure to loans with additional or more conventional covenants.

**Short Sales:** Short sales can be made "against the box" or not "against the box." A short sale that is not made "against the box" is a transaction in which a party sells a security it does not own, in anticipation of a decline in the market value of that security. To complete such a transaction, the seller must borrow the security to make delivery to the buyer. To borrow the security, the seller also may be required to pay a premium, which would increase the cost of the security sold. The seller then is obligated to replace the security borrowed by purchasing it at the market price at the time of replacement. It may not be possible to liquidate or close out the short sale at any particular time or at an acceptable price. The price at such a time may be more or less than the price at which the security was sold by the seller. The seller will incur a loss if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the seller replaced the borrowed security. Such loss may be unlimited. The seller will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. The amount of any gain will decrease, and the amount of a loss will increase, by the amount of the premium, dividends or interest the seller may be required to pay in connection with a short sale. The proceeds of the short sale will be retained by the broker, to the extent necessary to meet the margin requirements, until the short position is closed out.

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The seller may also make short sales "against the box." A short sale "against the box" is a transaction in which a security identical to one owned by the seller is borrowed and sold short. If the seller enters into a short sale against the box, it is required to hold securities equivalent in-kind and in amount to the securities sold short (or securities convertible or exchangeable into such securities) while the short sale is outstanding. The seller will incur transaction costs, including interest, in connection with opening, maintaining, and closing short sales against the box and will forgo an opportunity for capital appreciation in the security.

Selling short "against the box" typically limits the amount of effective leverage. Short sales "against the box" may be used to hedge against market risks when the manager believes that the price of a security may decline, causing a decline in the value of a security or a security convertible into or exchangeable for such security. In such case, any future losses in the long position would be reduced by a gain in the short position. The extent to which such gains or losses in the long position are reduced will depend upon the amount of securities sold short relative to the amount of the securities owned, either directly or indirectly, and, in the case of convertible securities, changes in the investment values or conversion premiums of such securities.

In response to market events, the SEC and regulatory authorities in other jurisdictions may adopt (and in certain cases, have adopted) bans on, and/or reporting requirements for, short sales of certain securities. See "Derivatives Regulation" for more information.

**Small- and Mid-Capitalization Issuers:** Issuers with smaller market capitalizations, including small- and mid-capitalization issuers, may have limited product lines, markets, or financial resources, may lack the competitive strength of larger issuers, may have inexperienced managers or depend on a few key employees. In addition, their securities often are less widely held and trade less frequently and in lesser quantities, and their market prices are often more volatile, than the securities of issuers with larger market capitalizations. Issuers with smaller market capitalizations may include issuers with a limited operating history (unseasoned issuers). Investment decisions for these securities may place a greater emphasis on current or planned product lines and the reputation and experience of the issuer's management and less emphasis on fundamental valuation factors than would be the case for more mature issuers. In addition, investments in unseasoned issuers are more speculative and entail greater risk than do investments in issuers with an established operating record. The liquidation of significant positions in small- and mid-capitalization issuers with limited trading volume, particularly in a distressed market, could be prolonged and result in investment losses.

**Sovereign Debt:** Investments in debt instruments issued by governments or by government agencies and instrumentalities (so called sovereign debt) involve the risk that the governmental entities responsible for repayment may be unable or unwilling to pay interest and repay principal when due. A governmental entity's willingness or ability to pay interest and repay principal in a timely manner may be affected by a variety of factors, including its cash flow, the size of its reserves, its access to foreign exchange, the relative size of its debt service burden to its economy as a whole, and political constraints. A governmental entity may default on its obligations or may require renegotiation or rescheduling of debt payment. Any restructuring of a sovereign debt obligation will likely have a significant adverse effect on the value of the obligation. In the event of default of sovereign debt, legal action against the sovereign issuer, or realization on collateral securing the debt, may not be possible. The sovereign debt of many non-U.S. governments, including their sub-divisions and instrumentalities, is rated below investment grade. Sovereign debt risk may be greater for debt instruments issued or guaranteed by emerging and/or frontier countries.

Sovereign debt includes Brady bonds, U.S. dollar-denominated bonds issued by an emerging market and collateralized by U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds. Brady bonds arose from an effort in the 1980s to reduce the debt held by less-developed countries that frequently defaulted on loans. The bonds are named for Treasury Secretary Nicholas Brady, who helped international monetary organizations institute the program of debt-restructuring. Defaulted loans were converted into bonds with U.S. Treasury zero-coupon bonds as collateral. Because the Brady bonds were backed by zero-coupon bonds, repayment of principal was insured. The Brady bonds themselves are coupon-bearing bonds with a variety of rate options (fixed, variable, step, etc.) with maturities of between 10 and 30 years. Issued at par or at a discount, Brady bonds often include warrants for raw material available in the country of origin or other options.

**Special Purpose Acquisition Companies:** The Fund may invest in stock, rights, and warrants of special purpose acquisition companies ("SPACs"). Also known as a "blank check company," a SPAC is a company with no commercial operations that is formed solely to raise capital from investors for the purpose of acquiring one or more existing private companies. The typical SPAC IPO involves the sale of units consisting of one share of common stock combined with one or more warrants or fractions of warrants to purchase common stock at a fixed price upon or after consummation of the acquisition. If the Fund purchases shares of a SPAC in an IPO, it will generally bear a sales commission, which may be significant. SPACs often have pre-determined time frames to make an acquisition after going public (typically two years) or the SPAC will liquidate, at which point invested funds are returned to the entity's shareholders (less certain permitted expenses) and any rights or warrants issued by the SPAC expire worthless. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally holds its assets in U.S. government securities, money market securities and cash. To the extent the SPAC holds cash or similar securities, this may impact the Fund's ability to meet its investment objective. SPACs generally provide their investors with the option of redeeming an investment in the SPAC at or around the time of effecting an acquisition. In some cases, the Fund may forfeit its right to receive additional warrants or other interests in the SPAC if it redeems its interest in the SPAC in connection with an acquisition. SPACs are subject to increasing scrutiny, and potential legal challenges or regulatory developments may limit their effectiveness or prevalence. For example, the SEC recently adopted additional disclosure and other rules that apply to SPACs; it is impossible to predict the potential impact of these developments on the use of SPACs.

Because SPACs have no operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of a SPAC's securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity's management to identify and complete a favorable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. At the time the Fund invests in a SPAC, there may be little or no basis for the Fund to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which the SPAC may ultimately operate or the target business which the SPAC may ultimately acquire. There is no guarantee that a SPAC in which the Fund invests will complete an acquisition or that any acquisitions that are completed will be profitable.

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It is possible that a significant portion of the funds raised by a SPAC for the purpose of identifying and effecting an acquisition or merger may be expended during the search for a target transaction. Attractive acquisition or merger targets may become scarce if the number of SPACs seeking to acquire operating businesses increases. No market, or only a thinly traded market, for shares of or interests in a SPAC may develop, leaving the Fund unable to sell its interest in a SPAC or able to sell its interest only at a price below what the Fund believes is the SPAC security's value. In addition, the Fund may be delayed in receiving any redemption or liquidation proceeds from a SPAC to which it is entitled, and an investment in a SPAC may be diluted by additional later offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing rights to purchase shares of the SPAC. The values of investments in SPACs may be highly volatile and may depreciate significantly over time.

**Special Situation Issuers:** A special situation arises when, in the opinion of the manager, the securities of a particular issuer can be purchased at prices below the anticipated future value of the cash, securities or other consideration to be paid or exchanged for such securities solely by reason of a development applicable to that issuer and regardless of general business conditions or movements of the market as a whole. Developments creating special situations might include, among others: liquidations, reorganizations, recapitalizations, mergers, material litigation, technical breakthroughs, and new management or management policies. Investments in special situations often involve much greater risk than is inherent in ordinary investment securities, because of the high degree of uncertainty that can be associated with such events.

If a security is purchased in anticipation of a proposed transaction and the transaction later appears unlikely to be consummated or in fact is not consummated or is delayed, the market price of the security may decline sharply. There is typically asymmetry in the risk/reward payout of special situations strategies – the losses that can occur in the event of deal break-ups can far exceed the gains to be had if deals close successfully. The consummation of a proposed transaction can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including regulatory and antitrust restrictions, political developments, industry weakness, stock specific events, failed financings, and general market declines. Certain special situation investments prevent ownership interest therein from being withdrawn until the special situation investment, or a portion thereof, is realized or deemed realized, which may negatively impact Fund performance.

**Structured Notes (Debt Instruments):** Structured notes are investments, the interest rate or principal of which is linked to currencies, interest rates, commodities, indices, or other financial indicators (each, a "reference instrument"). Structured notes generally are privately negotiated debt obligations issued by corporations, including banks, or governmental agencies and frequently are assembled in the form of medium-term notes, but a variety of forms are available. The terms of structured notes normally provide that their principal and/or interest payments are to be adjusted upwards or downwards (but ordinarily not below zero) to reflect changes in the values of the reference instrument. As a result, the interest and/or principal payments made on a structured note may change and the Fund may experience losses on some or all of the amount invested in a structured note. The rate of return on a structured note may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of the reference instrument or other asset(s). Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss. Investment in a structured note involves certain risks, including the credit risk of the issuer and the normal risks of price changes in response to changes in interest rates. Further, in the case of certain structured notes, a decline in the reference instrument may cause the interest rate to be reduced to zero, and any further declines in the reference instrument may then reduce the principal amount payable on maturity. Finally, structured notes may have lower liquidity than other types of securities, and their values may be more volatile than their reference instruments. "Subordinated" structured notes, which are subordinated to the right of payment of another class of the structured note, typically have higher yields and present greater risks than "unsubordinated" structured notes.

**Supranational Entities:** Obligations of supranational entities include securities designated or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development of international banking institutions and related government agencies. Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the "World Bank"), the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. There is no assurance that participating governments will be able or willing to honor any commitments they may have made to make capital contributions to a supranational entity, or that a supranational entity will otherwise have resources sufficient to meet its commitments.

**Swap Transactions and Options on Swap Transactions**: Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined underlying assets, which may be adjusted for an interest factor. The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," (*i.e*., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a "basket" of securities representing a particular index). When the Fund enters into an interest rate swap, it typically agrees to make payments to its counterparty based on a specified long- or short-term interest rate, and will receive payments from its counterparty based on another interest rate. Other forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a specified payment stream, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a specified payment stream, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels. The Fund may enter into an interest rate swap in order, for example, to hedge against the effect of interest rate changes on the value of specific securities in its portfolio, or to adjust the interest rate sensitivity (duration) or the credit exposure of its portfolio overall, or otherwise as a substitute for a direct investment in debt instruments.

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In a total return swap, one party typically agrees to pay to the other a short-term interest rate in return for a payment at one or more times in the future based on the increase in the value of an underlying asset; if the underlying asset declines in value, the party that pays the short-term interest rate must also pay to its counterparty a payment based on the amount of the decline. A swap may create a long or short position in the underlying asset. A total return swap may be used to hedge against an exposure in an investment portfolio (including to adjust the duration or credit quality of a bond portfolio) or generally to put cash to work efficiently in the markets in anticipation of, or as a replacement for, cash investments. A total return swap may also be used to gain exposure to securities or markets which may not be accessed directly (in so-called market access transactions).

In a credit default swap, one party provides what is in effect insurance against a default or other adverse credit event affecting an issuer of debt instruments (typically referred to as a "reference entity"). In general, the protection "buyer" in a credit default swap is obligated to pay the protection "seller" an upfront amount or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap. If a "credit event" occurs, the buyer has the right to deliver to the seller bonds or other obligations of the reference entity (with a value up to the full notional value of the swap), and to receive a payment equal to the par value of the bonds or other obligations. Rather than exchange the bonds for the par value, a single cash payment may be due from the seller representing the difference between the par value of the bonds and the current market value of the bonds (which may be determined through an auction). Credit events that would trigger a request that the seller make payment are specific to each credit default swap agreement, but generally include bankruptcy, failure to pay, restructuring, obligation acceleration, obligation default, or repudiation/moratorium. If the Fund buys protection, it may or may not own securities of the reference entity. If it does own securities of the reference entity, the swap serves as a hedge against a decline in the value of the securities due to the occurrence of a credit event involving the issuer of the securities. If the Fund does not own securities of the reference entity, the credit default swap may be seen to create a short position in the reference entity. If the Fund is a buyer and no credit event occurs, the Fund will typically recover nothing under the swap, but will have had to pay the required upfront payment or stream of continuing payments under the swap. If the Fund sells protection under a credit default swap, the position may have the effect of creating leverage in the Fund's portfolio through the Fund's indirect long exposure to the issuer or securities on which the swap is written. If the Fund sells protection, it may do so either to earn additional income or to create such a "synthetic" long position. Credit default swaps involve general market risks, illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, and credit risk.

A cross-currency swap is a contract between two counterparties to exchange interest and principal payments in different currencies. A cross-currency swap normally has an exchange of principal at maturity (the final exchange); an exchange of principal at the start of the swap (the initial exchange) is optional. An initial exchange of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a spot transaction in the foreign exchange market (for an immediate exchange of foreign exchange risk). An exchange at maturity of notional principal amounts at the spot exchange rate serves the same function as a forward transaction in the foreign exchange market (for a future transfer of foreign exchange risk). The currency swap market convention is to use the spot rate rather than the forward rate for the exchange at maturity. The economic difference is realized through the coupon exchanges over the life of the swap. In contrast to single currency interest rate swaps, cross-currency swaps involve both interest rate risk and foreign exchange risk.

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

An interest rate cap is a right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the cap equal to the difference between any higher actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or "cap") level. The cap buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move above the strike. An interest rate floor is the right to receive periodic cash payments over the life of the floor equal to the difference between any lower actual level of interest rates in the future and a specified strike (or "floor") level. The floor buyer purchases protection for a floating rate move below the strike. The strikes are based on a reference rate chosen by the parties and are typically measured quarterly. Rights arising pursuant to both caps and floors are typically exercised automatically if the strike is in the money. Caps and floors can eliminate the risk that the buyer fails to exercise an in-the-money option.

The swap market has grown over the years, with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and agents utilizing standard swap documentation, which has contributed to greater liquidity in certain areas of the swap market under normal market conditions.

An option on swap agreement ("swaption") is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms. Depending on the terms of the particular swaption, generally a greater degree of risk is incurred when writing a swaption than when purchasing a swaption. If the Fund purchases a swaption, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, if the Fund writes a swaption, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

The successful use of swap agreements or swaptions depends on the manager's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Moreover, the Fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty.

Swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with traditional investments. The use of a swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions. Because they are two-party

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contracts that may be subject to contractual restrictions on transferability and termination and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap agreements may be considered to be illiquid. To the extent that a swap is not liquid, it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses.

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

Counterparty risk with respect to derivatives has been and may continue to be affected by rules and regulations concerning the derivatives market. Some interest rate swaps and credit default index swaps are required to be centrally cleared, and a party to a cleared derivatives transaction is subject to the credit risk of the clearing house and the clearing member through which it holds the position. Credit risk of market participants with respect to derivatives that are centrally cleared is concentrated in a few clearing houses and clearing members, and it is not clear how an insolvency proceeding of a clearing house or clearing member would be conducted, what effect the insolvency proceeding would have on any recovery by the Fund, and what impact an insolvency of a clearing house or clearing member would have on the financial system more generally. In some ways, cleared derivative arrangements are less favorable to the Fund than bilateral arrangements, for example, by requiring that the Fund provide more margin for its cleared derivatives positions. Also, as a general matter, in contrast to a bilateral derivatives position, following a period of notice to the Fund, the clearing house or the clearing member through which it holds its position at any time can require termination of an existing cleared derivatives position or an increase in the margin required at the outset of a transaction. Any increase in margin requirements or termination of existing cleared derivatives positions by the clearing member or the clearing house could interfere with the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategy.

Also, in the event of a counterparty's (or its affiliate's) insolvency, the possibility exists that the Fund's ability to exercise remedies, such as the termination of transactions, netting of obligations and realization on collateral, could be stayed or eliminated under special resolution regimes adopted in the U.S., the EU, the UK, and various other jurisdictions. Such regimes provide government authorities with broad authority to intervene when a financial institution is experiencing financial difficulty. In particular, the regulatory authorities could reduce, eliminate, or convert to equity the liabilities to the Fund of a counterparty who is subject to such proceedings in the EU and the UK (sometimes referred to as a "bail in").

The U.S. government, the EU, and the UK have also adopted mandatory minimum margin requirements for bilateral derivatives. Such requirements could increase the amount of margin required to be provided by the Fund in connection with its derivatives transactions and, therefore, make derivatives transactions more expensive.

The SEC has finalized new rules restricting activities that could be considered to be manipulative in connection with security-based swaps. While it is currently difficult to predict the full impact of these new rules, these rules could make it more difficult for the Fund to execute certain investment strategies and may have a material adverse affect on the Fund's ability to generate returns.

<u>Foreign Currency Warrants</u>: Foreign currency warrants such as Currency Exchange Warrants<sup>SM</sup> ("CEWs<sup>SM</sup>") are warrants that entitle the holder to receive from their issuer an amount of cash (generally, for warrants issued in the U.S., in U.S. dollars) which is calculated pursuant to a predetermined formula and based on the exchange rate between a specified foreign currency and the U.S. dollar as of the exercise date of the warrant. Foreign currency warrants generally are exercisable upon their issuance and expire as of a specified date and time. The formula used to determine the amount payable upon exercise of a foreign currency warrant may make the warrant worthless unless the applicable foreign currency exchange rate moves in a particular direction (*e.g*., unless the U.S. dollar appreciates or depreciates against the particular foreign currency to which the warrant is linked or indexed).

**To Be Announced Sale Commitments:** To be announced commitments represent an agreement to purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery or forward commitment basis through the "to-be announced" ("TBA") market. With TBA transactions, a commitment is made to either purchase or sell securities for a fixed price, without payment, and delivery at a scheduled future dated beyond the customary settlement period for securities. In addition, with TBA transactions, the particular securities to be delivered or received are not identified at the trade date; however, securities delivered to a purchaser must meet specified criteria (such as yield, duration, and credit quality) and contain similar characteristics. TBA securities may be sold to hedge positions or to dispose of securities under delayed delivery arrangements.

Although the particular TBA securities must meet industry-accepted "good delivery" standards, there can be no assurance that a security purchased on a forward commitment basis will ultimately be issued or delivered by the counterparty. During the settlement period, the purchaser will still bear the risk of any decline in the value of the security to be delivered. Because these transactions do not require the purchase and sale of identical securities, the characteristics of the security delivered to the purchaser may be less favorable than the security delivered to the dealer. The purchaser of TBA securities generally is subject to increased market risk and interest rate risk because the delivered securities may be less favorable than anticipated by the purchaser. TBA securities have the effect of creating leverage.

FINRA rules that became effective in 2024 include mandatory margin requirements for the TBA market with limited exceptions. TBAs historically had not been required to be collateralized. The collateralization of TBA trades is intended to mitigate counterparty credit risk between trade and settlement, but could increase the cost of TBA transactions and impose added operational complexity.

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**Trust Preferred Securities:** Trust preferred securities have the characteristics of both subordinated debt and preferred stock. Generally, trust preferred securities are issued by a trust that is wholly owned by a financial institution or other corporate entity, typically a bank holding company. The financial institution creates the trust and owns the trust's common stocks, which may typically represent a small percentage of the trust's capital structure. The remainder of the trust's capital structure typically consists of trust preferred securities, which are sold to investors. The trust uses the sale proceeds of its common stocks to purchase subordinated debt instruments issued by the financial institution. The financial institution uses the proceeds from the sale of the subordinated debt instruments to increase its capital while the trust receives periodic interest payments from the financial institution for holding the subordinated debt instruments. The interests of the holders of the trust preferred securities are senior to those of common stockholders in the event that the financial institution is liquidated, although their interests are typically subordinated to those of other holders of other debt instruments issued by the financial institution. The primary advantage of this structure to the financial institution is that the trust preferred securities issued by the trust are treated by the financial institution as debt instruments for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the interest on which is generally a deductible expense for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and as equity for the calculation of capital requirements.

The trust uses interest payments it receives from the financial institution to make dividend payments to the holders of the trust preferred securities. Trust preferred securities typically bear a market rate coupon comparable to interest rates available on debt of a similarly rated issuer. Typical characteristics of trust preferred securities include long-term maturities, early redemption option by the issuer, and maturities at face value. Holders of trust preferred securities have limited voting rights to control the activities of the trust and no voting rights with respect to the financial institution. The market value of trust preferred securities may be more volatile than those of conventional debt instruments. Trust preferred securities may be issued in reliance on Rule 144A and subject to restrictions on resale. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of trust preferred securities and the ability of holders to sell their holdings. The condition of the financial institution can be considered when seeking to identify the risks of trust preferred securities as the trust typically has no business operations other than to issue the trust preferred securities. If the financial institution defaults on interest payments to the trust, the trust will not be able to make dividend payments to holders of its securities.

**U.S. Government Securities and Obligations:** Some U.S. government securities, such as Treasury bills, notes, and bonds and mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by GNMA, are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency's obligations; still others are supported only by the credit of the issuing agency, instrumentality, or enterprise. Although U.S. government-sponsored enterprises may be chartered or sponsored by Congress, they are not funded by Congressional appropriations, and their securities are not issued by the U.S. Treasury, their obligations are not supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, and so investments in their securities or obligations issued by them involve greater risk than investments in other types of U.S. government securities. In addition, certain governmental entities have been subject to regulatory scrutiny regarding their accounting policies and practices and other concerns that may result in legislation, changes in regulatory oversight and/or other consequences that could adversely affect the credit quality, availability or investment character of securities issued or guaranteed by these entities.

From time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could: increase the risk that the U.S. government may default on payments on certain U.S. government securities; cause the credit rating of the U.S. government to be downgraded or increase volatility in both stock and bond markets; result in higher interest rates; reduce prices of U.S. Treasury securities; and/or increase the costs of certain kinds of debt. There is no assurance that the U.S. Congress will act to raise the debt ceiling; a failure to do so could cause market turmoil and substantial investment risks that cannot now be fully predicted. On May 16, 2025, Moody's Ratings downgraded the U.S. long-term issuer and senior unsecured credit rating. Similar downgrades occurred in August 2023 when Fitch Ratings downgraded the U.S. long-term credit rating and August 2011 when S&P lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating on the U.S. These and other future downgrades could increase volatility in both stock and bond markets, result in higher interest rates and lower Treasury prices and increase the costs of all kinds of debt. These events and similar events in other areas of the world could have significant adverse effects on the economy generally and could result in significant adverse impacts on the Fund or issuers of securities held by the Fund. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser cannot predict the effects of these or similar events in the future on the U.S. economy and securities markets or on the Fund's portfolio. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may not timely anticipate or manage existing, new or additional risks, contingencies or developments.

<u>Government Trust Certificates</u>: Government trust certificates represent an interest in a government trust, the property of which consists of: (i) a promissory note of a foreign government, no less than 90% of which is backed by the full faith and credit guarantee issued by the federal government of the United States pursuant to Title III of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Borrowers Programs Appropriations Act of 1998; and (ii) a security interest in obligations of the U.S. Treasury backed by the full faith and credit of the United States sufficient to support the remaining balance (no more than 10%) of all payments of principal and interest on such promissory note; provided that such obligations shall not be rated less than AAA by S&P or less than Aaa by Moody's or have received a comparable rating by another NRSRO.

**When-Issued Securities and Delayed Delivery Transactions:** When-issued securities and delayed delivery transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities at a predetermined price or yield with payment and delivery taking place in the future after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Upon the purchase of the securities, liquid assets with an amount equal to or greater than the purchase price of the security will be set aside to cover the purchase of that security. The value of these securities is reflected in the net value as of the purchase date; however, no income accrues from the securities prior to their delivery.

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There can be no assurance that a security purchased on a when-issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold on a delayed delivery basis will be delivered. When the Fund engages in when-issued or delayed delivery transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund's incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.

The purchase of securities in this type of transaction increases an overall investment exposure and involves a risk of loss if the value of the securities declines prior to settlement. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, the securities may be disposed of or the transaction renegotiated after it has been entered into, and the securities sold before those securities are delivered on the settlement date.

**Zero-Coupon, Deferred Interest and Pay-in-Kind Bonds:** Zero-coupon and deferred interest bonds are debt instruments that do not entitle the holder to any periodic payment of interest prior to maturity or a specified date when the securities begin paying current interest and therefore are issued and traded at a discount from their face amounts or par values. The values of zero-coupon and pay-in-kind bonds are more volatile in response to interest rate changes than debt instruments of comparable maturities that make regular distributions of interest. Pay-in-kind bonds allow the issuer, at its option, to make current interest payments on the bonds either in cash or in additional bonds.

Interest income from these types of securities accrues prior to the receipt of cash payments and must be distributed to shareholders when it accrues, potentially requiring the liquidation of other investments, including at times when such liquidation may not be advantageous, in order to comply with the distribution requirements applicable to RICs under the Code.

**OTHER RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS**

**Cyber Security Issues:** Cyber security incidents and cyber-attacks (referred to collectively herein as "cyber-attacks") have been occurring globally at a more frequent and severe level and will likely continue to increase in frequency in the future. The Voya family of funds, and their service providers, may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Furthermore, as the Fund's assets grow, it may become a more appealing target for cybersecurity threats such as hackers and malware. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, ransomware attacks, social engineering attempts (such as business email compromise attacks), the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cyber security breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or its service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential business information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. The Fund may also incur additional costs for cyber security risk management purposes. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber-attacks in the future. Similar types of cyber security risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund may invest, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund's investment in such companies to lose value. In addition, cyber-attacks involving the Fund's counterparty could affect such counterparty's ability to meet its obligations to the Fund, which may result in losses to the Fund and its shareholders. Furthermore, as a result of cyber-attacks, disruptions or failures, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on specific securities or the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or unable to accurately price its investments. While the Fund has established a business continuity plan in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber-attacks, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, the Fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by service providers to the Fund, and such third-party service providers may have limited indemnification obligations to the Investment Adviser or the Fund, each of whom could be negatively impacted as a result. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. Any problems relating to the performance and effectiveness of security procedures used by the Fund or third-party service providers to protect the Fund's assets, such as algorithms, codes, passwords, multiple signature systems, encryption and telephone call-backs, may have an adverse impact on an investment in the Fund. There may be an increased risk of cyber-attacks during periods of geo-political or military conflict and new ways to carry out cyber-attacks are always developing. In addition, the rapid development and increasingly widespread use of artificial intelligence, including machine learning technology and generative artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, could exacerbate these risks. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund's ability to plan for or respond to a cyber-attack. Cybersecurity and data protection have become top priorities for regulators around the world, and rapidly developing and changing privacy, data protection and cybersecurity laws and regulations could further increase compliance costs and subject the Investment Adviser and the the Funds to enforcement risk and reputational damage. Many jurisdictions have laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection and cybersecurity, including the General Data Protection Regulation in the EU, the UK Data Protection Act and the California Privacy Rights Act, as well as recently adopted SEC rules. Additional regulatory requirements related to cybersecurity and data protection could increase compliance costs and potential regulatory liability related to cybersecurity for the Investment Adviser and the Funds. Some jurisdictions have also enacted or proposed laws requiring companies to notify individuals and government agencies of data security breaches involving certain types of personal data.

**LIBOR Transition and Reference Benchmarks:** LIBOR was the offered rate for short-term Eurodollar deposits between major international banks. The terms of investments, financings or other transactions (including certain derivatives transactions) to which the Fund may be a party, have historically been tied to LIBOR. In connection with the global transition away from LIBOR led by regulators and market participants,

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LIBOR was last published on a representative basis at the end of June 2023. Alternative reference rates to LIBOR have been established in most major currencies and markets in these new rates are continuing to develop. The transition away from LIBOR to the use of replacement rates has gone relatively smoothly but the full impact of the transition on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined.

For example, SOFR is the replacement rate for USD-LIBOR and is published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. SOFR is a broad measure of the cost of borrowing cash overnight collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities in the repurchase agreement (repo) market. SOFR is published in various forms including as a daily, compounded, and forward-looking term rate. Markets in these new rates such as SOFR are continuing to develop. The transition away from LIBOR to the use of replacement rates has gone relatively smoothly although the full impact of the transition on the Fund or the financial instruments in which the Fund invests cannot yet be fully determined.

While LIBOR was an unsecured rate, SOFR is a secured rate. SOFR, unlike LIBOR, reflects actual market transactions. Accordingly, SOFR is not the economic equivalent of LIBOR. Consequently, there can be no assurance that SOFR will perform in the same way as LIBOR would have at any time, including, without limitation, as a result of changes in interest and yield rates in the market, monetary policy, bank credit risk, market volatility or global or regional economic, financial, political, regulatory, judicial or other events.

In addition, interest rates or other types of rates and indices which are classed as "benchmarks" have been the subject of ongoing national and international regulatory reform, including under the EU regulation on indices used as benchmarks in financial instruments and financial contracts (known as the "Benchmarks Regulation"). The Benchmarks Regulation has been enacted into UK law by virtue of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended), subject to amendments made by the Benchmarks (Amendment and Transitional Provision) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (SI 2019/657) and other statutory instruments. Following the implementation of these reforms, the manner of administration of benchmarks has changed and may further change in the future, with the result that relevant benchmarks may perform differently than in the past, the use of benchmarks that are not compliant with the new standards by certain supervised entities may be restricted, and certain benchmarks may be eliminated entirely. Such changes could cause increased market volatility and disruptions in liquidity for instruments that rely on or are impacted by such benchmarks. Additionally, there could be other consequences which cannot be predicted.

**Qualified Financial Contracts:** The Fund's investments may involve qualified financial contracts ("QFCs"). QFCs include, but are not limited to, securities contracts, commodities contracts, forward contracts, repurchase agreements, securities lending agreements and swaps agreements, as well as related master agreements, security agreements, credit enhancements, and reimbursement obligations. Under regulations adopted by federal banking regulators pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, certain QFCs with counterparties that are part of U.S. or foreign global systemically important banking organizations are required to include contractual restrictions on close-out and cross-default rights. If a covered counterparty of the Fund or certain of the covered counterparty's affiliates were to become subject to certain insolvency proceedings, the Fund may be temporarily, or in some cases permanently, unable to exercise certain default rights, and the QFC may be transferred to another entity. These requirements may impact the Fund's credit and counterparty risks.

**Redemption Risk**: The Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. A number of circumstances may cause the Fund to experience heavy redemptions, including, but not limited to, the occurrence of significant events affecting investor demand for securities or asset classes in which the Fund invests; changes in the eligibility criteria for the Fund or share class of the Fund; other announced Fund events; or changes in investment objectives, strategies, policies, risks or investment personnel. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that the Fund has investors with large shareholdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, redemption risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil. The redemption by one or more large shareholders of their holdings in the Fund could hurt performance and/or cause the remaining shareholders in the Fund to lose money. Heavy redemptions may result in taxable income and/or gains for the Fund, which may increase taxable distributions to shareholders, and may also increase transaction costs. The effects of taxable income and/or gains resulting from heavy redemptions would particularly impact non-redeeming shareholders who do not hold their Fund shares in an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged arrangement. To the extent that such redemptions result in short-term capital gains, such gains when distributed by the Fund will generally be taxed at the ordinary U.S. federal income tax rate for individual shareholders who hold Fund shares in a taxable account. The Fund's redemption risk is increased if one decision maker has control of fund shares owned by separate fund shareholders, including clients or affiliates of the Investment Adviser. If the Fund is forced to liquidate its assets under unfavorable conditions or at inopportune times, the value of your investment could decline.

**PORTFOLIO TURNOVER**

A change in securities held in the Fund's portfolio is known as portfolio turnover and may involve the payment by the Fund of dealer mark-ups or brokerage or underwriting commissions and other transaction costs associated with the purchase or sale of securities.

The Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with the Fund's investment objective. Portfolio investments may be sold for a variety of reasons, such as a more favorable investment opportunity or other circumstances bearing on the desirability of continuing to hold such investments. Portfolio turnover rate for a fiscal year is the percentage determined by dividing (i) the lesser of the cost of purchases or sales of portfolio securities by (ii) the monthly average of the value of portfolio securities owned by the Fund during the fiscal year. Securities with maturities at acquisition of one year or less are excluded from this calculation. The Fund cannot accurately predict its turnover rate; however, the rate will be higher when the Fund finds it necessary or desirable to significantly change its portfolio to adopt a temporary defensive position or respond to economic or market events.

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A portfolio turnover rate of 100% or more is considered high, although the rate of portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making portfolio decisions. A high rate of portfolio turnover involves correspondingly greater brokerage commission expenses and transaction costs which are ultimately borne by the Fund's shareholders. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial capital gains.

The Fund's historical turnover rates are included in the Financial Highlights table(s) in the Prospectus.

**FUNDAMENTAL AND NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS**

Unless otherwise indicated or as required by applicable law or regulation, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund's assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such percentage limitation or standard will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund's acquisition of such security or other asset, except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a "senior security" under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in value, net assets or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund's investment policies and limitations.

Unless otherwise stated, if the Fund's holdings of illiquid securities exceeds 15% of its net assets because of changes in the value of the Fund's investments, the Fund will take action to reduce its holdings of illiquid securities within a time frame deemed to be in the best interest of the Fund.

Illiquid investment means any investment that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Such securities include, but are not limited to, fixed time deposits and repurchase agreements with maturities longer than seven days. Securities that may be resold under Rule 144A, securities offered pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, or securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale under the 1933 Act ("Restricted Securities") shall not be deemed illiquid solely by reason of being unregistered.

**FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS** 

The Fund has adopted the following investment restrictions as fundamental policies, which means they cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The term "majority" is defined in the 1940 Act as the lesser of: (i) 67% or more of the Fund's voting securities present at a meeting of shareholders at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund are present in person or represented by proxy; or (ii) more than 50% of the Fund's outstanding voting securities.

As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:

1. purchase any securities which would cause 25% or more of the value of its total assets at the time of purchase to be invested in securities of one or more issuers conducting their principal business activities in the same industry, provided that: (i) there is no limitation with respect to obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, or tax-exempt securities issued by any state or territory of the United States, or tax-exempt securities issued by any of their agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and (ii) notwithstanding this limitation or any other fundamental investment limitation, assets may be invested in the securities of one or more management investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

2. purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, with respect to 75% of the Fund's total assets, more than 5% of the value of its total assets would be invested in the securities of any one issuer or the Fund's ownership would be more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any issuer, provided that this restriction does not limit the Fund's investments in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or investments in securities of other investment companies;

3. borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

4. make loans, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, including the rules, regulations, interpretations and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund;

5. underwrite any issue of securities within the meaning of the 1933 Act except when it might technically be deemed to be an underwriter either: (i) in connection with the disposition of a portfolio security; or (ii) in connection with the purchase of securities directly from the issuer thereof in accordance with its investment objective. This restriction shall not limit the Fund's ability to invest in securities issued by other registered management investment companies;

6. purchase or sell real estate, except that the Fund may: (i) acquire or lease office space for its own use; (ii) invest in securities of issuers that invest in real estate or interests therein; (iii) invest in mortgage-related securities and other securities that are secured by real estate or interests therein; or (iv) hold and sell real estate acquired by the Fund as a result of the ownership of securities;

7. issue senior securities except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any exemptive relief obtained by the Fund; or

8. purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities). This limitation does not apply to foreign currency transactions, including, without limitation, forward currency contracts.

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**NON-FUNDAMENTAL INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS** 

The Board has adopted the following non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by a vote of the Fund's Board and without shareholder vote.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund's investments in fixed-time deposits subject to withdrawal penalties and maturing in more than 7 days may not exceed 15% of the net assets of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No more than 15% of the Fund's net assets may be comprised, in the aggregate, of assets that are: (i) subject to material legal restrictions on repatriation; or (ii) invested in illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and options on futures which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts for hedging purposes. Generally, no more than 25% of the Fund's assets may be hedged. The Fund may not buy or sell futures contracts or options on futures if the margin deposits and premiums exceed 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund may only invest in synthetic convertibles with respect to companies whose corporate debt securities are rated "A" or higher by Moody's or "A" or higher by S&P and will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in such synthetic securities and other illiquid securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33 <sup>1</sup>∕3% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities deemed to be creditworthy by the Adviser or Sub-Adviser. No lending may be made with any companies affiliated with the Adviser or a Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Fund will not engage in when-issued, forward commitment, or delayed delivery securities transactions for speculation purposes, but only in furtherance of its investment objectives. The Fund will not purchase these securities if more than 15% of the Fund's total assets would be segregated to cover such securities.

**DISCLOSURE OF the Fund's PORTFOLIO SECURITIES**

The Fund is required to file its complete portfolio holdings schedule with the SEC on a quarterly basis. This schedule is filed with the Fund's financial statements and other information on Form N-CSR for the second and fourth fiscal quarters and on Form NPORT-P for the first and third fiscal quarters. The Fund's NPORT-P is available on the SEC's website at https://www.sec.gov and may be obtained, free of charge, by contacting the Fund at the address and phone number on the cover of this SAI or by visiting our website at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports.

In addition, the Fund posts its portfolio holdings schedule on Voya's website on a monthly basis and makes it available on the 30<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar month, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The portfolio holdings schedule is as of the last day of the previous calendar month.

The Fund may also post its complete or partial portfolio holdings on its website as of a specified date. The Fund may also file information on portfolio holdings with the SEC or other regulatory authority as required by applicable law.

The Fund also compiles a list of its ten largest ("Top Ten") holdings and/or its Top Ten issuers. This information is made available on Voya's website on the 10<sup>th</sup> calendar day following the end of the previous calendar month, or as soon thereafter as practicable. The Top Ten holdings and/or issuer information shall be as of the last day of the previous calendar month.

Investors (both individual and institutional), financial intermediaries that distribute the Fund's shares, and most third parties may receive the Fund's annual or semi-annual shareholder reports, or view them on Voya's website, along with the Fund's portfolio holdings schedule.

The Top Ten list is also provided in quarterly Fund descriptions that are included in the offering materials of variable life insurance products, variable annuity contracts and other retirement plans.

Other than in regulatory filings or on Voya's website, the Fund may provide its complete portfolio holdings to certain unaffiliated third parties and affiliates when the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so. Unless otherwise noted below, the Fund's disclosure of its portfolio holdings will be on an as-needed basis, with no lag time between the date of which the information is requested and the date the information is provided. Specifically, the Fund's disclosure of its portfolio holdings may include disclosure:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm, named herein, for use in providing audit opinions, as well as to the independent registered public accounting firm of an entity affiliated with the Investment Adviser if the Fund is consolidated into the financial results of the affiliated entity;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to financial printers for the purpose of preparing Fund regulatory filings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• for the purpose of due diligence regarding a merger or acquisition involving the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a new adviser or sub-adviser or a transition manager prior to the commencement of its management of the Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to rating and ranking agencies such as Bloomberg L.P., Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Leaders Rating System, and S&P (such agencies may receive more raw data from the Fund than is posted on the Fund's website);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to consultants for use in providing asset allocation advice in connection with investments by affiliated funds-of-funds in the Fund;

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to service providers, on a daily basis, in connection with their providing services benefiting the Fund including, but not limited to, the provision of custodial and transfer agency services, the provision of analytics for securities lending oversight and reporting, compliance oversight, and proxy voting or class action service providers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a third party for purposes of effecting in-kind redemptions of securities to facilitate orderly redemption of portfolio assets and minimal impact on remaining Fund shareholders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to certain wrap fee programs, on a weekly basis, on the first Business Day following the previous calendar week;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to a third party who acts as a "consultant" and supplies the consultant's analysis of holdings (but not actual holdings) to the consultant's clients (including sponsors of retirement plans or their consultants) or who provides regular analysis of Fund portfolios. The types, frequency and timing of disclosure to such parties vary depending upon information requested; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• to legal counsel to the Fund and the Trustees.

In all instances of such disclosure, the receiving party is subject to a duty or obligation of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on such information.

In addition, a Sub-Adviser may provide portfolio holdings information to third-party service providers in connection with the Sub-Adviser carrying out its duties pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement in place between the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Adviser, provided however that the Sub-Adviser is responsible for such third-party's confidential treatment of such data pursuant to the Sub-Advisory Agreement. This portfolio holdings information may be provided on an as-needed basis, with no lag time between the date of which the information is requested and the date the information is provided. A Sub-Adviser is also obligated, pursuant to its fiduciary duty to the relevant Fund, to ensure that any third-party service provider has a duty not to trade on any portfolio holdings information it receives other than on behalf of the Fund until public disclosure by the Fund.

In addition to the situations discussed above, disclosure of the Fund's complete portfolio holdings on a more frequent basis to any unaffiliated third party or affiliates may be permitted if approved by the Chief Legal Officer of the Investment Adviser or the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund (each, an "Authorized Party") pursuant to the Board's procedures. In each such case, the Authorized Party would determine whether the proposed disclosure of the Fund's complete portfolio holdings is for a legitimate business interest; whether such disclosure is in the best interest of Fund shareholders; whether such disclosure will create any conflicts between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter or any affiliated person of the Fund, its Investment Adviser, or its Principal Underwriter, on the other; and the third party must execute an agreement setting forth its duty of confidentiality with regards to the portfolio holdings, including a duty not to trade on such information. An Authorized Party would report to the Board regarding the implementation of these procedures.

The Board has authorized the senior officers of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates to authorize the release of the Fund's portfolio holdings, as necessary, in conformity with the foregoing principles and to monitor for compliance with these policies and procedures. The Investment Adviser or its affiliates report quarterly to the Board regarding the implementation of these policies and procedures.

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**MANAGEMENT OF the Trust**

The business and affairs of the Trust are managed under the direction of the Trust's Board according to the applicable laws of the State of Delaware.

The Board governs the Fund and is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. The Trustees are experienced executives who oversee the Fund's activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the Fund, and review the Fund's performance.

Set forth in the table below is information about each Trustee of the Fund.

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br>**with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br>**and Length** <br>**of Time** <br>**Served**<sup>1</sup> <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br>**During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br>**of Funds** <br>**in the** <br>**Fund Complex** <br>**Overseen by** <br>**Trustees**<sup>2</sup> <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br>**Positions Held** <br>**by Trustees**<br>|
| **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** | **Independent Trustees** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Colleen D. Baldwin**<br>(1960)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; November 2007 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President, Glantuam Partners, <br> LLC, a business consulting firm <br> (January 2009 – Present).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stanley Global Engineering (2020 <br> – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **John V. Boyer**<br>(1953)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; January 2005 – <br> Present<br>| Retired. | 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jody T. Foster**<br>(1969)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Founder and Chief Executive <br> Officer, Symphony Consulting, an <br> investment operations consulting <br> firm to private asset managers <br> and wealth management firm <br> (2010 – Present). Formerly, <br> Independent Director, Hussman <br> Investment Trust, a registered <br> investment company fund <br> complex (2016 – 2025); <br> Independent Director, Forum CRE <br> Income Fund, a registered <br> investment company (April 2021 <br> – January 2022).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Diamond Hill Funds (13 Funds) <br> (2022 – Present). <br>|

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br> **and Length** <br> **of Time** <br> **Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br> **During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br> **of Funds** <br> **in the** <br> **Fund Complex** <br> **Overseen by** <br> **Trustees**<sup>2</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br> **Positions Held** <br> **by Trustees**<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Dennis A. Johnson**<br>(1960)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Non-Executive Director, Namib <br> Minerals (April 2025 – Present). <br> Formerly, Independent Director, <br> EasyKnock, a real estate <br> company (December 2023 – <br> November 2024); Director of <br> Investments, West Coast <br> Financial (May 2022 – December <br> 2023); Independent Director, <br> Glass Lewis & Co., a provider of <br> of governance, proxy research <br> and stewardship services (March <br> 2022 – November 2023).<br>| 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Joseph E. Obermeyer**<br>(1957)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chairperson<br> Trustee<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; January 1, 2025 – <br> Present<br> May 2013 – Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Retired. Formerly, President, <br> Obermeyer & Associates, Inc., a <br> provider of financial and <br> economic consulting services <br> (November 1999 – December <br> 2024).<br>| 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christopher P.** <br> **Sullivan**<br>(1954)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; October 2015 – <br> Present<br>| Retired. | 127 | None. |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Mark R. Wetzel**<br>(1961)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Retired. Formerly, President, <br> Fiducient Advisors, an <br> investment adviser (April 2006 – <br> May 2024).<br>| 127 | None. |
| **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  | **Trustee who is an "Interested Person"**  |

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s)** <br> **Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office** <br> **and Length** <br> **of Time** <br> **Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Principal Occupation(s)** <br> **During the Past 5 Years**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Number** <br> **of Funds** <br> **in the** <br> **Fund Complex** <br> **Overseen by** <br> **Trustees**<sup>2</sup><br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Board** <br> **Positions Held** <br> **by Trustees**<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christian G. Wilson**<sup>3</sup><br>(1968)<br>5780 Powers Ferry <br> Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia <br> 30327<br>| Trustee | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President and Chief Executive <br> Officer, Voya Funds Services, <br> LLC, Voya Capital, LLC, and Voya <br> Investments, LLC (September <br> 2024 – Present); Head of <br> Product and Strategy, Voya <br> Investment Management (June <br> 2024 – Present). Formerly, Head <br> of Global Client Portfolio <br> Management, Voya Investment <br> Management (March 2023 – <br> June 2024); Head of Fixed <br> Income Client Portfolio <br> Management, Voya Investment <br> Management (July 2017 – March <br> 2023).<br>| 127 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director, President, and Chief <br> Executive Officer, Voya Funds <br> Services, LLC, Voya Capital, LLC <br> and Voya Investments, LLC <br> (September 2024 – Present).<br>|

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Trustees serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. The tenure of each Trustee who is not an "interested person" as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Fund (as defined below, "Independent Trustee") is subject to the Board's retirement policy, which states that each duly elected or appointed Independent Trustee shall retire from and cease to be a member of the Board of Trustees at the close of business on December 31 of the calendar year in which the Independent Trustee attains the age of 75. A majority vote of the Board's other Independent Trustees may extend the retirement date of an Independent Trustee if the retirement would trigger a requirement to hold a meeting of shareholders of the Trust under applicable law, whether for the purposes of appointing a successor to the Independent Trustee or otherwise complying under applicable law, in which case the extension would apply until such time as the shareholder meeting can be held or is no longer required (as determined by a vote of a majority of the other Independent Trustees).

For the purposes of this table, "Fund Complex" includes the following investment companies: Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund; Voya Credit Income Fund; Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund; Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund; Voya Equity Trust; Voya Funds Trust; Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund; Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund; Voya Government Money Market Portfolio; Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund; Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio; Voya Investors Trust; Voya Mutual Funds; Voya Partners, Inc.; Voya Separate Portfolios Trust; Voya Variable Funds; Voya Variable Insurance Trust; Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.; and Voya Variable Products Trust. The number of funds in the Fund Complex is as of December 31, 2025.

Mr. Wilson is deemed to be an interested person of the Trust, as defined by the 1940 Act, because of his current affiliation with Voya Financial, Inc. and Voya Financial, Inc.'s affiliates.

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**Information Regarding Officers of the Trust** 

Set forth in the table below is information for each Officer of the Trust.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup> <br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Christian G. Wilson**<br>(1968)<br>5780 Powers Ferry <br> Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia <br> 30327 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; President and <br> Chief/Principal <br> Executive Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2024 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Voya Funds Services, LLC, Voya Capital, <br> LLC, and Voya Investments, LLC (September 2024 – Present); Head of Product and <br> Strategy, Voya Investment Management (June 2024 – Present). Formerly, Head of Global <br> Client Portfolio Management, Voya Investment Management (March 2023 – June 2024); <br> Head of Fixed Income Client Portfolio Management, Voya Investment Management (July <br> 2017 – March 2023).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jonathan Nash**<br>(1967)<br>200 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York <br> 10166 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Executive Vice <br> President and <br> Chief Investment <br> Risk Officer<br>| March 2020 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Head of Investment Risk for Equity and Funds, Voya Investment Management (April 2024 – <br> Present); Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Risk Officer, Voya Investments, <br> LLC (March 2020 – Present); Formerly, Senior Vice President, Investment Risk <br> Management, Voya Investment Management (March 2017 – March 2024)<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Steven Hartstein**<br>(1963)<br>200 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York <br> 10166 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chief Compliance <br> Officer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; December 2022 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investment Management (December 2022 – Present). <br> Formerly, Head of Funds Compliance, Brighthouse Financial, Inc.; and Chief Compliance <br> Officer, Brighthouse Funds and Brighthouse Investment Advisers, LLC (March 2017 – <br> December 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Todd Modic**<br>(1967)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President, <br> Chief/Principal <br> Financial Officer <br> and Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| March 2005 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Director and Senior Vice President, Voya Capital, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC <br> (September 2022 – Present); Director, Voya Investments, LLC (September 2022 – <br> Present); Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (April 2005 – Present). Formerly, <br> President, Voya Funds Services, LLC (March 2018 – September 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Kimberly A. Anderson**<br>(1964)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; November 2003 – <br> Present<br>| Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (September 2003 – Present). |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Sara M. Donaldson**<br>(1959)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (February 2022 – Present); Senior Vice <br> President, Head of Active Ownership, Voya Investment Management (September 2021 – <br> Present). Formerly, Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – February <br> 2022); Vice President, Head of Proxy Voting, Voya Investment Management (October 2015 <br> – August 2021). <br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Jason Kadavy**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2023 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC (September <br> 2023 – Present). Formerly, Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – <br> September 2023); Vice President, Voya Funds Services, LLC (July 2007 – September <br> 2023).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Joanne F. Osberg**<br>(1982)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President and <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 2023 – Present<br>September 2020 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund <br> Legal Department, and Senior Vice President and Secretary, Voya Investments, LLC, Voya <br> Capital, LLC, and Voya Funds Services, LLC (March 2023-Present). Formerly, Secretary, <br> Voya Capital, LLC (August 2022 – March 2023); Vice President and Secretary, Voya <br> Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, LLC and Vice President and Senior Counsel, <br> Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal Department (September 2020 – March <br> 2023); Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (January 2013 – September 2020).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Andrew K. Schlueter**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice <br> President<br>| June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Head of Investment Operations Support, Voya Investment <br> Management (April 2023 - Present); Vice President, Voya Investments Distributor, LLC <br> (April 2018 - Present); Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Funds Services, <br> LLC (March 2018 - Present). Formerly, Senior Vice President, Head of Mutual Fund <br> Operations, Voya Investment Management (March 2022 - March 2023); Vice President, <br> Head of Mutual Fund Operations, Voya Investment Management (February 2018 - February <br> 2022).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Fred Bedoya**<br>(1973)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, <br> Principal <br> Accounting Officer <br> and Treasurer<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2012 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – Present); Vice President, <br> Voya Funds Services, LLC (July 2012 – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Robyn L. Ichilov**<br>(1967)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Vice President | October 2000 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President Voya Investments, LLC (August 1997 – Present); Vice President, Voya Funds <br> Services, LLC (November 1995 – Present).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Erica McKenna**<br>(1972)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| Vice President | June 2022 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Head of Mutual Fund Compliance and Chief Compliance Officer, Voya <br> Investments, LLC (May 2022 – Present). Formerly, Vice President, Fund Compliance <br> Manager, Voya Investments, LLC (March 2021 – May 2022); Assistant Vice President, <br> Fund Compliance Manager, Voya Investments, LLC (December 2016 – March 2021). <br>|

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Name, Address and** <br> **Year of Birth**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Position(s) Held** <br> **with the Trust**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; **Term of Office and** <br> **Length of Time Served**<sup>1</sup><br>| **Principal Occupation(s) During the Past 5 Years** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Caitlin Robinson**<br>(1983)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President <br> and Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; September 2025 – <br> Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (August 2024 – Present). Formerly, Senior Counsel, Putnam Investments <br> (January 2015 – July 2024).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Craig Wheeler**<br>(1969)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| Vice President | May 2013 – Present | Vice President – Director of Tax, Voya Investments, LLC (October 2015 – Present). |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Gizachew Wubishet**<br>(1976)<br>7337 East <br> Doubletree Ranch <br> Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona <br> 85258 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President<br>Assistant <br> Secretary<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; March 2024 – Present<br>June 2022 – Present<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President and Counsel, Voya Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal <br> Department (March 2024 – Present). Formerly, Assistant Vice President and Counsel, Voya <br> Investment Management – Mutual Fund Legal Department (May 2019 – February 2024).<br>|
| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Monia Piacenti**<br>(1976)<br>One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut <br> 06095 <br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Anti-Money <br> Laundering <br> Officer<br>| June 2018 – Present | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Compliance Manager, Voya Financial, Inc. (March 2023 – Present); Anti-Money Laundering <br> Officer, Voya Investments Distributor, LLC, Voya Investment Management, and Voya <br> Investment Management Trust Co. (June 2018 – Present); Formerly, Compliance <br> Consultant Voya Financial, Inc. (January 2019 – February 2023).<br>|

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The Officers hold office until the next annual meeting of the Board of Trustees and until their successors shall have been elected and qualified.

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**The Board of Trustees** 

The Trust and the Fund are governed by the Board, which oversees the Trust's business and affairs. The Board delegates the day-to-day management of the Trust and the Fund to the Trust's Officers and to various service providers that have been contractually retained to provide such day-to-day services. The Voya entities that render services to the Trust and the Fund do so pursuant to contracts that have been approved by the Board. The Trustees are experienced executives who, among other duties, oversee the Trust's activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the Fund, and review the Fund's investment performance.

**The Board Leadership Structure and Related Matters** 

The Board is comprised of eight (8) members, seven (7) of whom are independent or disinterested persons, which means that they are not "interested persons" of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (the "Independent Trustees").

The Trust is one of 19 registered investment companies (with a total of approximately 127 separate series) in the Voya family of funds, and all of the Trustees serve as members of, as applicable, each investment company's Board of Directors or Board of Trustees. The Board employs substantially the same leadership structure with respect to each of these investment companies.

One of the Independent Trustees, currently Joseph E. Obermeyer, serves as the Chairperson of the Board of the Trust. The responsibilities of the Chairperson of the Board include: coordinating with management in the preparation of agendas for Board meetings; presiding at Board meetings; between Board meetings, serving as a primary liaison with other Trustees, officers of the Trust, management personnel, and legal counsel to the Independent Trustees; and such other duties as the Board periodically may determine. Mr. Obermeyer does not hold a position with any firm that is a sponsor of the Trust. The designation of an individual as the Chairperson does not impose on such Independent Trustee any duties, obligations or liabilities greater than the duties, obligations or liabilities imposed on such person as a member of the Board, generally.

The Board performs many of its oversight and other activities through the committee structure described below in the "Board Committees" section. Each Committee operates pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board. The Board currently conducts regular meetings eight (8) times a year. In addition, during the course of a year, the Board and many of its Committees typically hold special meetings by telephone, video conference, or in person to discuss specific matters that require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The Board believes that its committee structure is an effective means of empowering the Trustees to perform their fiduciary and other duties. For example, the Board's committee structure facilitates, as appropriate, the ability of individual Board members to receive detailed presentations on topics under their review and to develop increased familiarity with respect to such topics and with key personnel at relevant service providers. At least annually, with guidance from its Nominating and Governance Committee, the Board analyzes whether there are potential means to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Board's operations.

**Board Committees** 

***Audit Committee***. The Board has established an Audit Committee whose functions include, among other things: (i) meeting with the independent registered public accounting firm of the Trust to review the scope of the Trust's audit, the Trust's financial statements and accounting controls; (ii) meeting with management concerning these matters, internal audit activities, reports under the Trust's whistleblower procedures, the services rendered by various service providers, and other matters; and (iii) overseeing the implementation of the Voya funds' valuation procedures and the fair value determinations made with respect to securities held by the Voya funds for which market value quotations are not readily available. The Audit Committee currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Audit Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Sullivan and Wetzel. Mr. Wetzel currently serves as the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. All Committee members have been designated as Audit Committee Financial Experts under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Audit Committee typically meets five (5) times per year, and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Audit Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Compliance Committee***. The Board has established a Compliance Committee for the purpose of, among other things: (i) providing oversight with respect to compliance by the funds in the Voya family of funds and their service providers with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies and procedures affecting the operations of the funds; (ii) receiving reports of evidence of possible material violations of applicable U.S. federal or state securities laws and breaches of fiduciary duty arising under U.S. federal or state laws; (iii) coordinating activities between the Board and the Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") of the funds; (iv) facilitating information flow among Board members and the CCO between Board meetings; (v) working with the CCO and management to identify the types of reports to be submitted by the CCO to the Compliance Committee and the Board; (vi) making recommendations regarding the role, performance, compensation, and oversight of the CCO; (vii) overseeing the cybersecurity practices of the funds and their key service providers; (viii) overseeing management's administration of proxy voting; (ix) overseeing the effectiveness of brokerage usage by the Trust's advisers or sub-advisers, as applicable, and compliance with regulations regarding the allocation of brokerage for services; and (x) overseeing the implementation of the funds' liquidity risk management program.

The Compliance Committee currently consists of three (3) Independent Trustees: Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, and Obermeyer. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Chairperson of the Compliance Committee. The Compliance Committee typically meets four (4) times per year, and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Compliance Committee held four (4) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

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***Contracts Committee***. The Board has established a Contracts Committee for the purpose of overseeing the annual renewal process relating to investment advisory and sub-advisory agreements, distribution agreements, and Rule 12b-1 Plans and, at the discretion of the Board, other service agreements or plans involving the Voya funds (including the Fund). The responsibilities of the Contracts Committee include, among other things: (i) identifying the scope and format of information to be provided by service providers in connection with applicable contract approvals or renewals; (ii) providing guidance to independent legal counsel regarding specific information requests to be made by such counsel on behalf of the Trustees; (iii) evaluating regulatory and other developments that might have an impact on applicable approval and renewal processes; (iv) reporting to the Trustees its recommendations and decisions regarding the foregoing matters; (v) assisting in the preparation of a written record of the factors considered by Trustees relating to the approval and renewal of advisory and sub-advisory agreements; (vi) recommending to the Board specific steps to be taken by it regarding the contracts approval and renewal process, including, for example, proposed schedules of certain actions to be taken; and (vii) otherwise providing assistance in connection with Board decisions to renew, reject, or modify agreements or plans.

The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Contracts Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Obermeyer, Sullivan and Wetzel. Mr. Boyer currently serves as the Chairperson of the Contracts Committee. The Contracts Committee typically meets five (5) times per year and may hold special meetings by telephone or in person to discuss specific matters that may require action prior to the next regular meeting. The Contracts Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Investment Review Committees***. The Board has established, for all of the funds under its direction, the following two Investment Review Committees (each an "IRC" and together, the "IRCs"): (i) the Investment Review Committee E ("IRC E"); and (ii) the Investment Review Committee F ("IRC F"). The funds are allocated among IRCs periodically by the Board as the Board deems appropriate to balance the workloads of the IRCs and to have similar types of funds or funds with the same investment sub-adviser or the same portfolio management team assigned to the same IRC. Each IRC performs the following functions, among other things: (i) monitoring the investment performance of the funds in the Voya family of funds that are assigned to that Committee; (ii) making recommendations to the Board with respect to investment management activities performed by the investment advisers and/or sub-advisers on behalf of such Voya funds, and reviewing and making recommendations regarding proposals by management to retain new or additional sub-advisers for these Voya funds; and (iii) making recommendations to the Board regarding the role, performance, compensation, and oversight of the Chief Investment Risk Officer. The Fund is monitored by the IRCs, as indicated below. Each committee is described below.

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **IRC E** | **IRC F** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X |  |

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The IRC E currently consists of three (3) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the IRC E: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Mr. Obermeyer. Ms. Baldwin currently serves as the Chairperson of the IRC E. The IRC E typically meets five (5) times per year and on an as-needed basis. The IRC E held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

The IRC F currently consists of four (4) Independent Trustees. The following Trustees serve as members of the IRC F: Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Sullivan, and Wetzel. Mr. Sullivan currently serves as the Chairperson of the IRC F. The IRC F typically meets five (5) times per year and on an as-needed basis. The IRC F held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

IRC E and IRC F sometimes meet jointly to consider matters that are reviewed by both Committees. The Committees held four (4) such additional joint meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

***Nominating and Governance Committee***. The Board has established a Nominating and Governance Committee for the purpose of, among other things: (i) identifying and recommending to the Board candidates it proposes for nomination to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board; (ii) reviewing workload and capabilities of Independent Trustees and recommending changes to the size or composition of the Board, as necessary; (iii) monitoring regulatory developments and recommending modifications to the Committee's responsibilities; (iv) considering and, if appropriate, recommending the creation of additional committees or changes to Trustee policies and procedures based on rule changes and "best practices" in corporate governance; (v) conducting an annual review of the membership and chairpersons of all Board committees and of practices relating to such membership and chairpersons; (vi) undertaking a periodic study of compensation paid to independent board members of investment companies and making recommendations for any compensation changes for the Independent Trustees; (vii) overseeing the Board's annual self-evaluation process; (viii) developing (with assistance from management) an annual meeting calendar for the Board and its committees; (ix) overseeing actions to facilitate attendance by Independent Trustees at relevant educational seminars and similar programs; and (x) overseeing insurance arrangements for the funds.

In evaluating potential candidates to fill Independent Trustee vacancies on the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee will consider a variety of factors. Specific qualifications of candidates for Board membership will be based on the needs of the Board at the time of nomination. The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider nominations received from shareholders and shall assess shareholder nominees in the same manner as it reviews nominees that it identifies as potential candidates. A shareholder nominee for Trustee should be submitted in writing to the Trust's Secretary at 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. Any such shareholder nomination should include at least the following information as to each individual proposed for nomination as Trustee: such person's written consent to be named in a proxy statement as a nominee (if nominated) and to serve as a Trustee (if elected), and all information relating to such individual that is required to be disclosed in the solicitation of proxies for election of Trustees, or is otherwise required, in each case under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and regulations, including such information as the Board may reasonably deem necessary to satisfy its oversight and due diligence duties.

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The Secretary shall submit all nominations received in a timely manner to the Nominating and Governance Committee. To be timely in connection with a shareholder meeting to elect Trustees, any such submission must be delivered to the Trust's Secretary not earlier than the 90th day prior to such meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 60th day prior to such meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made, by either the disclosure in a press release or in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the SEC.

The following Trustees currently serve as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee: Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Obermeyer, Sullivan and Wetzel. Ms. Foster currently serves as the Chairperson of the Nominating and Governance Committee. The Nominating and Governance Committee conducts meetings as needed or appropriate.The Nominating and Governance Committee held five (5) meetings during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025.

**The Board's Risk Oversight Role** 

The day-to-day management of various risks relating to the administration and operation of the Trust is the responsibility of management and other service providers retained by the Board or by management, most of whom employ professional personnel who have risk management responsibilities. The Board oversees this risk management function consistent with and as part of its oversight duties. The Board performs this risk management oversight function directly and, with respect to various matters, through its committees. The following description provides an overview of many, but not all, aspects of the Board's oversight of risk management for the Fund. In this connection, the Board has been advised that it is not practicable to identify all of the risks that may impact the Fund or to develop procedures or controls that are designed to eliminate all such risk exposures, and that applicable securities law regulations do not contemplate that all such risks be identified and addressed.

The Board, working with management personnel and other service providers, has endeavored to identify the primary risks that confront the Fund. In general, these risks include, among others: (i) investment risks; (ii) credit risks; (iii) liquidity risks; (iv) valuation risks; (v) operational risks; (vi) reputational risks; (vii) regulatory risks; (viii) risks related to potential legislative changes; (ix) the risk of conflicts of interest affecting Voya affiliates in managing the Fund; and (x) cybersecurity risks. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews various policies and procedures that are designed to address these and other risks confronting the Fund. In addition, many service providers to the Fund have adopted their own policies, procedures, and controls designed to address particular risks to the Fund. The Board and persons retained to render advice and service to the Board periodically review and/or monitor changes to, and developments relating to, the effectiveness of these policies and procedures.

The Board oversees risk management activities in part through receipt and review by the Board or its committees of regular and special reports, presentations and other information from Officers of the Trust, including the CCOs for the Trust and the Investment Adviser and the Trust's Chief Investment Risk Officer ("CIRO"), and from other service providers. For example, management personnel and the other persons make regular reports and presentations to: (i) the Compliance Committee regarding compliance with regulatory requirements and oversight of cybersecurity practices by the Fund and key service providers; (ii) the IRCs regarding investment activities and strategies that may pose particular risks; (iii) the Audit Committee with respect to financial reporting controls and internal audit activities; (iv) the Nominating and Governance Committee regarding corporate governance and best practice developments; and (v) the Contracts Committee regarding regulatory and related developments that might impact the retention of service providers to the Trust. The CIRO oversees an Investment Risk Department ("IRD") that provides an additional source of analysis and research for Board members in connection with their oversight of the investment process and performance of portfolio managers. Among its other duties, the IRD seeks to identify and, where practicable, measure the investment risks being taken by the Fund's portfolio managers. Although the IRD works closely with management of the Trust in performing its duties, the CIRO is directly accountable to, and maintains an ongoing dialogue with, the Independent Trustees.

**Qualifications of the Trustees** 

The Board believes that each of its Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee of the Trust based on its review of the experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills of each Trustee. The Board bases this conclusion on its consideration of various criteria, no one of which is controlling. Among others, the Board has considered the following factors with respect to each Trustee: strong character and high integrity; an ability to review, evaluate, analyze, and discuss information provided; the ability to exercise effective business judgment in protecting shareholder interests while taking into account different points of views; a background in financial, investment, accounting, business, regulatory, or other skills that would be relevant to the performance of a Trustee's duties; the ability and willingness to commit the time necessary to perform his or her duties; and the ability to work in a collegial manner with other Board members. Each Trustee's ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her: experience in the investment management business; related consulting experience; other professional experience; experience serving on the boards of directors/trustees of other public companies; educational background and professional training; prior experience serving on the Board, as well as the boards of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds and/or of other investment companies; and experience as attendees or participants in conferences and seminars that are focused on investment company matters and/or duties that are specific to board members of registered investment companies.

Information indicating certain of the specific experience and qualifications of each Trustee relevant to the Board's belief that the Trustee should serve in this capacity is provided in the table above that provides information about each Trustee. That table includes, for each Trustee, positions held with the Trust, the length of such service, principal occupations during the past five (5) years, the number of series within the Voya family of funds for which the Trustee serves as a Board member, and certain directorships held during the past five (5) years. Set forth below are certain additional specific experiences, qualifications, attributes, or skills that the Board believes support a conclusion that each Trustee should serve as a Board member in light of the Trust's business and structure.

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**Independent Trustees**

*Colleen D. Baldwin* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2007. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E since January 1, 2025, and prior to that, she served as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya family of funds from 2020 to 2024. Prior to that, she served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E from 2014 to 2019 and as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee from 2009 through 2013. Ms. Baldwin has been a Board member of Stanley Global Engineering since 2020 and President of Glantuam Partners, LLC, a business consulting firm, since 2009. Prior to that, she served in senior positions at the following financial services firms: Chief Operating Officer for Ivy Asset Management, Inc. (2002-2004), a hedge fund manager; Chief Operating Officer and Head of Global Business and Product Development for AIG Global Investment Group (1995-2002), a global investment management firm; Senior Vice President at Bankers Trust Company (1994-1995); and Senior Managing Director at J.P. Morgan & Company (1987-1994). Ms. Baldwin began her career in 1981 at AT&T/Bell Labs as a systems analyst. Ms. Baldwin holds a B.S. from Fordham University and an M.B.A. from Pace University.

*John V. Boyer* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 1997. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Contracts Committee since January 1, 2026, and prior to that, as the Chairperson of the Trust's Compliance Committee from 2020 to 2025. Prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya funds from 2014 to 2019, as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC F from 2006 to 2013, and as the Chairperson of the Compliance Committee for other funds in the Voya family of funds. Mr. Boyer was the President and CEO of the Bechtler Arts Foundation from 2008 until 2019 for which, among his other duties, Mr. Boyer oversaw all fiduciary aspects of the Foundation and assisted in the oversight of the Foundation's endowment fund. Previously, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute (2006-2007) and as Executive Director of The Mark Twain House & Museum (1989-2006) where he was responsible for overseeing business operations, including endowment funds. He also served as a board member of certain predecessor mutual funds of the Voya family of funds (1997-2005). Mr. Boyer holds a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an M.F.A. from Princeton University.

*Jody T. Foster* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Ms. Foster currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee since January 1, 2026. She was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until her election to the Board in September 2025. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Symphony Consulting since 2010 where she has overseen the development and launch of a variety of public and private investment product offerings. Previously, she served as Director of Risk Management and Strategy at JPMorgan in Chicago and London (2003 - 2007); International Research Manager for Driehaus Capital Management (2001 - 2003) and a Partner, Equity Analysis at Burridge Growth Partners (1999 - 2001) and Equity Analyst at Clover Capital Management (1996 - 1999). She served as an Independent Trustee and Audit Committee Chair for the Hussman Funds (2016 - 2025) and currently serves as a director for the Diamond Hill Funds (2022-present). Ms. Foster holds a B.A. in Political Science from Pace University, a Masters in Public Policy from Georgetown University and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

*Dennis Johnson CFA* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Mr. Johnson currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Compliance Committee since January 1, 2026. Mr. Johnson was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until his election to the Board in September 2025. He is a non-executive director and Chair of the Audit Committee for Namib Minerals, a publicly-traded mining company focused on investing in high-growth opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa (April 2025 - Present). Previously, he served as an independent director and executive committee member on the Board of Directors for EasyKnock, a venture capital-backed fintech company (December 2023-November 2024). Formerly, he was Director of Investments for West Coast Financial, a registered investment advisor (May 2022-December 2023); independent director on the Board of Glass Lewis & Co., (March 2022-November 2023); Chief Strategy Officer at Public Investment Fund, a Riyadh, Saudi Arabia-based sovereign wealth fund (September 2018-December 2019), and Chief Investment Officer at TIAA, a U.S. financial services company (October 2016-August 2019). Mr. Johnson was Chief Investment Officer for Comerica, a U.S. financial services company (June 2010-August 2016), Managing Director for the Roy E. Disney, Jr. Family Office (2008-2010), a member of the Board of Directors for Texas Industries, a U.S. company in the cement and aggregates businesses (2009-2010), Head of Global Corporate Governance for the California Public Employees' Retirement System. the largest U.S. public pension fund (2005-2008), and Managing Director for Citigroup (1994-2005). Previously, Mr. Johnson served in investment roles with increasing responsibilities and complexity for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia, Crestar Bank and SunTrust from 1981-1994. Mr. Johnson is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Charter-holder. He is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business with a degree in Finance and the Virginia Military Institute with a degree in Economics.

*Joseph E. Obermeyer* has been a Trustee of the Trust since May 21, 2013, and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2003. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the Voya family of funds since January 1, 2025, and prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC E in 2024 and as the Chairperson of the Trust's Nominating and Governance Committee from 2018 to 2023. Prior to that, he served as the Chairperson of the Trust's former Joint IRC from 2014 through 2017. Mr. Obermeyer was the founder and President of Obermeyer & Associates, Inc., a provider of financial and economic consulting services, for which he served as President from 1999 through 2024. Prior to founding Obermeyer & Associates, Mr. Obermeyer had more than 15 years of experience in accounting, including serving as a Senior Manager at Arthur Andersen LLP from 1995 until 1999. Previously, Mr. Obermeyer served as a Senior Manager at Coopers & Lybrand LLP from 1993 until 1995, as a Manager at Price Waterhouse from 1988 until 1993, Second Vice President from 1985 until 1988 at Smith Barney, and as a consultant with Arthur Andersen & Co. from 1984 until 1985. Mr. Obermeyer holds a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati, an M.B.A. from Indiana University, and post graduate certificates from the University of Tilburg and INSEAD.

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*Christopher P. Sullivan* has been a Trustee of the Trust since October 2015. He also has served as the Chairperson of the Trust's IRC F since January 1, 2018. He retired from Fidelity Management & Research in October 2012, following three years as first the President of the Bond Group and then the Head of Institutional Fixed Income. Previously, Mr. Sullivan served as Managing Director and Co-Head of U.S. Fixed Income at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (2001-2009) and prior to that, Senior Vice President at PIMCO (1997-2001). He currently serves as a Director of Rimrock Funds (since 2013), a fixed-income hedge fund. He is also a Senior Advisor to Asset Grade (since 2013), a private wealth management firm, and serves as a Trustee of the Overlook Foundation, a foundation that supports Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey. In addition to his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago, Mr. Sullivan holds an M.A. degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

*Mark Wetzel* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since September 2025. Mr. Wetzel currently serves as the Chairperson of the Trust's Audit Committee since January 1, 2026. Mr. Wetzel was an independent consultant to the Board from November 2023 until his election to the Board in September 2025. Mr. Wetzel was the President of Fiducient Advisors, an investment advisor (April 2021-May 2024). Formerly, he was the President of Fiduciary Investment Advisors (April 2006-March 2020), which merged in April 2020 with DiMeo Schneider & Associates ("DiMeo Schneider"), where he became President (April 2020-April 2021). In April 2021, DiMeo Schneider rebranded as Fiducient Advisors. Previously, Mr. Wetzel served as Senior Vice President at UBS Financial Services (2000-2006), Senior Vice President at Paine Webber (1994-2000), and Senior Vice President at Kidder Peabody (1990-1994). Mr. Wetzel served on the 401(k) Investment Committee of Paine Webber and on the Pension Committee of Novartis Corp. (2006-2021). Mr. Wetzel holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and an M.B.A from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

**Interested Trustee**

*Christian G. Wilson* has been a Trustee of the Trust and a board member of other investment companies in the Voya family of funds since 2025. He is also President and Chief/Principal Executive Officer of the Funds (2024 to present), Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Voya Funds Services, LLC, Voya Capital, LLC, and Voya Investments, LLC (2024 to present), and Head of IM Product and Strategy at Voya Investment Management (2024 to present). Mr. Wilson previously served as Head of Global Client Portfolio Management at Voya Investment Management (2023 to 2024), Head of Fixed Income Client Portfolio Management at Voya Investment Management (2017-2023), and several other senior management positions in various aspects of the financial services business. These positions and experiences have provided Mr. Wilson with extensive investment management, distribution, and oversight experience.

**Trustee Ownership of Securities** 

In order to further align the interests of the Independent Trustees with shareholders, it is the policy of the Board for Independent Trustees to own, beneficially, shares of one or more funds in the Voya family of funds at all times (the "Ownership Policy"). For this purpose, beneficial ownership of shares of a Voya fund includes, in addition to direct ownership of Voya fund shares, ownership of a variable contract whose proceeds are invested in a Voya fund within the Voya family of funds, as well as deferred compensation payments under the Board's deferred compensation arrangements pursuant to which the future value of such payments is based on the notional value of designated funds within the Voya family of funds.

The Ownership Policy requires the initial value of investments in the Voya family of funds that are directly or indirectly owned by the Trustees to equal or exceed the annual retainer fee for Board services (excluding any annual retainers for service as chairpersons of the Board or its committees or as members of committees), as such retainer shall be adjusted from time to time.

The Ownership Policy provides that existing Trustees shall have a reasonable amount of time from the date of any recent or future increase in the minimum ownership requirements in order to satisfy the minimum share ownership requirements. In addition, the Ownership Policy provides that a new Trustee shall satisfy the minimum share ownership requirements within a reasonable amount of time of becoming a Trustee. For purposes of the Ownership Policy, a reasonable period of time will be deemed to be, as applicable, no more than three years after a Trustee has assumed that position with the Voya family of funds or no more than one year after an increase in the minimum share ownership requirement due to changes in annual Board retainer fees. A decline in value of any fund investments will not cause a Trustee to have to make any additional investments under the Ownership Policy.

Investment in mutual funds of the Voya family of funds by the Trustees pursuant to the Ownership Policy is subject to: (i) policies, applied by the mutual funds of the Voya family of funds to other similar investors, that are designed to prevent inappropriate market timing trading practices; and (ii) any provisions of the Code of Ethics for the Voya family of funds that otherwise apply to the Trustees.

**Trustees' Fund Equity Ownership Positions** 

The following table sets forth information regarding each Trustee's beneficial ownership of equity securities of the Fund and the aggregate holdings of shares of equity securities of all the funds in the Voya family of funds for the calendar year ended December 31, 2025.

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Colleen D. Baldwin** | **John V. Boyer** | **Jody T. Foster**<sup>1</sup> | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund |  |  |  |  |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Aggregate Dollar Range of <br> Equity Securities in All <br> Registered Investment <br> Companies Overseen by <br> Trustee in the Voya family of <br> funds<br>Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> |  |

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** | **Dollar Range of Equity Securities in the Fund as of December 31, 2025** |
| **Fund** | **Joseph E. Obermeyer** | **Christopher P. Sullivan** | **Mark R. Wetzel**<sup>1</sup> | **Christian G. Wilson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund |  |  |  |  |
| Aggregate Dollar Range of <br> Equity Securities in All <br> Registered Investment <br> Companies Overseen by <br> Trustee in the Voya family of <br> funds<br>| Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> | Over $100,000 |  | Over $100,000<sup>2</sup> |

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Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson, Wetzel, and Wilson were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

Includes the value of shares in which a Trustee has an indirect interest through a deferred compensation plan and/or a 401(k) plan.

**Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities of the Investment Adviser, Principal Underwriter, and their Affiliates** 

The following table sets forth information regarding each Independent Trustee's (and his/her immediate family members) share ownership, beneficially or of record, in securities of the Investment Adviser or Principal Underwriter, and the ownership of securities in an entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Investment Adviser or Principal Underwriter of the Fund (not including registered investment companies) as of December 31, 2025.

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Trustee** | **Name of Owners** <br>**and Relationship** <br>**to Trustee**<br>| **Company** | **Title of** <br>**Class**<br>| **Value of** <br>**Securities**<br>| **Percent of** <br>**Class**<br>|
| Colleen D. Baldwin | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| John V. Boyer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Jody T. Foster<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Dennis A. Johnson<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Joseph E. Obermeyer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Christopher P. Sullivan | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Mark R. Wetzel<sup>1</sup> | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |

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Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson and Wetzel were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

**Trustee Compensation** 

Each Trustee is reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with each meeting of the Board or any of its Committee meetings attended. Each Independent Trustee is compensated for his or her services, on a quarterly basis, according to a fee schedule adopted by the Board. The Board may from time to time designate other meetings as subject to compensation.

Effective January 1, 2026, the Fund pays each Trustee who is not an interested person of the Fund his or her *pro rata* share, as described below, of: (i) an annual retainer of $360,000; (ii) Mr. Obermeyer, as the Chairperson of the Board, receives an additional annual retainer of $115,000; (iii) Mses. Baldwin and Foster and Messrs. Boyer, Johnson, Sullivan, and Wetzel, as the Chairpersons of Committees of the Board, each receives an additional annual retainer of $40,000, $40,000, $52,500, $40,000, $40,000 and $40,000, respectively; and (iv) out-of-pocket expenses. The Board at its discretion may from time to time designate other special meetings as subject to compensation in such amounts as the Board may reasonably determine on a case-by-case basis.

The *pro rata* share paid by the Fund is based on the Fund's average net assets as a percentage of the average net assets of all the funds managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliate for which the Trustees serve in common as Trustees.

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**Future Compensation Payment** 

Certain future payment arrangements apply to certain Trustees. More particularly, each non-interested Trustee who will have served as a non-interested Trustee for five or more years for one or more funds in the Voya family of funds is entitled to a future payment ("Future Payment"), if such Trustee: (i) retires in accordance with the Board's retirement policy; (ii) dies; or (iii) becomes disabled. The Future Payment shall be made promptly to, as applicable, the Trustee or the Trustee's estate, in an amount equal to two (2) times the annual compensation payable to such Trustee, as in effect at the time of his or her retirement, death or disability if the Trustee had served as Trustee for at least five years as of May 9, 2007, or in a lesser amount calculated based on the proportion of time served by such Trustee (as compared to five years) as of May 9, 2007. The annual compensation determination shall be based upon the annual Board membership retainer fee in effect at the time of that Trustee's retirement, death or disability (but not any separate annual retainer fees for chairpersons of committees and of the Board), provided that the annual compensation used for this purpose shall not exceed the annual retainer fees as of May 9, 2007. This amount shall be paid by the Voya fund or Voya funds on whose Board the Trustee was serving at the time of his or her retirement, death, or disability. Each applicable Trustee may elect to receive payment of his or her benefit in a lump sum or in three substantially equal payments.

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**Compensation Table** 

The following table sets forth information provided by the Investment Adviser regarding compensation of Trustees by the Fund and other funds managed by the Investment Adviser and its affiliates for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025. Officers of the Trust and Trustees who are interested persons of the Trust do not receive any compensation from the Trust or any other funds managed by the Investment Adviser or its affiliates.

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** |
| **Fund** | **Colleen D. Baldwin** | **John V. Boyer** | **Jody T. Foster**<sup>1</sup> | **Martin J. Gavin**<sup>2</sup> | **Dennis A. Johnson**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | $1130 | $1083 | $59 | $1149 | $59 |
| Pension or Retirement <br> Benefits Accrued as Part of <br> Fund Expenses<sup>3</sup><br>| N/A | $0 | NA | NA | NA |
| Estimated Annual Benefits <br> Upon Retirement<sup>4</sup><br>| N/A | $400000 | NA | NA | NA |
| Total Compensation from the <br> Fund and the Voya family of <br> funds Paid to Trustees<br>| $397500 | $380000 | $19022<sup>5</sup> | $402500 | $19022 |

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** | **Aggregate Compensation** |
| **Fund** | **Joseph E. Obermeyer** | **Sheryl K. Pressler**<sup>2</sup> | **Christopher P. Sullivan** | **Mark R. Wetzel**<sup>1</sup> |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | $1236 | $1183 | $1083 | $59 |
| Pension or Retirement <br> Benefits Accrued as Part of <br> Fund Expenses<sup>3</sup><br>| N/A | $113333 | N/A | N/A |
| Estimated Annual Benefits <br> Upon Retirement<sup>4</sup><br>| N/A | $113333 | N/A | N/A |
| Total Compensation from the <br> Fund and the Voya family of <br> funds Paid to Trustees<br>| $432500<sup>5</sup> | $415000 | $380000 | $19022 |

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Ms. Foster and Messrs. Johnson and Wetzel were elected to the Board effective September 11, 2025.

Mr. Gavin and Ms. Pressler retired as Trustees effective December 31, 2025.

Future Compensation Payment amounts are accrued *pro rata* to all Voya funds in the same year that the Trustee retires.

As discussed in the section entitled "Future Compensation Payment" above, this is not an annual benefit. Rather each applicable Trustee may elect to receive payment of his or her benefit in a lump sum or in three substantially equal payments. Future Compensation Payments included in this table represent the total payment allocated *pro rata* to all Voya funds.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, Ms. Foster and Mr. Obermeyer deferred $7,337 and $76,000, respectively of their compensation from the Voya family of funds.

**CODE OF ETHICS**

The Fund, the Investment Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor have adopted a code of ethics (the "Code of Ethics") pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act governing personal trading activities of all Trustees, Officers of the Trust, and persons who, in connection with their regular functions, play a role in the recommendation of or obtain information pertaining to any purchase or sale of a security by the Fund. The Code of Ethics is intended to prohibit fraud against the Fund that may arise from the personal trading of securities that may be purchased or held by that Fund or of the Fund's shares. The Code of Ethics prohibits short-term trading of the Fund's shares by persons subject to the Code of Ethics. Personal trading is permitted by such persons subject to certain restrictions; however, such persons are generally required to pre-clear security transactions with the Investment Adviser or its affiliates and to report all transactions on a regular basis.

**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

The Board has approved the Investment Adviser's Proxy Voting Policy (the "Proxy Voting Policy") for voting proxies on behalf of the Voya funds. The Proxy Voting Policy requires the Investment Adviser to vote the Fund's portfolio securities that have voting rights in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy and provides a method for responding to potential conflicts of interest. An independent proxy voting service has been retained to assist in the voting of Fund proxies through the provision of vote analysis, implementation, recordkeeping, and disclosure services. The Compliance Committee oversees the implementation of the Fund's Proxy Voting Policy, as applicable. A copy of

the Proxy Voting Policy is attached hereto as Appendix B. If applicable, no later than August 31st of each year, information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the twelve-month period ending June 30th is available online, without charge, at https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports or by accessing the SEC's EDGAR database at https://sec.gov.

**PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS AND CONTROL PERSONS**

Control is defined by the 1940 Act as the beneficial ownership, either directly or through one or more controlled companies, of more than 25% of the voting securities of a company. A control person may have a significant impact on matters submitted to a shareholder vote.

The following may be deemed control persons of the Fund:

Voya Investment Trust Company, a Connecticut corporation, is an indirect, subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc.

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**Trustee and Officer Holdings** 

As of February 4, 2026, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group owned less than 1% of any class of the Fund's outstanding shares.

**Principal Shareholders** 

As of February 4, 2026, to the best knowledge of management, no person owned beneficially or of-record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of any class of the Fund or 5% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund addressed herein, except as set forth in the table below. The Trust has no knowledge as to whether all or any portion of shares owned of-record are also owned beneficially.

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

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| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name of Fund** | **Class** | **Name and Address** | **Percent** <br>**of Class**<br>| **Percent** <br>**of Fund**<br>|
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2045 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 14.40% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2050 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 12.50% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2040 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.50% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2055 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 10.35% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2035 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 8.10% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | Voya Investment Trust Co<br> FBO Voya Target Solution 2060 Trust<br> Fund<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, CT 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; 6.47% | &nbsp;&nbsp; 87.93% |

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**INVESTMENT ADVISER**

Voya Investments, an Arizona limited liability company, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. Voya Investments serves as the investment adviser to, and has overall responsibility for the management of, the Fund. Voya Investments oversees all investment advisory and portfolio management services and assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of the Fund, including, but not limited to, the following: custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services.

Voya Investments began business as an investment adviser in 1994 and currently serves as investment adviser to certain registered investment companies, consisting of open- and closed-end registered investment companies and collateralized loan obligations. Voya Investments is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. Voya Financial, Inc. is a U.S.-based financial institution whose subsidiaries operate in the retirement, investment, and insurance industries.

**Investment Management Agreement** 

The Investment Adviser serves pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Adviser and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. Under the Investment Management Agreement, the Investment Adviser oversees, subject to the authority of the Board, the provision of all investment advisory and portfolio management services for the Fund. In addition, the Investment Adviser provides administrative services reasonably necessary for the ordinary operation of the Fund. The Investment Adviser has delegated certain management responsibilities to one or more Sub-Advisers.

**Investment Management Services** 

Among other things, the Investment Adviser: (i) provides general investment advice and guidance with respect to the Fund and provides

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advice and guidance to the Fund's Board; (ii) provides the Board with any periodic or special reviews or reporting it requests, including any reports regarding a Sub-Adviser and its investment performance; (iii) oversees management of the Fund's investments and portfolio composition including supervising the Sub-Adviser with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides; (iv) makes available its officers and employees to the Board and officers of the Trust; (v) designates and compensates from its own resources such personnel as the Investment Adviser may consider necessary or appropriate to the performance of its services hereunder; (vi) periodically monitors and evaluates the performance of the Sub-Adviser with respect to the investment objectives and policies of the Fund and performs periodic detailed analysis and review of the Sub-Adviser's investment performance; (vii) reviews, considers and reports on any changes in the personnel of the Sub-Adviser responsible for performing the Sub-Adviser's obligations or any changes in the ownership or senior management of the Sub-Adviser; (viii) performs periodic in-person or telephonic diligence meetings with the Sub-Adviser; (ix) assists the Board and management of the Fund in developing and reviewing information with respect to the initial and subsequent annual approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement(s); (x) monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with the investment objective(s), policies and restrictions of the Fund, the 1940 Act, Subchapter M of the Code, and, if applicable, regulations under these provisions, and other applicable law; (xi) if appropriate, analyzes and recommends for consideration by the Board termination of a contract with a Sub-Adviser; (xii) identifies potential successors to or replacements of a Sub-Adviser or potential additional sub-adviser(s), performs appropriate due diligence, and develops and presents recommendations to the Board; and (xiii) is authorized to exercise full investment discretion and make all determinations with respect to the day-to-day investment of the Fund's assets and the purchase and sale of portfolio securities for the Fund in the event that at any time no sub-adviser is engaged to manage the assets of the Fund.

In addition, the Investment Adviser assists in managing and supervising all aspects of the general day-to-day business activities and operations of the Fund, including custodial, transfer agency, dividend disbursing, accounting, auditing, compliance, and related services. The Investment Adviser also reviews the Fund for compliance with applicable legal requirements and monitors the Sub-Adviser for compliance with requirements under applicable law and with the investment policies and restrictions of the Fund.

**Limitation of Liability** 

The Investment Adviser is not subject to liability to the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or in connection with, rendering services under the Investment Management Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Investment Management Agreement.

**Continuation and Termination of the Investment Management Agreement** 

After an initial term of two years, the Investment Management Agreement continues in effect from year to year with respect to the Fund so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (i) the Board of Trustees; or (ii) the vote of a "majority" of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act); and provided that such continuance is also approved by a vote of at least a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement by a vote cast either in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, or in reliance on exemptive relief from the SEC that has permitted such approval at virtual meetings held by video or telephone conference since the commencement of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Investment Management Agreement may be terminated as to the Fund at any time without penalty by: (i) the vote of the Board; (ii) the vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act); or (iii) the Investment Adviser, on sixty (60) days' prior written notice to the other party. The notice provided for herein may be waived by either party, as a single class, or upon notice given by the Investment Adviser. The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its "assignment" (as defined in Section 2(a)(4) of the 1940 Act).

**Management Fees** 

The Investment Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Investment Management Agreement, including executive salaries and expenses of the Trustees and officers of the Trust who are employees of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates, except the CCO. The Investment Adviser pays the fees of the Sub-Adviser.

As compensation for its services, the Fund pays the Investment Adviser, expressed as an annual rate, a fee equal to the following as a percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly.

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

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Annual Management Fee** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | 0.00% |

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**Total Investment Management Fees Paid by the Fund** 

During the past three fiscal years, the Fund paid the following investment management fees to the Investment Adviser or its affiliates.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0.00 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0.00 |

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**EXPENSES**

The Fund's assets may decrease or increase during its fiscal year and the Fund's operating expense ratios may correspondingly increase or decrease.

In addition to the management fee and other fees described previously, the Fund pays other expenses, such as legal, audit, transfer agency and custodian out-of-pocket fees, proxy solicitation costs, and the compensation of Trustees who are not affiliated with the Investment Adviser.

Certain operating expenses shared by several Funds within the Voya family of funds may be allocated amongst those Funds based on average net assets.

In addition to payments made to the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and other service providers (including the custodian, independent registered public accounting firm, legal counsel, and transfer agent and dividend paying agent), the Fund may pay service fees to intermediaries such as brokers, financial planners or advisers, banks, and insurance companies, including affiliates of the Investment Adviser, for administration, recordkeeping, and other shareholder services associated with investors whose shares are held of record in omnibus accounts. These financial intermediaries may (though they will not necessarily) provide services including, among other things: processing and mailing trade confirmations; capturing and processing tax data; issuing and mailing dividend checks to shareholders who have selected cash distributions; preparing record date shareholder lists for proxy solicitations; collecting and posting distributions to shareholder accounts; and establishing and maintaining systematic withdrawals and automated investment plans and shareholder account registrations. These additional fees paid by the Fund to intermediaries may take two forms: (i) basis point payments on net assets; and/or (ii) fixed dollar amount payments per shareholder account. These may include payments for 401(K) sub-accounting services, networking fees, and omnibus account servicing fees.

**EXPENSE LIMITATIONS**

As described in the Prospectus, the Investment Adviser, Distributor, and/or Sub-Adviser may have entered into one or more expense limitation agreements with the Fund pursuant to which they have agreed to waive or limit their fees. In connection with such an agreement, the Investment Adviser, Distributor, or Sub-Adviser, as applicable, will assume expenses (excluding certain expenses as discussed below) so that the total annual ordinary operating expenses of the Fund do not exceed the amount specified in the Fund's Prospectus.

**Exclusions** 

Expense limitations do not extend to interest, taxes, other investment-related costs, leverage expenses (as defined below), extraordinary expenses, other expenses not incurred in the ordinary course of business, expenses of any counsel or other persons or services retained by the Fund's Board who are not "interested persons," as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Leverage expenses shall mean fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection with the Fund's use of leverage (including, without limitation, expenses incurred by the Fund in creating, establishing, and maintaining leverage through borrowings or the issuance of preferred shares).

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not covered by any expense limitation agreement.

Prior to March 1, 2026, if an expense limitation permitted recoupment of any expenses reimbursed within 36 months of the waiver or reimbursement and the amount of the recoupment is limited to the lesser of the amounts that would be recoupable under: (i) the expense limitation in effect at the time of the waiver or reimbursement; or (ii) the expense limitation in effect at the time of recoupment. Reimbursement for fees waived or expenses assumed will only apply to amounts waived or expenses assumed after the effective date of the expense limitation.

**NET FUND FEES WAIVED, REIMBURSED, OR RECOUPED**

The table below shows the net fund expenses reimbursed, waived, and any recoupment, if applicable, by the Investment Adviser and Distributor for the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($180996) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($42825) | &nbsp;&nbsp; ($9699) |

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**Sub-Advisers**

The Investment Adviser has engaged the services of one or more Sub-Advisers to provide sub-advisory services to the Fund and, pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, has delegated certain management responsibilities to a Sub-Adviser. The Investment Adviser monitors and evaluates the performance of any Sub-Adviser.

A Sub-Adviser provides, subject to the supervision of the Board and the Investment Adviser, a continuous investment program for the Fund and determines the composition of the assets of the Fund, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash and other investments for the Fund, in accordance with the Fund's investment objectives, policies and restrictions and applicable laws and regulations.

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**Limitation of Liability** 

A Sub-Adviser is not subject to liability to the Fund for any act or omission in the course of, or in connection with, rendering services under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

**Continuation and Termination of the Sub-Advisory Agreement** 

After an initial term of two years, the Sub-Advisory Agreement continues in effect from year-to-year so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by: (i) the Board; or (ii) the vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities (as defined in Section 2(a)(42) of the 1940 Act); provided, that the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Independent Trustees who are not parties to the agreement by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated as to a particular Fund without penalty upon sixty (60) days' written notice by: (i) the Board; (ii) the majority vote of the outstanding voting securities of the relevant Fund; (iii) the Investment Adviser; or (iv) the Sub-Adviser upon 60-90 days' written notice, depending on the terms of the Sub-Advisory Agreement. The Sub-Advisory Agreement terminates automatically in the event of its assignment or in the event of the termination of the Investment Management Agreement.

**Sub-Advisory Fees** 

The Sub-Adviser receives compensation from the Investment Adviser at the annual rate of a specified percentage of the Fund's average daily net assets, as indicated below. The fee is accrued daily and paid monthly. The Sub-Adviser pays all of its expenses arising from the performance of its obligations under the Sub-Advisory Agreement. This table should be read in conjunction with the section below entitled "Aggregation."

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Sub-Adviser** | **Annual Sub-Advisory Fee** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Nomura Investments Fund Advisers, Sustainable <br> Growth Advisers, LP ("SGA"), and Voya IM<br>| For information on the Fund's annual <br> sub-advisory fee rate, please see the paragraph <br> immediately following this table.<br>|

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**Aggregation** 

For sub-advisory services rendered during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025, the Investment Adviser paid (i) Voya IM, an affiliate of the Investment Adviser, sub-advisory fees of $0, which represented approximately 0.000% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year, and (ii) NIFA and SGA, each an unaffiliated sub-adviser, aggregate sub-advisory fees of $805,841, which represented approximately 0.414% of the Fund's average daily net assets for that fiscal year. For purposes of calculating the annual sub-advisory fees, the assets of Voya VACS Series EME Fund are aggregated with assets for Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund.

**Total Sub-Advisory Fees Paid** 

The following table sets forth the sub-advisory fees paid by the Investment Adviser for the last three fiscal years.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $805841 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $731918 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $253401 |

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**PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT**

**Other Accounts Managed** 

The following tables set forth the number of accounts and total assets in the accounts managed by each portfolio manager as of October 31, 2025:

**NIFA**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Liu-Er Chen, CFA** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $10075487542 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 3 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $284162630 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 2 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1117412794 |

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**SGA**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **HK Gupta** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 7 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $9265329857 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 23 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8222701276 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 43 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1643845832 |
| **Alexandra Lee** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1215413330 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 18 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $7019634615 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 16 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1034938858  |

---

------

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br> **Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br> **Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br> **Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br> **Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br>| **Number of**<br> **Accounts**<br>| **Total**<br> **Assets**<br>|
| **Kishore Rao** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 8 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $9569345967 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 26 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8428875989 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 44 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $1643952545 |

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**Voya IM**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | &nbsp;&nbsp; **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Mark Buccigross** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 20 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $17352909739 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 |
| **Kai Yee Wong** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 40 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $21883007645 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 5 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $953207218 |

---

**Voya Investments**

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

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| | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Registered Investment** <br>**Companies** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Pooled Investment** <br>**Vehicles** | **Other Accounts** | **Other Accounts** |
| **Portfolio Manager** | **Fund(s)** | **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>| **Number of** <br>**Accounts**<br>| **Total** <br>**Assets**<br>|
| **Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 54 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $15511850994 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $0 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $517362593 |
| **Barbara Reinhard, CFA** | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; 55 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $15886729151 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 13 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $8208621428 | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4<sup>1</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp; $517362593 |

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One of these accounts with total assets of $1,199,037,319 has a performance-based advisory fee.

**Potential Material Conflicts of Interest**

**NIFA** 

Individual portfolio managers may perform investment management services for other funds or accounts similar to those provided to the Fund, and the investment action for such other fund or account and the Fund may differ. For example, an account or fund may be selling a security, while another account or fund may be purchasing or holding the same security. As a result, transactions executed for one fund or account may adversely affect the value of securities held by another fund, account or the Fund. Additionally, the management of multiple other funds or accounts and the Fund may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, as a portfolio manager must allocate time and effort to multiple other funds or accounts and the Fund. A portfolio manager may discover an investment opportunity that may be suitable for more than one account or fund. The investment opportunity may be limited, however, so that all funds or accounts for which the investment would be suitable may not be able to participate. NIFA and its affiliates have established proprietary accounts and initial seed accounts, and also manage accounts for affiliated entities. A portfolio manager also may have invested in certain funds or accounts managed by NIFA. Accordingly, portfolio managers have an incentive to favor these accounts or funds over other client accounts or funds. NIFA has adopted procedures designed to allocate investments fairly across multiple funds and accounts including, unless prohibited by applicable law, proprietary and affiliated accounts.

A portfolio manager's management of personal accounts also may present certain conflicts of interest. While NIFA's code of ethics is designed to address these potential conflicts, there is no guarantee that it will do so. When NIFA and its affiliates establish proprietary accounts, provide the initial seed capital in connection with the creation of a new investment product or style, and manage affiliate accounts, these accounts may not exhibit the same performance results as a similarly managed fund for a variety of reasons, including regulatory restrictions on the type and amount of securities in which the proprietary capital invests, differential credit and financing terms, and the use of hedging transactions that differ from those used to implement investment strategies for advisory clients.

**SGA** 

SGA has adopted policies and procedures that address potential conflicts of interest that may arise between a portfolio manager's management of the Fund and his or her management of other funds and accounts, such as conflicts relating to the allocation of investment opportunities, trade aggregation and allocation, personal investing activities, portfolio manager compensation and proxy voting of portfolio securities. While there is no guarantee that such policies and procedures will be effective in all cases, SGA believes that all issues relating to potential material conflicts of interest involving the Fund and its other managed accounts have been addressed.

**Voya IM and Voya Investments** 

A portfolio manager may be subject to potential conflicts of interest because the portfolio manager is responsible for other accounts in addition to the Fund. These other accounts may include, among others, other mutual funds, separately managed advisory accounts, commingled trust accounts, insurance separate accounts, wrap fee programs, and hedge funds. Potential conflicts may arise out of the implementation of differing investment strategies for the portfolio manager's various accounts, the allocation of investment opportunities among those accounts or differences in the advisory fees paid by the portfolio manager's accounts.

------

A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's responsibility for multiple accounts with similar investment guidelines. Under these circumstances, a potential investment may be suitable for more than one of the portfolio manager's accounts, but the quantity of the investment available for purchase is less than the aggregate amount the accounts would ideally devote to the opportunity. Similar conflicts may arise when multiple accounts seek to dispose of the same investment.

A portfolio manager may also manage accounts whose objectives and policies differ from those of the Fund. These differences may be such that under certain circumstances, trading activity appropriate for one account managed by the portfolio manager may have adverse consequences for another account managed by the portfolio manager. For example, if an account were to sell a significant position in a security, which could cause the market price of that security to decrease, while the Fund maintained its position in that security.

A potential conflict may arise when a portfolio manager is responsible for accounts that have different advisory fees – the difference in the fees may create an incentive for the portfolio manager to favor one account over another, for example, in terms of access to particularly appealing investment opportunities. This conflict may be heightened where an account is subject to a performance-based fee.

As part of its compliance program, Voya IM has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to address the potential conflicts of interest described above.

Finally, a potential conflict of interest may arise because the investment mandates for certain other accounts, such as hedge funds, may allow extensive use of short sales which, in theory, could allow them to enter into short positions in securities where other accounts hold long positions. Voya IM has policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit and monitor short sales by the other accounts to avoid harm to the Fund.

**Compensation**

**NIFA** 

The portfolio manager's compensation consists of the following:

<u>Base Salary</u>. Each named portfolio manager receives a fixed base salary. Salaries are determined by a comparison to industry data prepared by third parties to ensure that portfolio manager salaries are in line with salaries paid at peer investment advisory firms.

<u>Bonus</u>. The portfolio manager is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus. The bonus pool is determined by the revenues associated with the products the portfolio manager manages. NIFA keeps a percentage of the revenues and the remaining percentage of revenues (minus appropriate expenses associated with relevant product and the investment management team) creates the "bonus pool" for the product. Various members of the team have the ability to earn a percentage of the bonus pool with the most senior contributor generally having the largest share. The pool is allotted based on subjective factors (50%) and objective factors (50%). The primary objective factor is the one-, three- and five-year performance of the funds managed relative to the performance of the appropriate Morningstar, Inc. peer groups and the performance of institutional composites relative to the appropriate indices. Three- and five-year performance are weighted more heavily and there is no objective award for a fund whose performance falls below the 50th percentile for a given time period.

Individual allocations of the bonus pool are based on individual performance measurements, both objective and subjective, as determined by senior management.

Portfolio managers participate in the following retention programs for alignment of interest purposes.

<u>Nomura Notional Fund Unit (NFU)</u>. A portion of a portfolio manager's discretionary bonus may be notionally aligned with the performance of certain funds pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Notional Fund Unit Award Agreement. In general, the award will vest in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.

<u>Nomura Restricted Stock Unit</u> <u>(RSU)</u>. A portion of a portfolio manager's discretionary bonus may be granted in RSUs pursuant to the terms and vesting conditions of the Nomura Global Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement, which is used to deliver remuneration in the form of Nomura equity. In general, vesting and delivery of shares will be in equal tranches over a period of 3 years with longer vesting periods as necessary to comply with regulatory requirements.

<u>Other Compensation</u>. Portfolio managers may also participate in benefit plans and programs available generally to all similarly situated employees.

**SGA** 

SGA has adopted a system of compensation for portfolio managers that seeks to align the financial interests of the investment professionals with those of SGA. The compensation of each of SGA's three principals/portfolio managers is based upon (i) a fixed base compensation and (ii) SGA's financial performance. SGA's compensation arrangements with its investment professionals are not determined on the basis of specific funds or accounts managed by the investment professional. Additionally, most members of the investment team are equity owners in the firm and are entitled to their proportional participation in the firm's profits. A substantial portion of total compensation of investment professionals is expected to come from the equity participation in SGA. All investment professionals receive customary benefits that are offered generally to all salaried employees of SGA.

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**Voya IM and Voya Investments** 

Compensation consists of: (i) a fixed base salary; (ii) a bonus, which is based on Voya IM performance, one-, three-, and five-year pre-tax performance of the accounts the portfolio managers are primarily and jointly responsible for relative to account benchmarks, peer universe performance, and revenue growth and net cash flow growth (changes in the accounts' net assets not attributable to changes in the value of the accounts' investments) of the accounts they are responsible for; and (iii) long-term equity awards tied to the performance of our parent company, Voya Financial, Inc. and/or a notional investment in a pre-defined set of Voya IM sub-advised funds.

Portfolio managers are also eligible to receive an annual cash incentive award delivered in some combination of cash and a deferred award in the form of Voya stock. The overall design of the annual incentive plan was developed to tie pay to both performance and cash flows, structured in such a way as to drive performance and promote retention of top talent. As with base salary compensation, individual target awards are determined and set based on external market data and internal comparators. Investment performance is measured on both relative and absolute performance in all areas.

The measures for the team are outlined on a "scorecard" that is reviewed on an annual basis. These scorecards measure investment performance versus benchmark and peer groups over one-, three-, and five-year periods and year-to-date net cash flow (changes in the accounts' net assets not attributable to changes in the value of the accounts' investments) for all accounts managed by the team. The results for overall Voya IM scorecards are typically calculated on an asset weighted performance basis of the individual team scorecards.

Investment professionals' performance measures for bonus determinations are weighted by 25% being attributable to the overall Voya IM performance and 75% attributable to their specific team results (65% investment performance, 5% net cash flow, and 5% revenue growth).

Voya IM's long-term incentive plan is designed to provide ownership-like incentives to reward continued employment and to link long-term compensation to the financial performance of the business. Based on job function, internal comparators, and external market data, employees may be granted long-term awards. All senior investment professionals participate in the long-term compensation plan. Participants receive annual awards determined by the management committee based largely on investment performance and contribution to firm performance. Plan awards are based on the current year's performance as defined by the Voya IM component of the annual incentive plan. Awards typically include a combination of performance shares, which vest ratably over a three-year period, and Voya restricted stock and/or a notional investment in a predefined set of Voya IM sub-advised funds, each subject to a three-year cliff-vesting schedule.

If a portfolio manager's base salary compensation exceeds a particular threshold, he or she may participate in Voya's deferred compensation plan. The plan provides an opportunity to invest deferred amounts of compensation in mutual funds, Voya stock, or at an annual fixed interest rate. Deferral elections are done on an annual basis and the amount of compensation deferred is irrevocable.

For the Fund, Voya IM has defined the following index as the benchmark index for the investment team:

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

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Portfolio Manager** | **Benchmark** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA, Mark Buccigross, <br> Barbara Reinhard, CFA and Kai Yee Wong<br>| MSCI Emerging Markets Index<sup>SM</sup> |

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**Ownership of Securities** 

The following table shows the dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by each portfolio manager (including investments by his/her immediate family members) and amounts invested through retirement and deferred compensation plans as of October 31, 2025.

In addition, certain Voya IM and Voya Investments portfolio managers may be required to defer a portion of their compensation into an account that tracks the performance of investment options, including certain Voya mutual funds, chosen by the portfolio managers as part of their participation in Voya's deferred compensation plan and/or other targeted compensation programs. This deferral will not cause a direct purchase or sale of Fund shares by the Portfolio Manager, but the NAV of the Fund shares will determine the cash amount to be paid under any vesting provisions when the portfolio manager realizes his/her compensation. To the extent these Voya IM and Voya Investments portfolio managers voluntarily disclose amounts such portfolio managers have allocated to an investment option that tracks the performance of Fund(s) that the portfolio manager manages, the amounts are reflected in a footnote to the table below, in each case as of October 31, 2025.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Portfolio** <br>**Manager**<br>| **Investment Adviser or** <br>**Sub-Adviser**<br>| **Fund(s) Managed by the** <br>**Portfolio Manager**<br>| **Dollar Range of Fund** <br>**Shares Owned**<br>|
| Lanyon Blair, CFA, CAIA | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser)<br>| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Mark Buccigross | Voya IM | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Liu-Er Chen, CFA | NIFA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| HK Gupta | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Alexandra Lee | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Kishore Rao | SGA | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Barbara Reinhard, CFA | Voya Investments <br>(Investment Adviser)<br>| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |
| Kai Yee Wong | Voya IM | Voya VACS Series EME Fund | None |

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**PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER**

The Distributor, a Delaware limited liability company, is the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund. The Distributor is an indirect subsidiary of Voya Financial, Inc. and is an affiliate of the Investment Adviser. The Distributor's principal business address is 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. Shares of the Fund are offered on a continuous basis. As principal underwriter, the Distributor has agreed to use its best efforts to distribute the shares of the Fund, although it is not obligated to sell any particular amount of shares.

The Distributor is responsible for all of its expenses in providing services pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, including the costs of printing and distributing prospectuses and SAIs for prospective shareholders and such other sales literature, reports, forms, advertising, and any other marketing efforts by the Distributor in connection with the distribution or sale of the shares. The Distributor does not receive compensation for providing services under the Distribution Agreement.

The Distribution Agreement may be continued from year to year if approved annually by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and by a vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not "interested persons" of the Distributor, or the Trust or parties to the Distribution Agreement, appearing in person at a meeting called for the purpose of approving such Agreement.

The Distribution Agreement terminates automatically upon assignment, and may be terminated at any time on sixty (60) days' written notice by the Trustees or the Distributor or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund without the payment of any penalty.

**Commissions and Compensation Received by the Principal Underwriter** 

The following table shows all commissions and other compensation received by the Principal Underwriter, who is an affiliated person of the Fund or an affiliated person of that affiliated person, directly or indirectly, from the Fund during the most recent fiscal year.

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

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| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Name of Principal** <br> **Underwriter**<br>| **Net Underwriting** <br> **Discounts and** <br> **Commissions**<br>| **Compensation on** <br> **Redemptions and** <br> **Repurchases**<br>| **Brokerage** <br> **Commissions**<br>| **Other** <br> **Compensation**<br>|
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |

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**Payments to Financial Intermediaries** 

The Investment Adviser or the Distributor, out of its own resources and without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders, may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to financial intermediaries selling shares of the Fund, including affiliates of the Investment Adviser and the Distributor. These amounts are in addition to the distribution payments made by the Fund under any distribution agreements. "Financial intermediary" includes any broker, dealer, bank (including bank trust departments), insurance company, transfer agent, registered investment adviser, financial planner, retirement plan administrator and any other financial intermediary having a selling, administrative and shareholder servicing or similar agreement with the Distributor or Investment Adviser.

The benefits to the Distributor and the Investment Adviser include, among other things, entry into or increased visibility in the financial intermediary's sales system, participation by the financial intermediary in the Distributor's marketing efforts (such as helping facilitate or providing financial assistance for conferences, seminars or other programs at which Voya personnel may make presentations on the Voya funds to the intermediary's sales force), placement on the financial intermediary's preferred fund list, and access (in some cases, on a preferential basis over other competitors) to individual members of the financial intermediary's sales force or management. Revenue sharing payments are sometimes referred to as "shelf space" payments because the payments compensate the financial intermediary for including Voya funds in its fund sales system (on its "shelf space"). A financial intermediary typically initiates requests for additional compensation and the Distributor or Investment Adviser negotiates these arrangements with the financial intermediary.

These additional fees paid to financial intermediaries may take the following forms: (1) a percentage of the financial intermediary's customer assets invested in Voya mutual funds; (2) a percentage of the financial intermediary's gross sales; or (3) some combination of these payments. These payments may, depending on the broker-dealer's satisfaction of the required conditions, be periodic and may be up to: (1) 0.30% per annum of the value of the Fund's shares held by the broker-dealer's customers; or (2) 0.30% of the value of the Fund's shares sold by the broker-dealer during a particular period.

Payments based on sales primarily create incentives for the financial intermediary to make new sales of shares of Voya funds. Payments based on customer assets primarily create incentives for the financial intermediary to retain previously sold shares of Voya funds in investor accounts. A financial intermediary may receive either or both types of payments.

The Distributor and the Investment Adviser compensate financial intermediaries differently depending on the level and/or type of considerations provided by the financial intermediary. A financial intermediary may receive different levels of compensation with respect to sales or assets attributable to different types of clients of the same intermediary or different Voya funds. A financial intermediary may receive payment under more than one arrangement referenced here. Where services are provided, the costs of providing the services and the overall array of services provided may vary from one financial intermediary to another. The Distributor and the Investment Adviser do not make an independent assessment of the cost of providing such services. While a financial intermediary may request additional compensation from Voya to offset costs incurred by the financial intermediary in servicing its clients, the financial intermediary may earn a profit on these payments, since the amount of the payment may exceed the financial intermediary's costs.

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As of January 1, 2026, the Distributor and/or the Investment Adviser had agreed to make additional payments as described above to the following broker-dealers or their affiliates:

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc. | Ascensus, LLC |
| Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. | Benefits Plans Administrative Services, Inc. |
| Benefit Trust Company | Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC |
| Cetera Advisors Networks LLC | Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc. |
| Cetera Financial Specialists LLC | Cetera Investment Services LLC |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | Charles Schwab Trust Bank |
| Edward Jones | Empower Financial Service, Inc. |
| Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC | First Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
| J.P. Morgan Securities LLC | Janney Montgomery Scott LLC |
| John Hancock Trust Company, LLC | Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp |
| Lincoln Financial Securities Corp | Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of NY |
| Lincoln Retirement Services Company, LLC | LPL Financial, LLC |
| Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. | Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. |
| Metlife Securities, Inc. | Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation |
| Morgan Stanley | Nationwide Financial Services, Inc. |
| National Financial Services, LLC | NY Life Annuity & Insurance Co |
| Newport Retirement Services, Inc. | Pershing, LLC |
| Osaic, Inc. | Principal Life Insurance Company |
| PNC Bank N.A. | Raymond James & Associates, Inc. |
| Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. | RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
| Reliance Trust Company | Security Benefit Life Insurance Company |
| Standard Insurance Company | Symetra Securities, Inc. |
| T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc. | TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company |
| TransAmerica Retirement Solutions Corporation | US Bank N.A. |
| UBS Financial Services, Inc. | VALIC Retirement Services Company |
| Vanguard Group, Inc. | Vanguard Marketing Corporation |
| Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company | Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company |
| Voya Services Company | Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC |

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**Other Incentives** 

The Investment Adviser or the Distributor may provide additional cash or non-cash compensation to third parties selling our mutual funds including affiliated companies. This may take the form of cash incentives and non-cash compensation and may include, but is not limited to: cash; merchandise; trips; occasional entertainment; meals or tickets to a sporting event; client appreciation events; payment for travel expenses (including meals and lodging) to pre-approved training and education seminars; and payment for advertising and sales campaigns. The Distributor may also pay concessions in addition to those described above to broker-dealers so that Voya mutual funds are made available by those broker-dealers for their customers.

The Sub-Adviser of the Fund may contribute to non-cash compensation arrangements.

The Distributor may, from time to time, pay additional cash and non-cash compensation from its own resources to its employee sales staff for sales of certain Voya funds that are made by registered representatives of broker-dealers to the extent such compensation is not prohibited by law or the rules of any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA.

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**Conflicts of Interest** 

A financial intermediary's receipt of additional compensation may create conflicts of interest between the financial intermediary and its clients. Each type of payment discussed above may provide a financial intermediary with an economic incentive to actively promote Voya funds over other mutual funds or cooperate with the distributor's promotional efforts. The receipt of additional compensation from Voya and its affiliates may be an important consideration in a financial intermediary's willingness to support the sale of Voya funds through the financial intermediary's distribution system. The Distributor and the Investment Adviser are motivated to make the payments described above since they promote the sale of Voya fund shares and the retention of those investments by clients of financial intermediaries. In certain cases these payments could be significant to the financial intermediary.

**Additional Cash Compensation for Sales by "Focus Firms"** 

The Distributor may, at its discretion, pay additional cash compensation to its employee sales staff for sales by certain broker-dealers or "focus firms." The Distributor may pay up to an additional 0.10% to its employee sales staff for sales that are made by registered representatives of these focus firms. As of the date of this SAI, the focus firms are: Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC; Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC; Cetera Financial Holdings, Inc.; Charles Schwab & Co. Inc.; Charles Schwab Trust Bank; Directed Services LLC; Fidelity Brokerage Services, LLC; LPL Financial, LLC; Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc.; Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation, Inc; Morgan Stanley; New York Life Insurance & Annuity Corp; Osaic, Inc; Pershing, LLC; Raymond James & Associates, Inc.; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; ReliaStar Life Insurance Company of New York; Security Life of Denver Insurance Company; Standard Insurance Company; UBS Financial Services, Inc; Venerable Insurance & Annuity Company; Voya Financial Advisers, Inc.; Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company; Voya Services Company; and Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC.

**Total Distribution Expenses** 

The following table sets forth the total distribution expenses incurred by the Distributor for the costs of promotion and distribution with respect to each class of shares for the Fund for the most recent fiscal year.

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

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| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Advertising** | **Printing** | **Salaries & Commissions** | **Broker Servicing** | **Miscellaneous** | **Total** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |

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**OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS**

**Custodian** 

The Bank of New York Mellon, 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, serves as custodian for the Fund.

The custodian's responsibilities include safekeeping and controlling the Fund's cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund's investments. The custodian does not participate in determining the investment policies of the Fund, in deciding which securities are purchased or sold by the Fund, or in the declaration of dividends and distributions. The Fund may, however, invest in obligations of the custodian and may purchase or sell securities from or to the custodian.

For portfolio securities that are purchased and held outside the United States, the custodian has entered into sub-custodian arrangements with certain foreign banks and clearing agencies which are designed to comply with Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act.

**Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm** 

Ernst & Young LLP serves as an independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund. Ernst & Young LLP provides audit services and tax return preparation services. Ernst & Young LLP is located at 200 Clarendon Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02116.

**Legal Counsel** 

Legal matters for the Trust are passed upon by Ropes & Gray LLP, Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02199-3600.

**Transfer Agent and Dividend Paying Agent** 

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. (the "Transfer Agent") serves as the transfer agent and dividend-paying agent for the Fund. Its principal business address is 103 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809. As transfer agent and dividend-paying agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. is responsible for maintaining account records, detailing the ownership of Fund shares and for crediting income, capital gains and other changes in share ownership to shareholder accounts.

**Securities Lending Agent** 

The Bank of New York Mellon serves as the securities lending agent. The services provided by The Bank of New York Mellon, as the securities lending agent, for the most recent fiscal year primarily included the following:

(1) selecting borrowers from an approved list of borrowers and executing a securities lending agreement as agent on behalf of the Fund with each such borrower;

(2) negotiating the terms of securities loans, including the amount of fees;

(3) directing the delivery of loaned securities;

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

(4) monitoring the daily value of the loaned securities and directing the payment of additional collateral or the return of excess collateral, as necessary;

(5) investing cash collateral received in connection with any loaned securities in accordance with specific guidelines and instructions provided by the Investment Adviser;

(6) monitoring distributions on loaned securities (for example, interest and dividend activity);

(7) in the event of default by a borrower with respect to any securities loan, using the collateral or the proceeds of the liquidation of collateral to purchase replacement securities of the same issue, type, class, and series as that of the loaned securities; and

(8) terminating securities loans and arranging for the return of loaned securities to the Fund at loan termination.

The following table provides the dollar amounts of income and fees/compensation related to the securities lending activities of the Fund for its most recent fiscal year. There are no fees paid to the securities lending agent for cash collateral management services, administrative fees, indemnification fees, or other fees.

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

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| | | | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **Gross**<br> **securities**<br> **lending**<br> **income**<br>| **Fees** <br> **paid** <br> **to** <br> **securities** <br> **lending** <br> **agent** <br> **from** <br> **revenue**<br> **split**<br>| **Positive**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Negative**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Net**<br> **Rebate**<br>| **Securities**<br> **Lending**<br> **losses/**<br> **gains**<br>| **Total** <br> **Aggregate** <br> **fees/** <br> **compensation**<br> **paid** <br> **to** <br> **securities** <br> **lending**<br> **agent** <br> **or** <br> **broker**<br>| **Net** <br> **Securities**<br> **Income**<br>|
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | $148355 | $4624 | $101040 | -$4076 | $96964 | N/A | $105663 | $46767 |

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**PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS**

The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser for the Fund places orders for the purchase and sale of investment securities for the Fund, pursuant to authority granted in the relevant Investment Management Agreement or Sub-Advisory Agreement.

Subject to policies and procedures approved by the Board, the Investment Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser have discretion to make decisions relating to placing these orders including, where applicable, selecting the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchase and sale of investment securities, negotiating the commission or other compensation paid to the broker or dealer executing the trade, or using an electronic communications network ("ECN") or alternative trading system ("ATS").

In situations where a Sub-Adviser resigns or the Investment Adviser otherwise assumes day-to-day management of the Fund pursuant to its Investment Management Agreement with such Fund, the Investment Adviser will perform the services described herein as being performed by the Sub-Adviser.

**How Securities Transactions are Effected** 

Purchases and sales of securities on a securities exchange (which include most equity securities) are effected through brokers who charge a commission for their services. In transactions on securities exchanges in the U.S., these commissions are negotiated, while on many foreign (non-U.S.) securities exchanges commissions are fixed. Securities traded in the OTC markets (such as debt instruments and some equity securities) are generally traded on a "net" basis with market makers acting as dealers; in these transactions, the dealers act as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission, although the price of the security usually includes a profit to the dealer. Transactions in certain OTC securities also may be effected on an agency basis when, in the Investment Adviser's or a Sub-Adviser's opinion, the total price paid (including commission) is equal to or better than the best total price available from a market maker. In underwritten offerings, securities are usually purchased at a fixed price, which includes an amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter's concession or discount. On occasion, certain money market instruments may be purchased directly from an issuer, in which case no commissions or discounts are paid. The Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may also place trades using an ECN or ATS.

**How the Investment Adviser or a Sub Adviser Selects Broker-Dealers** 

The Investment Adviser and the Sub-Adviser(s) have a duty to seek to obtain best execution of the Fund's orders, taking into consideration a full range of factors designed to produce the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. In selecting brokers and dealers to execute trades, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may consider both the characteristics of the trade and the full range and quality of the brokerage services available from eligible broker-dealers. This consideration often involves qualitative as well as quantitative judgments. Factors relevant to the nature of the trade may include, among others, price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature and characteristics (including liquidity) of the market for the security, the difficulty of execution, the timing of the order, potential market impact, and the need for confidentiality, speed, and certainty of execution. Factors relevant to the range and quality of brokerage services available from eligible brokers and dealers may include, among others, each firm's execution, clearance, settlement, and other operational facilities; willingness and ability to commit capital or

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take risk in positioning a block of securities, where necessary; special expertise in particular securities or markets; ability to provide liquidity, speed and anonymity; the nature and quality of other brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser (consistent with the "safe harbor" described below and subject to the restrictions of the EU's updated Markets in Financial Instruments Directive ("MiFID II")); and each firm's general reputation, financial condition and responsiveness to the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, as demonstrated in the particular transaction or other transactions. Subject to its duty to seek best execution of the Fund's orders, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may select broker-dealers that participate in commission recapture programs that have been established for the benefit of the Fund. Under these programs, the participating broker-dealers will return to the Fund (in the form of a credit to the Fund) a portion of the brokerage commissions paid to the broker-dealers by the Fund. These credits are used to pay certain expenses of the Fund. These commission recapture payments benefit the Fund, and not the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser.

**The Safe Harbor for Soft Dollar Practices** 

In selecting broker-dealers to execute a trade for the Fund, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may consider the nature and quality of brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser as a factor in evaluating the most favorable overall terms reasonably available under the circumstances. As permitted by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer a commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund that is in excess of the commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting the transaction, as long as the services provided to the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser by the broker-dealer: (i) are limited to "research" or "brokerage" services; (ii) constitute lawful and appropriate assistance to the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser in the performance of its investment decision-making responsibilities; and (iii) the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser makes a good faith determination that the broker's commission paid by the Fund is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the broker-dealer, viewed in terms of either the particular transaction or the Investment Adviser's or the Sub-Adviser's overall responsibilities to the Fund and its other investment advisory clients. In making such a determination, the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser might consider, in addition to the commission rate, the range and quality of a broker's services, including the value of the research provided, execution capability, financial responsibility and responsiveness. The practice of using a portion of the Fund's commission dollars to pay for brokerage and research services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser is sometimes referred to as "soft dollars." Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act is sometimes referred to as a "safe harbor," because it permits this practice, subject to a number of restrictions, including the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser's compliance with certain procedural requirements and limitations on the type of brokerage and research services that qualify for the safe harbor. The provisions of MiFID II may limit the ability of a Sub-Adviser to pay for research services using soft dollars in various circumstances.

*Brokerage and Research Products and Services Under the Safe Harbor* – Research products and services may include, but are not limited to, general economic, political, business and market information and reviews, industry and company information and reviews, evaluations of securities and recommendations as to the purchase and sale of securities, financial data on a company or companies, performance and risk measuring services and analysis, stock price quotation services, computerized historical financial databases and related software, credit rating services, analysis of corporate responsibility issues, brokerage analysts' earnings estimates, computerized links to current market data, software dedicated to research, and portfolio modeling. Research services may be provided in the form of reports, computer-generated data feeds and other services, telephone contacts, and personal meetings with securities analysts, as well as in the form of meetings arranged with corporate officers and industry spokespersons, economists, academics, and governmental representatives. Brokerage products and services assist in the execution, clearance and settlement of securities transactions, as well as functions incidental thereto including, but not limited to, related communication and connectivity services and equipment, software related to order routing, market access, algorithmic trading, and other trading activities. On occasion, a broker-dealer may furnish the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser with a service that has a mixed use (that is, the service is used both for brokerage and research activities that are within the safe harbor and for other activities). In this case, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser is required to reasonably allocate the cost of the service, so that any portion of the service that does not qualify for the safe harbor is paid for by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser from its own funds, and not by portfolio commissions paid by the Fund.

*Benefits to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser* – Research products and services provided to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser by broker-dealers that effect securities transactions for the Fund may be used by the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser in servicing all of its accounts. Accordingly, not all of these services may be used by the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser in connection with the Fund. Some of these products and services are also available to the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser for cash, and some do not have an explicit cost or determinable value. The research received does not reduce the management fees payable to the Investment Adviser or the sub-advisory fees payable to a Sub-Adviser for services provided to the Fund. The Investment Adviser's or a Sub-Adviser's expenses would likely increase if the Investment Adviser or the Sub-Adviser had to generate these research products and services through its own efforts, or if it paid for these products or services itself. It is possible that a Sub-Adviser subject to MiFID II will cause the Fund to pay for research services with soft dollars in circumstances where it is prohibited from doing so with respect to other client accounts, although those other client accounts might nonetheless benefit from those research services.

**Broker-Dealers that are Affiliated with the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser** 

Portfolio transactions may be executed by brokers affiliated with Voya Financial, Inc., the Investment Adviser, or a Sub-Adviser, so long as the commission paid to the affiliated broker is reasonable and fair compared to the commission that would be charged by an unaffiliated broker in a comparable transaction.

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**Prohibition on Use of Brokerage Commissions for Sales or Promotional Activities** 

The placement of portfolio brokerage with broker-dealers who have sold shares of the Fund is subject to rules adopted by the SEC and FINRA. Under these rules, the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser may not consider a broker's promotional or sales efforts on behalf of the Fund when selecting a broker-dealer for portfolio transactions, and neither the Fund nor the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser may enter into an agreement under which the Fund directs brokerage transactions (or revenue generated from such transactions) to a broker-dealer to pay for distribution of Fund shares. The Fund has adopted policies and procedures, approved by the Board, that are designed to attain compliance with these prohibitions.

**Principal Trades and Research** 

Purchases of securities for the Fund also may be made directly from issuers or from underwriters. Purchase and sale transactions may be effected through dealers which specialize in the types of securities which the Fund will be holding. Dealers and underwriters usually act as principals for their own account. Purchases from underwriters will include a concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter and purchases from dealers will include the spread between the bid and the asked price. If the execution and price offered by more than one dealer or underwriter are comparable, the order may be allocated to a dealer or underwriter which has provided such research or other services as mentioned above.

**More Information about Trading in Debt Instruments** 

Purchases and sales of debt instruments will usually be principal transactions. Such instruments often will be purchased from or sold to dealers serving as market makers for the instruments at a net price. The Fund may also purchase such instruments in underwritten offerings and will, on occasion, purchase instruments directly from the issuer. Generally, debt instruments are traded on a net basis and do not involve brokerage commissions. The cost of executing debt instruments transactions consists primarily of dealer spreads and underwriting commissions.

In purchasing and selling debt instruments, it is the policy of the Fund to obtain the best results, while taking into account the dealer's general execution and operational facilities, the type of transaction involved and other factors, such as the dealer's risk in positioning the instruments involved. While the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive spreads or commissions, the Fund will not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available.

**Transition Management** 

Changes in sub-advisers, investment personnel, and reorganizations of the Fund may result in the sale of a significant portion or even all of the Fund's portfolio securities. This type of change generally will increase trading costs and the portfolio turnover for the affected Fund. The Fund, the Investment Adviser, or a Sub-Adviser may engage a broker-dealer to provide transition management services in connection with a change in sub-advisers, reorganization, or other changes.

**Allocation of Trades** 

Some securities considered for investment by the Fund may also be appropriate for other clients served by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser. If the purchase or sale of securities consistent with the investment policies of the Fund and one or more of these other clients is considered at, or about the same time, transactions in such securities will be placed on an aggregate basis and allocated among the other funds and such other clients in a manner deemed fair and equitable, over time, by the Investment Adviser or Sub-Adviser and consistent with the Investment Adviser's or Sub-Adviser's written policies and procedures. The Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser may use different methods of trade allocation. The Investment Adviser's and Sub-Adviser's relevant policies and procedures and the results of aggregated trades in which the Fund participated are subject to periodic review by the Board. To the extent the Fund seeks to acquire (or dispose of) the same security at the same time as other funds, such Fund may not be able to acquire (or dispose of) as large a position in such security as it desires, or it may have to pay a higher (or receive a lower) price for such security. It is recognized that in some cases, this system could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security insofar as the Fund is concerned. However, over time, the Fund's ability to participate in aggregate trades is expected to provide better execution for the Fund.

**Cross-Transactions** 

The Board has adopted a policy allowing trades to be made between affiliated registered investment companies or series thereof, provided they meet the conditions of Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and conditions of the policy.

**Brokerage Commissions Paid** 

The following table sets forth brokerage commissions paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years. An increase or decrease in commissions is due to a corresponding increase or decrease in the Fund's trading activity.

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

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| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **Fund** | **2025** | **2024** | **2023** |
| Voya VACS Series EME Fund | &nbsp;&nbsp; $260675 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $239365 | &nbsp;&nbsp; $343274 |

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**Affiliated Brokerage Commissions** 

For the last three fiscal years, the Fund did not use affiliated brokers to execute portfolio transactions.

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**Securities of Regular Broker-Dealers** 

During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund acquired no securities of its regular broker-dealers (as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act) or their parent companies.

**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

**Description of the Shares of Beneficial Interest** 

The Trust may issue unlimited shares of beneficial interest in the Trust without par value. The shares may be issued in one or more series and each series may consist of one or more classes. The Trust has six series, which are authorized to issue multiple classes of shares. Such classes are designated Class A, Class C, Class I, Class R, Class R6, and Class W. Not all series and/or classes of the Trust are discussed in this SAI.

All shares of each series represent an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to that series (subject to the liabilities belonging to the series or a class). Each series may have different assets and liabilities from any other series of the Trust. Furthermore, different share classes of a series may have different liabilities from other classes of that same series. The assets belonging to a series shall be charged with the liabilities of that series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that series, except that liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves allocated solely to a particular class, if any, shall be borne by that class. Any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series or class, shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the series or classes, in such manner as the Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and equitable.

Under the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the power and authority to reclassify, reorganize, recapitalize or convert any issued shares or any series or classes thereof into one or more series or classes of shares without obtaining the prior authorization, or vote, of shareholders.

**Redemption and Transfer of Shares** 

Shareholders of any series or class have the right to redeem all or part of their shares as described in the prospectus and Declaration of Trust. Under certain circumstances, the Trust may suspend the right of redemption as allowed by the SEC or federal securities laws. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees have the right to redeem shares of shareholders: (i) who do not satisfy minimum investment thresholds set forth in the prospectus from time to time; or (ii) if the Trustees determine that failure to redeem may have materially adverse consequences to the Trust, any series or to the shareholders of the Trust or any series thereof. There are no restrictions on the transfer of shares in the Declaration of Trust.

**Material Obligations and Liabilities of Owning Shares** 

The Trust is organized as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act. Under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, shareholders have the same limitation on personal liability extended to shareholders of private corporations under Delaware law. All shares issued by the Trust are fully paid and nonassessable.

**Dividend Rights** 

The shareholders of a series are entitled to receive dividends or other distributions declared for the series. Distributions will be paid pro rata to all shareholders of a series or class according to the number of shares held by shareholders on the record date.

**Voting Rights and Shareholder Meetings** 

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, shareholders have the power to vote, under certain circumstances, on: (1) the election or removal of trustees; (2) the approval of certain advisory contracts; (3) the termination and incorporation of the Trust, (4) any merger, consolidation or sale of all, or substantially all, of the Trust's assets; and (5) such additional matters as may be required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law, the Declaration of Trust or by-laws, or any registration of the Trust with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any state, or as and when the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable. For example, under the 1940 Act, shareholders have the right to vote on any change in a fundamental investment policy, to approve a change in subclassification of a fund, to approve the distribution plan under Rule 12b-1, and to terminate the independent registered public accountant.

The Trust is not required to hold shareholder meetings annually, but a meeting of shareholders may be called by the Board, at the request in writing of the holders of not less than 10% of the outstanding voting shares of the Trust, or as required by the 1940 Act.

On matters submitted to a vote, each holder of a share is entitled to one vote for each full share, and a fractional vote for each fractional share outstanding on the books of the Trust. All shares of classes and series vote together as one class, except with respect to any matter that affects only the interests of a particular series or class, or as required by Delaware law or the 1940 Act.

**Liquidation Rights** 

In the event of liquidation, the shareholders of a series or class are entitled to receive, as a liquidating distribution, the excess of the assets belonging to the liquidating series or class over the liabilities belonging to such series or class of shares.

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**Inspection of Records** 

The records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by shareholders during normal business hours and for any purpose not harmful to the Trust.

**Preemptive Rights** 

There are no preemptive rights associated with the series' shares.

**Conversion Rights** 

The conversion features and exchange privileges, if any, are described in the Prospectus and in the section of this SAI entitled "Purchase, Exchange, and Redemption of Shares."

**Sinking Fund Provisions** 

The Trust has no sinking fund provision.

**PURCHASE, EXCHANGE, AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES**

An investor may purchase or redeem shares of the Fund utilizing the methods, and subject to the restrictions, described in the Prospectus. There are no exchange privileges associated with the Fund's shares.

**Purchases** 

Shares of the Fund are offered at the NAV next computed after receipt of a purchase order in proper form by the Transfer Agent or the Distributor.

**Orders Placed with Intermediaries** 

If you invest in the Fund through a financial intermediary, you may be charged a commission or transaction fee by the financial intermediary for the purchase and sale of Fund shares.

Certain brokers or other designated intermediaries such as third-party administrators or plan trustees may accept purchase and redemption orders on behalf of the Fund. The Transfer Agent, the Distributor or the Fund will be deemed to have received such an order when the broker or the designee has accepted the order. Customer orders are priced at the NAV next computed after such acceptance. Such orders may be transmitted to the Fund or its agents several hours after the time of the acceptance and pricing.

**Subscriptions-in-Kind** 

Certain investors may purchase shares of the Fund with liquid assets with a value which is readily ascertainable by reference to a domestic exchange price and which would be eligible for purchase by the Fund consistent with the Fund's investment policies and restrictions. These transactions only will be effected if the Investment Adviser or a Sub-Adviser intends to retain the security in the Fund as an investment. Assets so purchased by the Fund will be valued in generally the same manner as they would be valued for purposes of pricing the Fund's shares, if these assets were included in the Fund's assets at the time of purchase. The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate this practice at any time.

**Redemptions** 

Redemption proceeds normally will be paid within seven days following receipt of instructions in proper form, except that the Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment during any period when: (i) trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC or the NYSE is closed for other than weekends and holidays; (ii) an emergency exists as determined by the SEC, as a result of which: (a) disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable; or (b) it is not reasonably practical for the Fund to determine fairly the value of its net assets; or (iii) for such other period as the SEC may permit by rule or by order for the protection of the Fund's shareholders.

The value of shares on redemption or repurchase may be more or less than the investor's cost, depending upon the market value of the portfolio securities at the time of redemption or repurchase.

**Payment-in Kind** 

The Fund intends to pay in cash for all shares redeemed, but under abnormal conditions that make payment in cash unwise, the Fund may make payment wholly or partly in securities at their then current market value equal to the redemption price. In such case, an investor may incur brokerage costs in converting such securities to cash. However, the Trust has elected to be governed by the provisions of Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, which obligates the Fund to redeem shares with respect to any one shareholder during any 90-day period solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1.00% of the NAV of the Fund at the beginning of the period. To the extent possible, the Fund will distribute readily marketable securities, in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. In the event the Fund must liquidate portfolio securities to meet redemptions, it reserves the right to reduce the redemption price by an amount equivalent to the pro-rated cost of such liquidation not to exceed one percent of the NAV of such shares.

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**Signature Guarantee** 

A signature guarantee is verification of the authenticity of the signature given by certain authorized institutions. A medallion signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association, or other financial institution which is participating in a medallion program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP"), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program ("SEMP"), and New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program ("NYSE MSP"). Signature guarantees from financial institutions which are not participating in one of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that signature guarantees are not provided by a notary public. The Fund reserves the right to amend, waive or discontinue this policy at any time and establish other criteria for verifying the authenticity of any redemption request.

**Additional Information Regarding Redemptions** 

At various times, the Fund may be requested to redeem shares for which it has not yet received good payment. Accordingly, the Fund may delay the mailing of a redemption check until such time as it has assured itself that good payment has been collected for the purchase of such shares, which may take up to 15 days or longer.

**Telephone Redemption Privileges** 

These privileges are subject to the conditions and provisions set forth below and in the Prospectus. The telephone privileges may be modified or terminated at any time.

Telephone redemption requests must meet the following conditions to be accepted by Voya Investment Management:

(a) Proceeds of the redemption may be directly deposited into a predetermined bank account, or mailed to the current address on record. This address cannot reflect any change within the previous 30 days.

(b) Certain account information will need to be provided for verification purposes before the redemption will be executed.

(c) Only one telephone redemption (where proceeds are being mailed to the address of record) can be processed within a 30 day period.

(d) The maximum amount which can be liquidated and sent to the address of record at any one time is $100,000.

(e) The minimum amount which can be liquidated and sent to a predetermined bank account is $5,000.

(f) Certificated shares cannot be redeemed by telephone but must be forwarded to Voya Investment Management at Voya Investment Management

P.O. Box 534480

Pittsburgh, PA 15253-4480 and deposited into your account before any transaction may be processed.

(g) Shares may not be redeemed unless a redemption privilege is offered pursuant to the Fund's then-current Prospectus.

(h) Proceeds of a redemption may be delayed up to 15 days or longer until the check used to purchase the shares being redeemed has been paid by the bank upon which it was drawn.

**Shareholder Information** 

The Fund offers one or more of the shareholder services described below. You can obtain further information about these services by contacting the Fund at the telephone number or address listed on the cover of this SAI or from the Distributor, your financial adviser, your securities dealer or other financial intermediary.

**Investment Account and Account Statements** 

The Transfer Agent maintains an account for each shareholder under which the registration and transfer of shares are recorded and any transfers shall be reflected by bookkeeping entry, without physical delivery.

The Transfer Agent will require that a shareholder provide requests in writing, accompanied by a valid signature guarantee form, when changing certain information in an account (*i.e.*, wiring instructions, telephone privileges, etc.). The Transfer Agent may charge you a fee for special requests such as historical transcripts of your account and copies of cancelled checks.

Consolidated statements reflecting current values, share balances and year-to-date transactions generally will be sent to you each quarter. All accounts identified by the same social security number and address will be consolidated. For example, you could receive a consolidated statement showing your individual and IRA accounts. An IRS Form 1099 generally will also be sent each year by January 31.

With the prior permission of the other shareholders involved, you have the option of requesting that accounts controlled by other shareholders be shown on one consolidated statement. For example, information on your individual account, your IRA, your spouse's individual account and your spouse's IRA may be shown on one consolidated statement.

For investors purchasing shares of the Fund through a tax-qualified IRA or pension plan or under a group plan through a person designated for the collection and remittance of monies to be invested in shares of the Fund on a periodic basis, the Fund may, in lieu of furnishing confirmations following each purchase of Fund shares, send statements no less frequently than quarterly pursuant to the provisions of the 1934 Act, and the rules thereunder. These quarterly statements, which would be sent to the investor or to the person designated by the group for distribution to its members, will be made within five business days after the end of each quarterly period and shall reflect all transactions in the investor's account during the preceding quarter.

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**Reinvestment of Distributions** 

As noted in the Prospectus, shareholders have the privilege of reinvesting both income dividends and capital gains distributions, if any, in additional shares of the Fund. The Fund's management believes that most investors desire to take advantage of this privilege. It has therefore made arrangements with its Transfer Agent to have all income dividends and capital gains distributions that are declared by the Fund automatically reinvested for the account of each shareholder. A shareholder may elect at any time by writing to the Fund or the Transfer Agent to have subsequent dividends and/or distributions paid in cash. In the absence of such an election, each purchase of shares of the Fund is made upon the condition and understanding that the Transfer Agent is automatically appointed the shareholder's agent to receive his dividends and distributions upon all shares registered in his or her name and to reinvest them in full and fractional

shares of the Fund at the applicable NAV in effect at the close of business on the reinvestment date. A shareholder may still, at any time after a purchase of Fund shares, request that dividends and/or capital gains distributions be paid to him or her in cash.

**TAX CONSIDERATIONS**

The following tax information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the tax information contained in the Fund's Prospectus. The Prospectus generally describes the U.S. federal income tax treatment of the Fund and its shareholders. This section of the SAI provides additional information concerning U.S. federal income taxes. It is based on the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations, judicial authority, and administrative rulings and practice, all as in effect as of the date of this SAI and all of which are subject to change, including with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. The Investment Adviser is not obligated to consider the tax consequences related to its management of the Fund's investments or other activities. It is possible that the actions taken by the Fund or the Investment Adviser on the Fund's behalf could be disadvantageous to shareholders that hold shares through a taxable account. However, such actions likely will have no tax effect on shareholders that invest through a tax-advantaged account. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers regarding their particular situation and the possible application of non-U.S., state and local tax laws.

Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans or tax-advantaged arrangements. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the suitability of Fund shares as an investment through such plans and arrangements and the precise effect of an investment on their particular tax situation.

**Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company** 

The Fund has elected or will elect to be treated as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code and intends each year to qualify and to be eligible to be treated as such. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things: (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income for each taxable year from: (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies; and (ii) net income derived from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" (as defined below); (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of the Fund's taxable year: (i) at least 50% of the fair market value of its total assets consists of: (A) cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. government securities and securities of other RICs; and (B) other securities (other than those described in clause (A)) limited in respect of any one issuer to a value that does not exceed 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer; and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund's total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in the securities of any one issuer (other than those described in clause (i)(A)), the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same, similar, or related trades or businesses, or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid—generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, taking into account any capital loss carryforwards) and its net tax-exempt income, for such year.

In general, for purposes of the 90% gross income requirement described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership which would be qualifying income if realized directly by the RIC. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a "qualified publicly traded partnership" (generally defined as a partnership (x) the interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (y) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in paragraph (a)(i) above) will be treated as qualifying income. In general, such entities will be treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes because they meet the passive income requirement under Code Section 7704(c)(2). In addition, although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership. Certain of the Fund's investments in MLPs and ETFs, if any, may qualify as interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships.

For purposes of the diversification test in (b) above, the term "outstanding voting securities of such issuer" will include the equity securities of a qualified publicly traded partnership and in the case of the Fund's investments in loan participations, the Fund shall treat both the financial intermediary and the issuer of the underlying loan as an issuer. Also, for purposes of the diversification test in (b) above, the identification of the issuer (or, in some cases, issuers) of a particular Fund investment can depend on the terms and conditions of that investment. In some cases, the identification of the issuer (or issuers) is uncertain under current law, and an adverse determination or

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future guidance by the IRS with respect to issuer identification for a particular type of investment may adversely affect the Fund's ability to meet the diversification test in (b) above. The qualifying income and diversification requirements described above may limit the extent to which the Fund can engage in certain derivative transactions, as well as the extent to which it can invest in MLPs and certain commodity-linked ETFs.

If the Fund qualifies as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment, the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on investment company taxable income and net capital gain (*i.e*., the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss, determined with reference to any capital loss carryforwards) distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends (including capital gain dividends).

If the Fund were to fail to meet the income, diversification or distribution test described above, the Fund could in some cases cure such failure, including by paying a Fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund were ineligible to or otherwise did not cure such failure for any year, or if the Fund were otherwise to fail to qualify as a RIC accorded special tax treatment for such year, the Fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some portions of such distributions may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders and may be eligible to be treated as "qualified dividend income" in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals, provided, in both cases, the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements in respect of the Fund's shares (as described below). In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before re-qualifying as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment.

The Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders all or substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction), its net tax-exempt income (if any), and its net capital gain (that is, the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss, in each case determined with reference to any loss carryforwards). However, no assurance can be given that the Fund will not be subject to U.S. federal income taxation. Any taxable income, including any net capital gain retained by the Fund, will be subject to tax at the Fund level at regular corporate rates.

In the case of net capital gain, the Fund is permitted to designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gain in a timely notice to its shareholders who would then, in turn, be: (i) required to include in income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount; and (ii) entitled to credit their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their U.S. federal income tax liabilities, if any, and to claim refunds on a properly-filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. If the Fund makes this designation, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund would be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder's gross income under clause (i) of the preceding sentence and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder under clause (ii) of the preceding sentence. The Fund is not required to, and there can be no assurance the Fund will, make this designation if it retains all or a portion of its net capital gain in a taxable year.

In determining its net capital gain, including in connection with determining the amount available to support a capital gain dividend, its taxable income, and its earnings and profits, a RIC generally may elect to treat part or all of any post-October capital loss (defined as any net capital loss attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31 or, if there is no such loss, the net long-term capital loss or net short-term capital loss attributable to any such portion of the taxable year) or late-year ordinary loss (generally, the sum of its: (i) net ordinary loss from the sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of property, attributable to the portion of the taxable year after October 31, and (ii) other net ordinary loss attributable to the portion, if any, of the taxable year after December 31) as if incurred in the succeeding taxable year.

In order to comply with the distribution requirements described above applicable to RICs, the Fund generally must make the distributions in the same taxable year that it realizes the income and gain, although in certain circumstances, the Fund may make the distributions in the following taxable year in respect of income and gains from the prior taxable year.

If the Fund declares a distribution to shareholders of record in October, November, or December of one calendar year and pays the distribution in January of the following calendar year, the Fund and its shareholders will be treated as if the Fund paid the distribution on December 31 of the earlier year.

**Excise Tax** 

If the Fund were to fail to distribute in a calendar year at least an amount equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year (or December 31 of that year if the Fund is permitted to elect and so elects), plus any such amounts retained from the prior year, the Fund would be subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amounts.

The Fund intends generally to make distributions sufficient to avoid the imposition of the 4% excise tax. However, no assurance can be given that the Fund will not be subject to the excise tax.

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For purposes of the required excise tax distribution, a RIC's ordinary gains and losses from the sale, redemption, exchange, or other taxable disposition of property that would otherwise be taken into account after October 31 of a calendar year generally are treated as arising on January 1 of the following calendar year. Also, for these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it is subject to U.S. federal corporate income tax in the taxable year ending within the calendar year.

**Use of Tax Equalization** 

The Fund distributes its net investment income and capital gains to shareholders at least annually to the extent required to qualify as a RIC under the Code and generally to avoid U.S. federal income or excise tax. Under current law, the Fund is permitted to treat the portion of redemption proceeds paid to redeeming shareholders that represents the redeeming shareholders' *pro-rata* share of the Fund's accumulated earnings and profits as a dividend on the Fund's tax return. This practice, which involves the use of tax equalization, will reduce the amount of income and gains that the Fund is required to distribute as dividends to shareholders in order for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal income tax and excise tax, which may include reducing the amount of distributions that otherwise would be required to be paid to non-redeeming shareholders. The Fund's NAV generally will not be reduced by the amount of any undistributed income or gains allocated to redeeming shareholders under this practice and thus the total return on a shareholder's investment generally will not be reduced as a result of this practice.

**Capital Loss Carryforwards** 

Capital losses in excess of capital gains ("net capital losses") are not permitted to be deducted against the Fund's net investment income. Instead, potentially subject to certain limitations, the Fund is able to carry forward a net capital loss from any taxable year to offset its capital gains, if any, realized during a subsequent taxable year. Distributions from capital gains are generally made after applying any available capital loss carryforwards. Capital loss carryforwards are reduced to the extent they offset current-year net realized capital gains, whether the Fund retains or distributes such gains.

If the Fund incurs or has incurred net capital losses, those losses will be carried forward to one or more subsequent taxable years without expiration; any such carryover losses will retain their character as short-term or long-term.

See the Fund's most recent annual Form N-CSR filing for the Fund's available capital loss carryforwards, if any, as of the end of its most recently ended fiscal year.

**Fund Distributions** 

For U.S. federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income generally are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned (or is deemed to have owned) the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares of the Fund. In general, the Fund will recognize long-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned for more than one year, and short-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned for one year or less. Tax rules can alter the Fund's holding period in investments and thereby affect the tax treatment of gain or loss on such investments. Distributions of net capital gain that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends ("Capital Gain Dividends") will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains and taxed to individuals at reduced rates relative to ordinary income. Distributions from capital gains generally are made after applying any available capital loss carryforwards. The IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have issued regulations that impose special rules in respect of Capital Gain Dividends received through partnership interests constituting "applicable partnership interests" under Section 1061 of the Code. Distributions of net short-term capital gain (as reduced by any net long-term capital loss for the taxable year) will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from "qualified dividend income" will be taxed in the hands of individuals at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level.

The Code generally imposes a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on the net investment income of certain individuals, trusts and estates to the extent their income exceeds certain threshold amounts. For these purposes, "net investment income" generally includes, among other things: (i) distributions paid by the Fund of net investment income and capital gains as described above; and (ii) any net gain from the sale, redemption, exchange or other taxable disposition of Fund shares. Shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisers regarding the possible implications of this additional tax on their investment in the Fund.

As required by U.S. federal tax law, detailed U.S. federal tax information with respect to each calendar year will be furnished to each shareholder early in the succeeding year.

If, in and with respect to any taxable year, the Fund makes a distribution to a shareholder in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of such shareholder's tax basis in its shares, and thereafter as capital gain. A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder's tax basis in its shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares. To the extent the Fund makes distributions of capital gains in excess of the Fund's net capital gain for the taxable year (as reduced by any available capital loss carryforwards from prior taxable years), there is a possibility that the distributions will be taxable as ordinary dividend distributions, even though distributed excess amounts would not have been subject to tax if retained by the Fund.

Distributions are taxable as described herein whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares.

A dividend paid to shareholders in January generally is deemed to have been paid by the Fund on December 31 of the preceding year if the dividend was declared and payable to shareholders of record on a date in October, November or December of that preceding year.

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Distributions on the Fund's shares generally are subject to U.S. federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund's realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder's investment. Such distributions are likely to occur in respect of shares purchased at a time when the Fund's NAV reflects either unrealized gains, or realized but undistributed income or gains, that were therefore included in the price the shareholder paid. Such distributions may reduce the fair market value of the Fund's shares below the shareholder's cost basis in those shares. As described above, the Fund is required to distribute realized income and gains regardless of whether the Fund's NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

If the Fund holds, directly or indirectly, one or more "tax credit bonds" on one or more applicable dates during a taxable year, it is possible that the Fund will elect to permit its shareholders to claim a tax credit on their U.S. federal income tax returns equal to each shareholder's proportionate share of tax credits from the applicable bonds that otherwise would be allowed to the Fund. In such a case, a shareholder will be deemed to receive a distribution of money with respect to its Fund shares equal to the shareholder's proportionate share of the amount of such credits and be allowed a credit against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability equal to the amount of such deemed distribution, subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code on the credits involved. Even if the Fund is eligible to pass through tax credits to shareholders, the Fund may choose not to do so.

In order for some portion of the dividends received by the Fund shareholder to be "qualified dividend income" that is eligible for taxation at long-term capital gain rates, the Fund must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund's shares. In general, a dividend is not treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level): (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date); (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest; or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is: (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States); or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company.

In general, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income are treated as qualified dividend income in the hands of a shareholder taxed as an individual, provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund's shares.

If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund during a taxable year are 95% or more of its gross income (excluding net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund's dividends (other than dividends properly reported as Capital Gain Dividends) are eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.

In general, dividends of net investment income received by corporate shareholders of the Fund qualify for the dividends-received deduction generally available to corporations to the extent of the amount of eligible dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. A dividend received by the Fund will not be treated as a dividend eligible for the dividends-received deduction: (1) if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period beginning on the date which is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before such date in the case of certain preferred stock); or (2) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property. Moreover, the dividends received deduction may otherwise be disallowed or reduced: (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund; or (2) by application of various provisions of the Code (for instance, the dividends-received deduction is reduced in the case of a dividend received on debt-financed portfolio stock (generally, stock acquired with borrowed funds)).

Any distribution of income that is attributable to: (i) income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction; or (ii) dividend income received by the Fund on securities it temporarily purchased from a counterparty pursuant to a repurchase agreement that is treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a loan by the Fund, will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.

Distributions by the Fund to its shareholders that the Fund properly reports as "Section 199A dividends," as defined and subject to certain conditions described below, are treated as qualified REIT dividends in the hands of non-corporate shareholders. Non-corporate shareholders are permitted a U.S. federal income tax deduction equal to 20% of qualified REIT dividends received by them, subject to certain limitations. Very generally, a Section 199A dividend is any dividend or portion thereof that is attributable to certain dividends received by the Fund from REITs, to the extent such dividends are properly reported as such by the RIC in a written notice to its shareholders. A Section 199A dividend is treated as a qualified REIT dividend only if the shareholder receiving such dividend holds the dividend-paying RIC shares for at least 46 days of the 91-day period beginning 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend, and is not under an obligation to make related payments with respect to a position in substantially similar or related property. The Fund is permitted to report such part of its dividends as Section 199A dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so.

Subject to future regulatory guidance to the contrary, distributions attributable to qualified publicly traded partnership income from the Fund's investments in MLPs will ostensibly not qualify for the deduction available to non-corporate taxpayers in respect of such amounts received directly from an MLP.

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**Tax Implications of Certain Fund Investments** 

*Special Rules for Debt Obligations.* Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance (and zero-coupon debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) will be treated as debt obligations that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the original issue discount ("OID") is treated as interest income and is included in the Fund's income and required to be distributed by the Fund over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. In addition, payment-in-kind securities will give rise to income, which is required to be distributed and is taxable even though the Fund holding the security receives no interest payment in cash on the security during the year.

Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance that are acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having "market discount." Very generally, market discount is the excess of the stated redemption price of a debt obligation (or in the case of an obligation issued with OID, its "revised issue price") over the purchase price of such obligation. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt instrument having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the "accrued market discount" on such debt instrument. Alternatively, the Fund may elect to accrue market discount currently, in which case the Fund will be required to include the accrued market discount in the Fund's income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. The rate at which the market discount accrues, and thus is included in the Fund's income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects.

Some debt obligations with a fixed maturity date of one year or less from the date of issuance may be treated as having OID or, in certain cases, "acquisition discount" (very generally, the excess of the stated redemption price over the purchase price). The Fund will be required to include the OID or acquisition discount in income (as ordinary income) and thus distribute it over the term of the debt instrument, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, upon partial or full repayment or disposition of the debt instrument. The rate at which OID or acquisition discount accrues, and thus is included in the Fund's income, will depend upon which of the permitted accrual methods the Fund elects.

If the Fund holds the foregoing kinds of obligations, or other obligations subject to special rules under the Code, it may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or, if necessary, by disposition of portfolio securities including at a time when it may not be advantageous to do so. These dispositions may cause the Fund to realize higher amounts of short-term capital gains (generally taxed to shareholders at ordinary income tax rates) and, in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger Capital Gain Dividend than if the Fund had not held such obligations.

*Securities Purchased at a Premium.* Very generally, where the Fund purchases a bond at a price that exceeds the redemption price at maturity – that is, at a premium – the premium is amortizable over the remaining term of the bond. In the case of a taxable bond, if the Fund makes an election applicable to all such bonds it purchases, which election is irrevocable without consent of the IRS, the Fund would reduce the current taxable income from the bond by the amortized premium and reduce its tax basis in the bond by the amount of such offset; upon the disposition or maturity of such bonds acquired on or after January 4, 2013, the Fund is permitted to deduct any remaining premium allocable to a prior period. In the case of a tax-exempt bond, tax rules require the Fund to reduce its tax basis by the amount of amortized premium.

A portion of the OID accrued on certain high yield discount obligations may not be deductible to the issuer and will instead be treated as a dividend paid by the issuer for purposes of the dividends received deduction. In such cases, if the issuer of the high-yield discount obligations is a domestic corporation, dividend payments by the Fund may be eligible for the dividends received deduction to the extent attributable to the deemed dividend portion of such OID.

*At-risk or Defaulted Securities.* Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or in default present special tax issues for the Fund. Tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as whether or to what extent the Fund should recognize market discount on a debt obligation, when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent the Fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how the Fund should allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and income. These and other related issues will be addressed by the Fund when, as and if it invests in such securities, in order to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

*Certain Investments in REITs.* Any investment by the Fund in equity securities of REITs qualifying as such under Subchapter M of the Code may result in the Fund's receipt of cash in excess of the REIT's earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to Fund shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT will not qualify for the corporate dividends-received deduction and generally will not constitute qualified dividend income.

Certain distributions made by the Fund attributable to dividends received by the Fund from REITs may qualify as "qualified REIT dividends" in the hands of non-corporate shareholders, as discussed above.

*Mortgage-Related Securities.* The Fund may invest directly or indirectly in REMICs (including by investing in residual interests in collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") with respect to which an election to be treated as a REMIC is in effect) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools ("TMPs"). Under a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively, a portion of the Fund's income (including income allocated to the Fund from a REIT or other pass-through

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entity) that is attributable to a residual interest in a REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (referred to in the Code as an "excess inclusion") will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all events. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a RIC will be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related interest directly. As a result, the Fund investing in such interests may not be a suitable investment for charitable remainder trusts, as noted below.

In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders: (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI") to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an IRA, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity that is allocated excess inclusion income, and otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (iii) in the case of a non-U.S. shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. A shareholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such inclusions notwithstanding any exemption from such income tax otherwise available under the Code.

*Foreign Currency Transactions.* Any transaction by the Fund in foreign currencies, foreign currency-denominated debt obligations or certain foreign currency options, futures contracts or forward contracts (or similar instruments) may give rise to ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency concerned. Gains or losses with respect to the Fund's investments in common stock of non-U.S. issuers will generally be taxed as capital gains or losses at the time of the disposition of the stock, subject to certain exceptions specified in the Code. Gains and losses of the Fund on the acquisition and disposition of non-U.S. currency will be treated as ordinary income or loss. In addition, gains or losses on disposition of debt securities denominated in a non-U.S. currency to the extent attributable to fluctuation in the value of the non-U.S. currency between the date of acquisition of the debt security and the date of disposition will be treated as ordinary income or loss. Any such net gains could require a larger dividend toward the end of the calendar year. Any such net losses generally will reduce and potentially require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Such ordinary income treatment may accelerate Fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any net ordinary losses so created cannot be carried forward by the Fund to offset income or gains earned in subsequent taxable years.

Foreign currency gains generally are treated as qualifying income for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. There is a remote possibility that the Secretary of the Treasury will issue contrary tax regulations with respect to foreign currency gains that are not directly related to a RIC's principal business of investing in stocks or securities (or options or futures with respect to stocks or securities), and such regulations could apply retroactively.

*Passive Foreign Investment Companies.* Equity investments by the Fund in certain "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs") could potentially subject the Fund to a U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the company or on proceeds received from the disposition of shares in the company. This tax cannot be eliminated by making distributions to Fund shareholders. However, the Fund may elect to avoid the imposition of that tax. For example, the Fund may elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" (*i.e.*, make a "QEF election"), in which case the Fund will be required to include its share of the PFIC's income and net capital gains annually, regardless of whether it receives any distribution from the PFIC. The Fund also may make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in such holdings "to the market" as though it had sold (and, solely for purposes of this mark-to-market election, repurchased) its holdings in those PFICs on the last day of the Fund's taxable year. Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss. The QEF and mark-to-market elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by the Fund to avoid taxation. Making either of these elections therefore may require the Fund to liquidate other investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirement, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the Fund's total return. Dividends paid by PFICs will not be eligible to be treated as "qualified dividend income." A foreign issuer in which the Fund invests will not be treated as a PFIC with respect to the Fund if such issuer is a controlled foreign corporation ("CFC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes and the Fund holds (directly, indirectly, or constructively) 10% or more of the voting interests in or total value of such issuer. In such a case, the Fund generally would be required to include in gross income each year, as ordinary income, its share of certain amounts of a CFC's income, whether or not the CFC distributes such amounts to the Fund.

Because it is not always possible to identify a non-U.S. corporation as a PFIC, the Fund may incur the tax and interest charges described above in some instances.

**Options and Futures** 

In general, option premiums received by the Fund are not immediately included in the income of the Fund. Instead, the premiums are recognized when the option contract expires, the option is exercised by the holder, or the Fund transfers or otherwise terminates the option (*e.g.*, through a closing transaction). If a call option written by the Fund is exercised and the Fund sells or delivers the underlying stock, the Fund generally will recognize capital gain or loss equal to (a) sum of the strike price and the option premium received by the Fund minus (b) the Fund's basis in the stock. Such gain or loss generally will be short-term or long-term depending upon the holding period of the underlying stock. If securities are purchased by the Fund pursuant to the exercise of a put option written by it, the Fund generally will subtract the premium received for purposes of computing its cost basis in the securities purchased. Gain or loss arising in respect of a termination of the Fund's obligation under an option other than through the exercise of the option will be short-term gain or loss depending on whether the premium income received by the Fund is greater or less than the amount paid by the Fund (if any) in terminating the transaction. Thus, for example, if an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund generally will recognize short-term gain equal to the premium received.

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The Fund's options activities may include transactions constituting straddles for U.S. federal income tax purposes, that is, that trigger the U.S. federal income tax straddle rules contained primarily in Section 1092 of the Code. Such straddles include, for example, positions in a particular security, or an index of securities, and one or more options that offset the former position, including options that are "covered" by the Fund's long position in the subject security. Very generally, where applicable, Section 1092 requires: (i) that losses be deferred on positions deemed to be offsetting positions with respect to "substantially similar or related property," to the extent of unrealized gain in the latter; and (ii) that the holding period of such a straddle position that has not already been held for the long-term holding period be terminated and begin anew once the position is no longer part of a straddle. Options on single stocks that are not "deep in the money" may constitute qualified covered calls, which generally are not subject to the straddle rules; the holding period on stock underlying qualified covered calls that are "in the money" although not "deep in the money" will be suspended during the period that such calls are outstanding. These straddle rules and the rules governing qualified covered calls could cause gains that would otherwise constitute long-term capital gains to be treated as short-term capital gains, and distributions that would otherwise constitute "qualified dividend income" or qualify for the dividends-received deduction to fail to satisfy the holding period requirements and therefore to be taxed as ordinary income or to fail to qualify for the dividends-received deduction, as the case may be.

The tax treatment of certain positions entered into by the Fund (including regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency positions and certain listed non-equity options) will be governed by Section 1256 of the Code ("Section 1256 contracts"). Gains or losses on Section 1256 contracts generally are considered 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gains or losses ("60/40"), although certain foreign currency gains and losses from such contracts may be treated as ordinary in character. Also, Section 1256 contracts held by the Fund at the end of each taxable year (and, for purposes of the 4% excise tax, on certain other dates as prescribed under the Code) are "marked to market" with the result that unrealized gains or losses are treated as though they were realized and the resulting gain or loss is treated as ordinary or 60/40 gain or loss, as applicable.

*Other Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions.* In addition to the special rules described above in respect of futures and options transactions, the Fund's transactions in other derivative instruments (*e.g.*, forward contracts and swap agreements), as well as any of its hedging, short sale, securities loan or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (*e.g.*, notional principal contract, straddle, constructive sale, wash sale and short sale rules). These rules may affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary or capital, accelerate the recognition of income or gains to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, and cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, thereby affecting, among other things, whether capital gains and losses are treated as short-term or long-term. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and/or character of distributions to shareholders.

Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether the Fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid a Fund-level tax.

*Commodity-Linked Instruments.* The Fund's investments in commodity-linked instruments can be limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC, and can bear on the Fund's ability to so qualify. Income and gains from certain commodity-linked instruments do not constitute qualifying income to a RIC for purposes of the 90% gross income test described above. The tax treatment of some other commodity-linked instruments in which the Fund might invest is not certain, in particular with respect to whether income or gains from such instruments constitute qualifying income to a RIC. If the Fund were to treat income or gain from a particular instrument as qualifying income and the income or gain were later determined not to constitute qualifying income and, together with any other nonqualifying income, caused the Fund's nonqualifying income to exceed 10% of its gross income in any taxable year, the Fund would fail to qualify as a RIC unless it is eligible to and does pay a tax at the Fund level.

*Exchange-Traded Notes and Structured Notes.* The tax rules are uncertain with respect to the treatment of income or gains arising in respect of commodity-linked exchange-traded notes ("ETNs") and certain commodity-linked structured notes; also, the timing and character of income or gains arising from ETNs can be uncertain. An adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect the Fund's ability to qualify for treatment as a RIC and to avoid a Fund-level tax.

*Book-Tax Differences.* Certain of the Fund's investments in derivative instruments and foreign currency-denominated instruments, and any of the Fund's transactions in foreign currencies and hedging activities, are likely to produce a difference between its book income and the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income (if any). If such a difference arises, and the Fund's book income is less than the sum of its taxable income and net tax-exempt income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment and to avoid an entity-level tax. In the alternative, if the Fund's book income exceeds the sum of its taxable income (including realized capital gains) and net tax-exempt income, the distribution (if any) of such excess generally will be treated as: (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income); (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in its shares; and (iii) thereafter as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset.

*Investments in Other RICs*. The Fund's investments in shares of another mutual fund, an ETF or another company that qualifies as a RIC (each, an "investment company") can cause the Fund to be required to distribute greater amounts of net investment income or net capital gain than the Fund would have distributed had it invested directly in the securities held by the investment company, rather than in shares of the investment company. Further, the amount or timing of distributions from the Fund qualifying for treatment as a particular character (*e.g.*, long-term capital gain, exempt interest, eligibility for dividends-received deduction, etc.) will not necessarily be the same as it would have been had the Fund invested directly in the securities held by the investment company. If the Fund receives dividends from an investment

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company and the investment company reports such dividends as qualified dividend income, then the Fund is permitted in turn to report a portion of its distributions as qualified dividend income, provided the Fund meets holding period and other requirements with respect to shares of the investment company.

If the Fund receives dividends from an investment company and the investment company reports such dividends as eligible for the dividends-received deduction, then the Fund is permitted in turn to report its distributions derived from those dividends as eligible for the dividends-received deduction as well, provided the Fund meets holding period and other requirements with respect to shares of the investment company.

*Investments in Master Limited Partnerships and Certain Non-U.S. Entities.* The Fund's ability to make direct and indirect investments in MLPs and certain non-U.S. entities is limited by the Fund's intention to qualify as a RIC, and if the Fund does not appropriately limit such investments or if such investments are recharacterized for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund's status as a RIC may be jeopardized. Among other limitations, the Fund is permitted to have no more than 25% of the value of its total assets invested in qualified publicly traded partnerships, including MLPs.

Subject to any future regulatory guidance to the contrary, any distribution of income attributable to qualified publicly traded partnership income from the Fund's investment in a MLP will ostensibly not qualify for the deduction that would be available to a non-corporate shareholder were the shareholder to own such MLP directly.

**Tax-Exempt Shareholders** 

Income of a RIC that would be UBTI if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not constitute UBTI when distributed to a tax-exempt shareholder of the RIC. Notwithstanding this "blocking" effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b).

A tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if the Fund recognizes "excess inclusion income" derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs as described above, if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund's investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts ("CRTs") that invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Under legislation enacted in December 2006, a CRT (as defined in Section 664 of the Code) that realizes any UBTI for a taxable year must pay an excise tax annually of an amount equal to such UBTI. Under IRS guidance issued in October 2006, a CRT will not recognize UBTI as a result of investing in the Fund that recognizes "excess inclusion income." Rather, if at any time during any taxable year a CRT (or one of certain other tax-exempt shareholders, such as the United States, a state or political subdivision, or an agency or instrumentality thereof, and certain energy cooperatives) is a record holder of a share in the Fund that recognizes "excess inclusion income," then the Fund will be subject to a tax on that portion of its "excess inclusion income" for the taxable year that is allocable to such shareholders at the highest U.S. federal corporate income tax rate. The extent to which this IRS guidance remains applicable in light of the December 2006 legislation is unclear. To the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, the Fund may elect to specially allocate any such tax to the applicable CRT, or other shareholder, and thus reduce such shareholder's distributions for the year by the amount of the tax that relates to such shareholder's interest in the Fund.

CRTs and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisers concerning the consequences of investing in the Fund.

**Sale, Redemption or Other Disposition of Shares** 

The sale, redemption or other disposition of Fund shares may give rise to a gain or loss.

In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of Fund shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares held by a shareholder for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any Capital Gain Dividends received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares.

Further, all or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of Fund shares will be disallowed under the Code's "wash-sale" rule if other substantially identical shares are purchased, including by means of dividend reinvestment, within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

**Tax Shelter Reporting Regulations** 

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of at least $2 million in any single taxable year or $4 million in any combination of taxable years for an individual shareholder or at least $10 million in any single taxable year or $20 million in any combination of taxable years for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult with their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

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**Foreign Taxation** 

Income, proceeds and gains received by the Fund (or RICs in which the Fund has invested) from sources within non-U.S. countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. This will decrease the Fund's yield on securities subject to such taxes. Tax treaties between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the Fund's assets at taxable year end consists of securities of non-U.S. corporations, the Fund may elect to permit shareholders to claim a credit or deduction on their U.S. federal income tax returns for their *pro rata* portions of qualified taxes paid by the Fund to non-U.S. countries in respect of foreign (non-U.S.) securities that the Fund has held for at least the minimum period specified in the Code. In such a case, shareholders will include in gross income from foreign sources their *pro rata* shares of such taxes paid by the Fund. A shareholder's ability to claim an offsetting foreign tax credit or deduction in respect of foreign taxes paid by the Fund is subject to certain limitations imposed by the Code, which may result in the shareholder's not receiving a full credit or deduction (if any) for the amount of such taxes. Shareholders who do not itemize deductions on their U.S. federal income tax returns may claim a credit (but not a deduction) for such foreign taxes.

Even if the Fund were eligible to make such an election for a given year, it may determine not to do so. Shareholders that are not subject to U.S. federal income tax, and those who invest in the Fund through tax-advantaged accounts (including those who invest through IRAs or other tax-advantaged retirement plans), generally will receive no benefit from any tax credit or deduction passed through by the Fund.

**Foreign Shareholders** 

Distributions by the Fund to shareholders that are not "U.S. persons" within the meaning of the Code ("foreign shareholders") properly reported by the Fund as: (1) Capital Gain Dividends; (2) short-term capital gain dividends; and (3) interest-related dividends, each as defined below and subject to certain conditions described below, generally are not subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax.

In general, the Code defines (1) "short-term capital gain dividends" as distributions of net short-term capital gains in excess of net long-term capital losses and (2) "interest-related dividends" as distributions from U.S. source interest income of types similar to those not subject to U.S. federal income tax if earned directly by an individual foreign shareholder, in each case to the extent such distributions are properly reported as such by the Fund in a written notice to shareholders. The exceptions to withholding for Capital Gain Dividends and short-term capital gain dividends do not apply to (A) distributions to an individual foreign shareholder who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the distribution and (B) distributions attributable to gain that is treated as effectively connected with the conduct by the foreign shareholder of a trade or business within the United States under special rules regarding the disposition of U.S. real property interests as described below. The exception to withholding for interest-related dividends does not apply to distributions to a foreign shareholder (A) that has not provided a satisfactory statement that the beneficial owner is not a U.S. person, (B) to the extent that the dividend is attributable to certain interest on an obligation if the foreign shareholder is the issuer or is a 10% shareholder of the issuer, (C) that is within certain foreign countries that have inadequate information exchange with the United States, or (D) to the extent the dividend is attributable to interest paid by a person that is a related person of the foreign shareholder and the foreign shareholder is a controlled foreign corporation. If the Fund invests in a RIC that pays such distributions to the Fund, such distributions retain their character as not subject to withholding if properly reported when paid by the Fund to foreign shareholders. The Fund may report such part of its dividends as interest-related and/or short-term capital gain dividends as are eligible, but is not required to do so. In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports all or a portion of a payment as an interest-related or short-term capital gain dividend to shareholders.

Foreign shareholders should contact their intermediaries regarding the application of these rules to their accounts.

Distributions by the Fund to foreign shareholders other than Capital Gain Dividends, short-term capital gain dividends and interest-related dividends (*e.g.*, dividends attributable to dividend and foreign-source interest income or to short-term capital gains or U.S. source interest income to which the exception from withholding described above does not apply) are generally subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate).

A foreign shareholder is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a deduction for losses) realized on the sale of shares of the Fund unless: (i) such gain is effectively connected with the conduct by the foreign shareholder of a trade or business within the United States; (ii) in the case of a foreign shareholder that is an individual, the shareholder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale and certain other conditions are met; or (iii) the special rules relating to gain attributable to the sale or exchange of "U.S. real property interests" ("USRPIs") apply to the foreign shareholder's sale of shares of the Fund (as described below).

Subject to certain exceptions (*e.g.*, for the Fund that is a "U.S. real property holding corporation" as described below), the Fund is generally not required (and does not expect) to withhold on the amount of a non-dividend distribution (*i.e.*, a distribution that is not paid out of the Fund's current earnings and profits for the applicable taxable year or accumulated earnings and profits) when paid to its foreign shareholders.

Special rules would apply if the Fund were a qualified investment entity ("QIE") because it is either a "U.S. real property holding corporation" ("USRPHC") or would be a USRPHC but for the operation of certain exceptions to the definition of USRPIs described below. Very generally, a USRPHC is a domestic corporation that holds USRPIs the fair market value of which equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market values of the corporation's USRPIs, interests in real property located outside the United States, and other trade or business assets. USRPIs generally are defined as any interest in U.S. real property and any interest (other than solely as a creditor) in a USRPHC or, very generally, an entity that has been a USRPHC in the last five years. A fund that holds, directly or indirectly, significant interests in REITs

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may be a USRPHC. Interests in domestically controlled QIEs, including REITs and RICs that are QIEs, not-greater-than-10% interests in publicly traded classes of stock in REITs and not-greater-than-5% interests in publicly traded classes of stock in RICs generally are not USRPIs, but these exceptions do not apply for purposes of determining whether the Fund is a QIE.

If an interest in the Fund were a USRPI, the Fund would be required to withhold U.S. tax on the proceeds of a share redemption by a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder, in which case such foreign shareholder generally would also be required to file U.S. tax returns and pay any additional taxes due in connection with the redemption.

Moreover, if the Fund were a USRPHC or, very generally, had been one in the last five years, it would be required to withhold on amounts distributed to a greater-than-5% foreign shareholder to the extent such amounts would not be treated as a dividend, *i.e.*, are in excess of the Fund's current and accumulated "earnings and profits" for the applicable taxable year. Such withholding generally is not required if the Fund is a domestically controlled QIE.

If the Fund were a QIE, under a special "look-through" rule, any distributions by the Fund to a foreign shareholder (including, in certain cases, distributions made by the Fund in redemption of its shares) attributable directly or indirectly to: (i) distributions received by the Fund from a lower-tier RIC or REIT that the Fund is required to treat as USRPI gain in its hands; and (ii) gains realized on the disposition of USRPIs by the Fund would retain their character as gains realized from USRPIs in the hands of the Fund's foreign shareholders and would be subject to U.S. tax withholding. In addition, such distributions could result in the foreign shareholder being required to file a U.S. tax return and pay tax on the distributions at regular U.S. federal income tax rates. The consequences to a foreign shareholder, including the rate of such withholding and character of such distributions (*e.g.*, as ordinary income or USRPI gain), would vary depending upon the extent of the foreign shareholder's current and past ownership of the Fund.

Foreign shareholders of the Fund also may be subject to "wash sale" rules to prevent the avoidance of the tax-filing and -payment obligations discussed above through the sale and repurchase of Fund shares.

Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisers and, if holding shares through intermediaries, their intermediaries, concerning the application of these rules to their investment in the Fund.

Foreign shareholders with respect to whom income from the Fund is effectively connected with a trade or business conducted by the foreign shareholder within the United States will in general be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the income derived from the Fund at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. citizens, residents or domestic corporations, whether such income is received in cash or reinvested in shares of the Fund and, in the case of a foreign corporation, may also be subject to a branch profits tax. If a foreign shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any effectively connected income or gain will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States. More generally, foreign shareholders who are residents in a country with an income tax treaty with the United States may obtain different tax results than those described herein, and are urged to consult their tax advisers.

In order to qualify for any exemptions from withholding described above or for lower withholding tax rates under income tax treaties, or to establish an exemption from backup withholding, a foreign shareholder must comply with special certification and filing requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute form). Foreign shareholders should consult their tax advisers in this regard.

Special rules (including withholding and reporting requirements) apply to foreign partnerships and those holding Fund shares through foreign partnerships. Additional considerations may apply to foreign trusts and estates. Investors holding Fund shares through foreign entities should consult their tax advisers about their particular situation.

A foreign shareholder may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the U.S. federal income tax referred to above.

**Backup Withholding** 

The Fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to any individual shareholder who fails to properly furnish the Fund with a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding.

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is timely furnished to the IRS.

**Shareholder Reporting Obligations With Respect to Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts** 

Shareholders that are U.S. persons and own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the Fund could be required to report annually their "financial interest" in the Fund's "foreign financial accounts," if any, on FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ("FBAR"). Shareholders should consult a tax adviser, and persons investing in the Fund through an intermediary should contact their intermediary, regarding the applicability to them of this reporting requirement.

**Other Reporting and Withholding Requirements** 

Sections 1471-1474 of the Code and the U.S. Treasury regulations and IRS guidance issued thereunder (collectively, "FATCA") generally require the Fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders under FATCA or under an applicable intergovernmental agreement (an "IGA") between the United States and a foreign government. If a shareholder fails to provide the requested information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA or an IGA, the Fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with

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respect to that shareholder on ordinary dividends it pays. The IRS and the U.S. Department of the Treasury have issued proposed regulations providing that these withholding rules will not apply to the gross proceeds of share redemptions or Capital Gain Dividends the Fund pays. If a payment by the Fund is subject to FATCA withholding, the Fund is required to withhold even if such payment would otherwise be exempt from withholding under the rules applicable to foreign shareholders described above (*e.g.*, interest-related dividends and short-term capital gain dividends).

Each prospective investor is urged to consult its tax adviser regarding the applicability of FATCA and any other reporting requirements with respect to the prospective investor's own situation, including investments through an intermediary.

**General Considerations** 

The U.S. federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisers regarding the specific U.S. federal tax consequences of purchasing, holding, and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effects of state, local, non-U.S., and other tax laws and any proposed tax law changes.

**FINANCIAL STATEMENTS**

The audited financial statements, and the independent registered public accounting firm's report thereon, are included in the Fund's [Form N-CSR](https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465926002440/tm2531593d1_ncsr.htm)filing for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2025 and are incorporated herein by reference.

Shareholders are provided with annual and semi-annual shareholder reports that highlight key information to shareholders. Other information, including financial statements, no longer appears in the Fund's shareholder reports but is available on the Voya funds' website (https://individuals.voya.com/product/mutual-fund/prospectuses-reports), delivered free of charge upon request, and filed with the SEC on a semi-annual basis on Form N-CSR. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you are a direct investor, by calling 1-800-992-0180 or by sending an e-mail request to Voyaim_literature@voya.com.

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**APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF CREDIT RATINGS**

**A Description of Moody's Investors Service, Inc.'s ("Moody's") Global Rating Scales** 

Ratings assigned on Moody's global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect the likelihood of a default on contractually promised payments and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default.

**Description of Moody's Long-Term Obligation Ratings** 

Aaa — Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa — Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A — Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa — Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba — Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B — Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa — Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca — Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C — Obligations rated C are the lowest rated class and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

**Note:** Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

**Hybrid Indicator (hyb)** 

The hybrid indicator (hyb) is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms. By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

**Description of Short-Term Obligation Ratings** 

Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

P-1 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-2 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

P-3 — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

**Description of Moody's US Municipal Short-Term Obligation Ratings** 

The Municipal Investment Grade ("MIG") scale is used to rate US municipal bond anticipation notes of up to three years maturity. Municipal notes rated on the MIG scale may be secured by either pledged revenues or proceeds of a take-out financing received prior to note maturity. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation, and the issuer's long-term rating is only one consideration in assigning the MIG rating. MIG ratings are divided into three levels — MIG 1 through MIG 3 — while speculative grade short-term obligations are designated SG.

MIG 1 — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG 2 — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG 3 — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

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**Description of Moody's Demand Obligation Ratings** 

In the case of variable rate demand obligations ("VRDOs"), a two-component rating is assigned: a long or short term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody's evaluation of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"). The second element uses a rating from a variation of the MIG scale called the Variable Municipal Investment Grade ("VMIG") scale.

VMIG 1 — This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 2 — This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

VMIG 3 — This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

SG — This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

**Description of S&P Global Ratings' ("S&P's") Issue Credit Ratings** 

A S&P's issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days — including commercial paper. Short-term ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P's analysis of the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Likelihood of payment — capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Nature of and provisions of the obligation and the promise we impute;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

Issue ratings are an assessment of default risk, but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect the lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

**Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings\*** 

AAA — An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA — An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A — An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.

BBB — An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, C — Obligations rated 'BB', 'B', 'CCC', 'CC', and 'C' are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. 'BB' indicates the least degree of speculation and 'C' the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

BB — An obligation rated 'BB' is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

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B — An obligation rated 'B' is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated 'BB', but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor's capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CCC — An obligation rated 'CCC' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

CC — An obligation rated 'CC' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The 'CC' rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P's expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

C — An obligation rated 'C' is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared to obligations that are rated higher.

D — An obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P's believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

NR — This indicates that no rating has been requested, or that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P's does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

\* The ratings from 'AA' to 'CCC' may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (–) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

**Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings** 

A-1 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-1' is rated in the highest category by S&P's. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-2' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3 — A short-term obligation rated 'A-3' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B — A short-term obligation rated 'B' is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

C — A short-term obligation rated 'C' is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

D — A short-term obligation rated 'D' is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the 'D' rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P's believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The 'D' rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. An obligation's rating is lowered to 'D' if it is subject to a distressed exchange offer.

**Description of S&P's Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings** 

A S&P's U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P's opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P's analysis will review the following considerations:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P's municipal short-term note rating symbols are as follows:

SP-1 — Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2 — Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

SP-3 — Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

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**Description of Fitch Ratings' ("Fitch's") Credit Ratings Scales** 

Fitch's credit ratings provide an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested.

The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories 'AAA' to 'BBB' (investment grade) and 'BB' to 'D' (speculative grade). The terms "investment grade" and "speculative grade" are market conventions, and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. "Investment grade" categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the "speculative" categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

Fitch's credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. In particular, ratings do not deal with the risk of a market value loss on a rated security due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and other market considerations. However, in terms of payment obligation on the rated liability, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay upon a commitment. Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of index-linked bonds).

In the default components of ratings assigned to individual obligations or instruments, the agency typically rates to the likelihood of non-payment or default in accordance with the terms of that instrument's documentation. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e., rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation's documentation). In such cases, the agency will make clear the assumptions underlying the agency's opinion in the accompanying rating commentary.

**Description of Fitch's Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Rating Scales** 

Fitch long-term obligations rating scales are as follows:

AAA — Highest credit quality. 'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA — Very high credit quality. 'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A — High credit quality. 'A' ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB — Good credit quality. 'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

BB — Speculative. 'BB' ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

B — Highly speculative. 'B' ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.

CCC — 'CCC' ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.

CC —'CC' ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.

C — 'C' ratings indicate exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned 'RD' or 'D' ratings, but are instead rated in the 'B' to 'C' rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics. This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

**Note:** The modifiers "+" or "–" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the 'AAA' obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below 'CCC'.

The subscript 'emr' is appended to a rating to denote embedded market risk which is beyond the scope of the rating. The designation is intended to make clear that the rating solely addresses the counterparty risk of the issuing bank. It is not meant to indicate any limitation in the analysis of the counterparty risk, which in all other respects follows published Fitch criteria for analyzing the issuing financial institution. Fitch does not rate these instruments where the principal is to any degree subject to market risk.

**Description of Fitch's Short-Term Ratings** 

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-Term Ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short term" based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch short-term ratings are as follows:

F1 — Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

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F2 — Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

F3 — Fair short-term credit quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

B — Speculative short-term credit quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

C — High short-term default risk. Default is a real possibility.

RD — Restricted default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.

D — Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

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**APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICY**

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**PROXY VOTING POLICY**

**VOYA FUNDS**

**VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC**

**Date Last Revised: February 5, 2025**

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**Introduction**

This document sets forth the proxy voting procedures ("Procedures") and guidelines ("Guidelines"), collectively the "Proxy Voting Policy", that Voya Investments, LLC ("Adviser") shall follow when voting proxies on behalf of the Voya funds for which it serves as investment adviser (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"). The Funds' Boards of Directors/Trustees ("Board") have approved the Proxy Voting Policy.

The Board may determine to delegate proxy voting to a sub-adviser of one or more Funds (rather than to the Adviser) in which case the sub-adviser's proxy policies and procedures for implementation on behalf of such Fund (a "Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund") shall be subject to Board approval. Sub-Adviser-Voted Funds are not covered under the Proxy Voting Policy except as described in the Reporting and Record Retention section below relating to vote reporting requirements. Sub-Adviser-Voted Funds are governed by the applicable sub-adviser's respective proxy policies provided that the Board has approved such policies.

The Proxy Voting Policy incorporates principles and guidance set forth in relevant pronouncements of the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and its staff regarding the Adviser's fiduciary duty to ensure that proxies are voted in a timely manner and that voting decisions are always in the Funds' best interest.

Pursuant to the Policy, the Adviser's Active Ownership team ("AO Team") is delegated the responsibility to vote the Funds' proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy on the Funds' behalf.

The engagement of a Proxy Advisory Firm (as defined in the Proxy Advisory Firm section below) shall be subject to the Board's initial approval and annual Board review and approval thereafter. The AO Team is responsible for Proxy Advisory Firm oversight and shall direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote proxies in accordance with the Guidelines.

The Board's Compliance Committee ("Compliance Committee") shall review the Proxy Voting Policy not less than annually and these documents shall be updated as appropriate. No material changes to the Proxy Voting Policy shall become effective without Board approval. The Compliance Committee may approve non-material amendments for immediate implementation subject to full Board ratification at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

**Adviser's Roles and Responsibilities**

**Active Ownership Team**

The AO Team shall direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote proxies on the Funds' and Adviser's behalf in connection with annual and special shareholder meetings (except those regarding bankruptcy matters and/or related plans of reorganization).

The AO Team is responsible for overseeing the Proxy Advisory Firm and voting the Funds' proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy on the Funds' and the Adviser's behalf.

The AO Team is authorized to direct the Proxy Advisory Firm to vote Fund proxies in accordance with the Proxy Voting Policy. Responsibilities assigned to the AO Team or activities in support thereof may be performed by such members of the Proxy Committee (as defined in the Proxy Committee section below) or employees of the Adviser's affiliates as the Proxy Committee deems appropriate.

The AO Team is also responsible for identifying potential conflicts between the proxy issuer and the Proxy Advisory Firm, the Adviser, the Funds' principal underwriters, or an affiliated person of the Funds. The AO Team shall identify such potential conflicts of interest based on information the Proxy Advisory Firm periodically provides; analyses of Voya's clients, distributors, broker-dealers, and vendors; and information derived from other sources including but not limited to public filings.

**Proxy Committee**

The Proxy Committee shall ensure that the Funds vote proxies consistent with the Proxy Voting Policy. The Proxy Committee accordingly reviews and evaluates this Policy, oversees the development and implementation thereof, and resolves ad hoc issues that may arise from time to time. The Proxy Committee is comprised of senior leaders of Voya Investment Management, including fundamental research, ESG research, active ownership, compliance, legal, finance, and operations of the Adviser. The Proxy Committee membership may be amended at the Adviser's discretion from time to time. The Board will be informed of any membership changes quarterly at the next regularly scheduled meeting.

**Investment Professionals**

The Funds' sub-advisers and/or portfolio managers are each referred to herein as an "Investment Professional" and collectively, "Investment Professionals". Investment Professionals are encouraged to submit recommendations to the AO Team regarding any proxy voting-related proposals relating to the portfolio securities over which they have daily portfolio management responsibility including proxy contests, proposals relating to issuers with dual class shares with superior voting rights, and/or mergers and acquisitions.

**Proxy Advisory Firm**

The Proxy Advisory Firm is required to coordinate with the Funds' custodians to ensure that those firms process all proxy materials they receive relating to portfolio securities in a timely manner. To the extent applicable the Proxy Advisory Firm is required to provide research, analysis, and vote recommendations under its Proxy Voting guidelines. The Proxy Advisory Firm is required to produce custom vote recommendations in accordance with the Guidelines and their vote recommendations.

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**PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES**

**Vote Classification**

**Within-Guidelines Votes: *Votes in Accordance with these Guidelines***

A vote cast in accordance with these Guidelines is considered Within-Guidelines.

**Out-of-Guidelines Votes: Votes *Contrary to these Guidelines***

A vote that is contrary to these Guidelines may be cast when the AO team and/or Proxy Committee determine that application of these Guidelines is inappropriate under the circumstances. A vote is considered contrary to these Guidelines when such vote contradicts the approach outlined in the Policy.

A vote would not be considered contrary to these Guidelines for cases in which these Guidelines stipulate a Case-by-Case consideration, or an Investment Professional provides a written rationale for such vote.

**Matters Requiring Case-by-Case Consideration**

The Proxy Advisory Firm shall refer proxy proposals to the AO Team for consideration when the Procedures and Guidelines indicate a "Case-by-Case" consideration. Additionally, the Proxy Advisory Firm shall refer a proxy proposal under circumstances in which the application of the Procedures and Guidelines is uncertain, appears to involve unusual or controversial issues, or is silent regarding the proposal.

Upon receipt of a referral from the Proxy Advisory Firm, the AO Team may solicit additional research or clarification from the Proxy Advisory Firm, Investment Professional(s), or other sources.

The AO Team shall review matters requiring Case-by-Case consideration to determine whether such proposals require an Investment Professional and/or Proxy Committee input and a vote determination.

**Non-Votes: Votes in which No Action is Taken**

The AO Team shall make reasonable efforts to secure and vote all Fund proxies. Nevertheless, a Fund may refrain from voting under certain circumstances including, but not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The economic effect on shareholder interests or the value of the portfolio holding is indeterminable or insignificant (e.g., proxies in connection with fractional shares), securities no longer held in a Fund, or a proxy is being considered for a Fund no longer in existence.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The cost of voting a proxy outweighs the benefits (e.g., certain international proxies, particularly in cases in which share-blocking practices may impose trading restrictions on the relevant portfolio security).

**Conflicts of Interest**

The Adviser shall act in the Funds' best interests and strive to avoid conflicts of interest. Conflicts of interest may arise in situations in which, but not limited to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is a vendor whose products or services are material to the Funds, the Adviser, or their affiliates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is an entity participating to a material extent in the Funds' distribution;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is a significant executing broker-dealer for the Funds and/or the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Any individual who participates in the voting process for the Funds, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Investment Professionals;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Members of the Proxy Committee;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Employees of the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Board Directors/Trustees; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Individuals who serve as a director or officer of the issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer is Voya Financial.

Investment Professionals, the Proxy Advisory Firm, the Proxy Committee, and the AO Team shall disclose any potential conflicts of interest and/or confirm they do not have conflicts of interest relating to their participation in the voting process for portfolio securities.

The AO Team shall call a meeting of the Proxy Committee if a potential conflict exists and a member (or members) of the AO Team wishes to vote contrary to these Guidelines or an Investment Professional provides input regarding a meeting and has confirmed a conflict exists with regard thereto. The Proxy Committee shall then consider the matter and vote on a best course of action.

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The AO Team shall use best efforts to convene the Proxy Committee with respect to all matters requiring its consideration. If the Proxy Committee cannot meet its quorum requirements by the voting deadline it shall execute the vote in accordance with these Guidelines.

The Adviser shall maintain records regarding any determinations to vote contrary to these Guidelines including those in which a potential Voya Investment Management Conflict exists. Such records shall include the rationale for the contrary vote.

**Potential Conflicts with a Proxy Issuer**

The AO Team shall identify potential conflicts with proxy issuers. In addition to obtaining potential conflict of interest information described in the Roles and Responsibilities section above, Proxy Committee members shall disclose to the AO Team any potential conflicts of interests with an issuer prior to discussing the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation.

Proxy Committee members shall advise the AO Team in the event they believe a potential or perceived conflict of interest exists that may preclude them from making a vote determination in the Funds' best interests. The Proxy Committee member may elect recusal from considering the relevant proxy. Proxy Committee members shall complete a Conflict of Interest Report when they verbally disclose a potential conflict of interest.

Investment Professionals shall also confirm that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest when submitting vote recommendations to the AO Team.

The AO Team gathers and analyzes the information provided by the:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proxy Advisory Firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Funds' principal underwriters;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Fund affiliates;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proxy Committee members;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Investment Professionals; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Fund Directors and Officers.

**Assessment of the Proxy Advisory Firm**

On the Board's and Adviser's behalf the AO Team shall assess whether the Proxy Advisory Firm:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Is independent from the Adviser;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has resources that indicate it can competently provide analysis of proxy issues;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Can make recommendations in an impartial manner and in the best interests of the Funds and their beneficial owners; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has adequate compliance policies and procedures to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Ensure that its proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Identify and address conflicts of interest.

The AO Team shall utilize and the Proxy Advisory Firm shall comply with such methods for completing the assessment as the AO Team may deem reasonably appropriate. The Proxy Advisory Firm shall also promptly notify the AO Team in writing of any material changes to information it previously provided to the AO Team in connection with establishing the Proxy Advisory Firm's independence, competence, or impartiality.

**Voting Funds of Funds, Investing Funds and Feeder Funds**

Funds that are funds-of-funds<sup>1</sup> (each a "Fund-of-Funds" and collectively, "Funds-of-Funds") shall "echo" vote their interests in underlying mutual funds, which may include mutual funds other than the Funds indicated on Voya's website (www.voyainvestments.com). Meaning that if the Fund-of-Funds must vote on a proposal with respect to an underlying investment issuer the Fund-of-Funds shall vote its interest in that underlying fund in the same proportion as all other shareholders in the underlying investment company voted their interests.

However, if the underlying fund has no other shareholders, the Fund-of-Funds shall vote as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the Fund-of-Funds and the underlying fund are solicited to vote on the same proposal (e.g., the election of fund directors/trustees), the Fund-of-Funds shall vote the shares it holds in the underlying fund in the same proportion as all votes received from the holders of the Fund-of-Funds' shares with respect to that proposal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the Fund-of-Funds is solicited to vote on a proposal for an underlying fund (e.g., a new sub-adviser to the underlying fund), and there is no corresponding proposal at the Fund-of-Funds level, the Adviser shall determine the most appropriate method of voting with respect to the underlying fund proposal.

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<sup>1</sup> Invest in underlying funds beyond 12d-1 limits.

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An Investing Fund<sup>2</sup> (e.g., any Voya fund), while not a Fund-of-Funds shall have the foregoing Fund-of- Funds procedure applied to any Investing Fund that invests in one or more underlying funds. Accordingly:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Each Investing Fund shall "echo" vote its interests in an underlying fund if the underlying fund has shareholders other than the Investing Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the event an underlying fund has no other shareholders and the Investing Fund and the underlying fund are solicited to vote on the same proposal, the Investing Fund shall vote its interests in the underlying fund in the same proportion as all votes received from the holders of its own shares on that proposal; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the event an underlying fund has no other shareholders, and no corresponding proposal exists at the Investing Fund level, the Board shall determine the most appropriate method of voting with respect to the underlying fund proposal.

A fund that is a "Feeder Fund" in a master-feeder structure passes votes requested by the underlying master fund to its shareholders. Meaning that, if the master fund solicits the Feeder Fund, the Feeder Fund shall request instructions from its own shareholders as to how it should vote its interest in an underlying master fund either directly or in the case of an insurance-dedicated Fund through an insurance product or retirement plan.

When a Fund is a feeder in a master-feeder structure, proxies for the master fund's portfolio securities shall be voted pursuant to the master fund's proxy voting policies and procedures. As such, Feeder Funds shall not be subject to the Procedures and Guidelines except as described in the Reporting and Record Retention section below.

**Securities Lending**

Many of the Funds participate in securities lending arrangements that generate additional revenue for the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund is unable to vote securities that are on loan under these arrangements. However, under certain circumstances, for voting issues that may have a significant impact on the investment, members of the Proxy Committee or AO Team may request that the Fund's securities lending agent recall securities on loan if they determine that the benefit of voting outweighs the costs and lost revenue to the Fund as well as the administrative burden of retrieving the securities.

Investment Professionals may also deem a vote to be "material" in the context of the portfolio(s) they manage. They may therefore request that the Proxy Committee review lending activity on behalf of their portfolio(s) with respect to the relevant security and consider recalling and/or restricting the security. The Proxy Committee shall give primary consideration to relevant Investment Professional input in its determination as to whether a given proxy vote is material and if the associated security should accordingly be restricted from lending. The determination that a vote is material in the context of a Fund's portfolio shall not mean that such vote is considered material across all Funds voting at that meeting. In order to recall or restrict shares on a timely basis for material voting purposes the AO Team shall use best efforts to consider and, when appropriate, act upon such requests on a timely basis. Any relevant Investment Professional may submit a request to review lending activity in connection with a potentially material vote for the Proxy Committee's consideration at any time.

**Reporting and Record Retention**

**Reporting by the Funds**

Annually, as required, each Fund and each Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund shall post on the Voya Funds' website its proxy voting record or a link to the prior one-year period ended June 30. The proxy voting record for each Fund and each Sub-Adviser-Voted Fund shall also be available on Form N-PX in the SEC's EDGAR database on its website. For any Fund that is a feeder within a master-feeder structure, no proxy voting record related to the portfolio securities owned by the master fund shall be posted on the Funds' website or included in the Fund's Form N-PX; however, a cross-reference to the master fund's proxy voting record as filed in the SEC's EDGAR database shall be included in the Fund's Form N-PX and posted on the Funds' website. If an underlying master fund solicited any Feeder Fund for a vote during the reporting period, a record of the votes cast by means of the pass-through process described above shall be included on the Voya funds' website and in the Feeder Fund's Form N-PX.

**Reporting to the Compliance Committee**

At each quarterly Compliance Committee meeting the AO Team shall provide to the Compliance Committee a report outlining each proxy proposal, or a summary of such proposals, that was:

1. Voted Out-of-Guidelines; and/or

2. When the Proxy Committee did not agree with an Investment Professional's recommendation, as assessed when the Investment Professional raises a potential conflict of interest.

The report shall include the name of the issuer, the substance of the proposal, a summary of the Investment Professional's recommendation as applicable, and the reasons for voting or recommending an Out-of- Guidelines Vote or in the case of (2) above a vote which differed from that recommended by the Investment Professional.

**Reporting by the AO Team on behalf of the Adviser**

The Adviser shall maintain the records required by Rule 204-2(c)(2), as may be amended from time to time, including the following:

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<sup>2</sup> Invest in underlying funds but not beyond 12d-1 limits.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of each proxy statement received regarding a Fund's portfolio securities. Such proxy statements the issuers send are available either in the SEC's EDGAR database or upon request from the Proxy Advisory Firm;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A record of each vote cast on behalf of a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of any Adviser-created document that was material to making a proxy vote decision or that memorializes the basis for that decision;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A copy of written requests for Fund proxy voting information and any written response thereto or to any oral request for information on how the Adviser voted proxies on behalf of a Fund;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A record of all recommendations from Investment Professionals to vote contrary to these Guidelines;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• All proxy questions/recommendations that have been referred to the Compliance Committee; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• All applicable recommendations, analyses, research, Conflict Reports, and vote determinations. All proxy voting materials and supporting documentation shall be retained for a minimum of six years.

**Records Maintained by the Proxy Advisory Firm**

The Proxy Advisory Firm shall retain a record of all proxy votes handled by the Proxy Advisory Firm. Such record must reflect all the information required to be disclosed in a Fund's Form N-PX pursuant to Rule 30b1-4 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Additionally, the Proxy Advisory Firm shall be responsible for maintaining copies of all proxy statements received by issuers and to promptly provide such materials to the Adviser upon request.

**<u>PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES</u>**

**Introduction**

Proxies shall be voted in the Funds' best interests. These Guidelines summarize the Funds' positions regarding certain matters of importance to shareholders and provide an indication as to how the Funds' ballots shall be voted for certain types of proposals. These Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not provide guidance on all potential voting matters. Proposals may be addressed on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis rather than according to these Guidelines when assessing the merits of available rationale and disclosure.

These Guidelines generally apply to securities of publicly traded operating issuers and to those of privately held operating issuers if publicly available disclosure permits such application. The Funds will consider matters relating to investment companies that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 on a CASE-BY-CASE basis. Additionally, all matters for which such disclosure is not available shall be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

Investment Professionals are encouraged to submit recommendations to the AO Team regarding proxy voting matters relating to the portfolio securities over which they have daily portfolio management responsibility. Investment Professionals may submit recommendations in connection with any proposal and they are likely to receive requests for recommendations relating to proxies for private equity or fixed income securities and/or proposals relating to merger transactions/corporate restructurings, proxy contests, or unusual or controversial issues.

Interpretation and application of these Guidelines is not intended to supersede any law, regulation, binding agreement, or other legal requirement to which an issuer may be or become subject. No proposal shall be supported where implementation would contravene such requirements.

**General Policies**

The Funds generally support the recommendation of an issuer's management when the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation also aligns with such recommendation and to vote in accordance with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when management has made no recommendation. However, this policy shall not apply to **CASE-BY-CASE** proposals for which a contrary recommendation from the relevant Investment Professional(s) is utilized.

The rationale and vote recommendation from Investment Professionals shall receive primary consideration with respect to **CASE-BY-CASE** proposals considered on the relevant Fund's behalf.

The Fund's policy is to not support proposals that would negatively impact the existing rights of the Funds' beneficial owners. Shareholder proposals shall not be supported if they impose excessive costs and/or are overly restrictive or prescriptive. Depending on the relevant market, appropriate opposition may be expressed as an ABSTAIN, **AGAINST**, or **WITHHOLD** vote.

In the event competing shareholder and board proposals appear on the same agenda at uncontested proxies, the shareholder proposal shall not be supported, and the management proposal shall be supported when the management proposal meets the factors for support under the relevant topic/policy (e.g., Allocation of Income and Dividends); the competing proposals shall otherwise be considered on a CASE- BY-CASE basis.

**International Policies**

Companies incorporated outside the U.S. are subject to the following U.S. policies if they are listed on a

U.S. exchange and treated as a U.S. domestic issuer by the SEC. Where applicable, certain U.S. policies may also be applied to issuers incorporated outside the U.S. (e.g., issuers with a significant base of U.S. operations and employees).

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However, given the differing regulatory and legal requirements, market practices, and political and economic systems existing in various international markets, the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **AGAINST** international proposals when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends voting **AGAINST** such proposal due to inadequate relevant disclosure by the issuer or time provided for consideration of such disclosure;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Consider proposals that are associated with a firm **AGAINST** vote on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends support when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer or market transitions to better practices (e.g., committing to new regulations or governance codes);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The market standard is stricter than the Fund's Guidelines; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• It is the more favorable choice when shareholders must choose between alternate proposals.

**Proposal Specific Policies**

As mentioned above, these Guidelines may be overridden in any case as provided for in the Procedures. Similarly, the Procedures outline the proposals with Guidelines that prescribe a firm voting position that may instead be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when unusual or controversial circumstances so dictate, in such circumstances the AO Team may deem it appropriate to seek input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**<u>Proxy Contests:</u>**

Votes in contested elections on shall be considered on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis with primary consideration given to input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**<u>Uncontested Proxies:</u>**

**<u>1- The Board of Directors</u>**

**Overview**

The Funds may indicate disagreement with an issuer's policies or practices by withholding support from the relevant proposal rather than from the director nominee(s) to which the Proxy Advisory Firm assigns fault or assigns an association.

The Funds shall withhold support from director(s) deemed responsible in cases in which the Funds' disagreement is assigned to the board of directors. Responsibility may be attributed to the entire board, a committee, or an individual, and the Funds shall apply a vote accountability guideline ("Vote Accountability Guideline") specific to the concerns under review.

The Funds shall withhold support from director(s) deemed responsible in cases in which the Funds' disagreement is assigned to the board of directors. Responsibility may be attributed to the entire board, a committee, or an individual, and the Funds shall apply a vote accountability guideline ("Vote Accountability Guideline") specific to the concerns under review.

The Funds shall typically vote **FOR** a director in connection with issues the Proxy Advisory Firm raises if the director did not serve on the board or relevant committee during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns the Proxy Advisory Firm cited.

The Funds shall vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when more candidates are presented than available seats and no other provisions under these Guidelines apply.

The Funds shall vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation when more candidates are presented than available seats and no other provisions under these Guidelines apply.

Vote with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation to withhold support from the legal entity and vote on the individual when a director holds one seat as an individual plus an additional seat as a representative of a legal entity.

**Bundled Director Slates**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors or slates of directors when they are presented in a manner not aligned with market best practice and/or regulation, irrespective of complying with independence requirements, such as:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Bundled slates of directors *(e.g., <u>Canada</u>, <u>France</u>, <u>Hong Kong</u>, or <u>Spain</u>);*

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In markets with term lengths capped by regulation or market practice, directors whose terms exceed the caps or are not disclosed; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Directors whose names are not disclosed in advance of the meeting or far enough in advance relative to voting deadlines to make an informed voting decision.

For issuers with multiple slates in *<u>Italy</u>*, the Funds shall follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards for assessing which slate is best suited to represent shareholder interests.

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**<u>Independence</u>**

**Director and Board/Committee Independence**

The Funds expect boards and key committees to have an appropriate level of independence and shall accordingly consider the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards to determine that adequate level of independence. A director would be deemed non-independent if the individual had/has a relationship with the issuer that could potentially influence the individual's objectivity causing the inability to satisfy fiduciary standards on behalf of shareholders. Audit, compensation/remuneration, and nominating and/or governance committees are considered key committees and should be 100% independent. The Funds shall consider the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards and generally accepted best practice (collectively "Independence Expectations") with respect to determining director independence and Board/Committee independence levels. **<u>Note:</u>** Non-voting directors (e.g., director emeritus or advisory director) shall be excluded from calculations relating to board independence.

The Funds shall consider non-independent directors standing for election on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis when the full board or committee does not meet Independence Expectations. Additionally, the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from the board chair, nominating committee chair, nominating committee member(s), or an incumbent director(s) if the board chair is non-independent and the board does not have a lead independent director;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from slates of directors if the board's independence cannot be ascertained due to inadequate disclosure or when the board's independence does not meet Independence Expectations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from key committee slates if they contain non-independent directors; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• **WITHHOLD** support from non-independent nominating committee chair, board chair, and/or directors if the full board serves or appears to serve as a key committee, the board has not established a key committee, or the board and/or a key committee(s) does not meet Independence Expectations.

**Self-Nominated/Shareholder-Nominated Director Candidates**

The Funds shall consider self-nominated or shareholder-nominated director candidates on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis and shall **WITHHOLD** support from the candidate when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Adequate disclosure has not been provided (e.g., rationale for candidacy and candidate's qualifications relative to the issuer);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The candidate's agenda is not in line with the long-term best interests of the issuer; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Multiple self-nominated candidates are considered to constitute a proxy contest if similar issues are raised (e.g., potential change in control).

**Management Proposals Seeking Non-Board Member Service on Key Committees**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that permit non-board members to serve on a key committee, provided that bundled slates may be supported if no slate nominee serves on relevant committee(s) except in cases in which best market practice otherwise dictates.

The Funds shall consider other concerns regarding committee members on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**<u>Board Member Roles and Responsibilities</u>**

**Attendance**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from a director who, during the prior year attended less than 75 percent of the board and committee meetings with no valid reason for the absences, excluding directors who have not completed a full year on the board.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from nominating committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if a director has two or more years of poor attendance without a valid reason for their absences.

The Funds shall apply a one-year attendance policy relating to statutory auditors at *<u>Japanese</u>* issuer meetings.

**Over-boarding**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors who serve on:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• More than two public issuer boards and are named executive officers at any public issuer, and shall **WITHHOLD** support only at their outside board(s);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Five or more public issuer boards; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Four or more public issuer boards and is Board Chair at two or more public issuers and shall **WITHHOLD** support on boards for which such director does not serve as chair.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals limiting the number of public issuer boards on which a director may serve.

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**Tenure**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from the nominating committee chair and/or members of the nominating committee when the average board tenure exceeds 15 years.

**Combined Chair / CEO Role**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors without regard to recommendations that the position of chair should be separate from that of CEO or should otherwise require independence unless other concerns requiring **CASE-BY-CASE** consideration arise (e.g., a former CEO proposed as board chair).

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals that require that the positions of chair and CEO be held separately on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Cumulative/Net Voting Markets**

When cumulative or net voting applies, the Funds shall follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation to vote **FOR** nominees, such as when the issuer assesses that such nominees are independent, irrespective of key committee membership, even if independence disclosure or criteria fall short of the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards.

**<u>Board Accountability</u>**

**Board Diversity** 

**United States:**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if no women are on the issuer's board. The Funds shall consider directors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if gender diversity existed prior to the most recent annual meeting.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the board has no apparent racially or ethnically diverse members. The Funds shall consider directors on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis if racial and/or ethnic diversity existed prior to the most recent annual meeting.

**Diversity (Shareholder Proposals):**

The Funds shall generally vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that request the issuer to improve/promote gender and/or racial/ethnic diversity and/or gender and/or racial/ethnic diversity-related disclosure.

**International:**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when no women are on the issuer's board or if its board's gender diversity level does not meet a higher standard established by the relevant country's corporate governance code and generally accepted best practice.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the relevant country's corporate governance code contains a minimally acceptable threshold for racial/ethnic diversity and the board does not appear to meet this expectation.

**Return on Equity**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** the most senior executive at an issuer in *<u>Japan</u>* if the only reason the Proxy Advisory Firm withholds its recommendation results from the issuer underperforming in terms of capital efficiency or issuer performance (e.g., net losses or low return on equity (ROE)).

**Compensation Practices**

The Funds may **WITHHOLD** support from compensation committee members whose actions or disclosure do not appear to support compensation practices aligned with the best interests of the issuer and its shareholders.

<u>"</u><u>Say on Pay" Responsiveness</u>. The Funds shall consider compensation committee members on a **CASE- BY-CASE** basis for failure to sufficiently address compensation concerns prompting significant opposition to the most recent advisory vote on executive officers' compensation, "Say on Pay", or continuing to maintain problematic pay practices, considering such factors as the level of shareholder opposition, subsequent actions taken by the compensation committee, and level of responsiveness disclosure, among others.

<u>"</u><u>Say on Pay Frequency"</u>. The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the Proxy Advisory Firm opposes directors due to the issuer's failure to include a "Say on Pay" proposal and/or a "Say on Pay Frequency" proposal when required pursuant to SEC or market regulatory provisions; or implemented a "Say on Pay Frequency" schedule that is less frequent than the frequency most recently preferred by not less than a plurality of shareholders; or is an externally-managed issuer (EMI) or externally-managed REIT (EMR) and has failed to include a "Say on Pay" proposal or adequate disclosure of the compensation structure.

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<u>Commitments</u>. The Funds shall vote **FOR** compensation committee members receiving an adverse recommendation from the Proxy Advisory Firm due to problematic pay practices or thresholds (e.g., burn rate) if the issuer makes a public commitment (e.g., via a Form 8-K filing) to rectify the practice on a going-forward basis. However, the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on compensation committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer does not rectify the practice prior to the issuer's next annual general meeting.

For markets in which the issuer has not followed market practice by submitting a resolution on executive remuneration/compensation, the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on remuneration/compensation committee members.

**Accounting Practices**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline as well as the issuer's CEO or CFO if nominated as directors, if poor accounting practice concerns are raised including the issuer failed to remediate known ongoing material weaknesses in the issuer's internal controls for more than one year.

The Funds shall consider directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline, the issuer's CEO or CFO if nominated as directors, or external auditors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Issuer has not yet had a full year to remediate the concerns since the time such issues were identified; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Issuer has taken adequate steps to remediate the concerns cited that would typically include removing or replacing the responsible executives and the concerning issues do not recur.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** audit committee members, or the issuer's CEO or CFO when nominated as directors, who did not serve on the committee or did not have responsibility over the relevant financial function during the majority of the time period relevant to the concerns cited.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on audit committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer has failed to disclose audit fees and has not provided an auditor ratification or remuneration proposal for shareholder vote.

**Problematic Actions**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the Proxy Advisory Firm cites them for problematic actions including a lack of due diligence in relation to a major transaction (e.g., a merger or an acquisition), material failures, inadequate oversight, scandals, malfeasance, or negligent internal controls at the issuer or that of an affiliate, factoring in the merits of the director's performance, rationale, and disclosure when:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Culpability can be attributed to the director (e.g., director manages or is responsible for the relevant function); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The director has been directly implicated resulting in arrest, criminal charge, or regulatory sanction.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on members of the nominating committee, board chair, or lead independent director when an issuer nominates a director who is subject to any of the above concerns to serve on its board.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on audit committee members according to the Vote Accountability Guideline due to share pledging concerns factoring in the pledged amount, unwinding time, and any historical concerns raised. The Funds shall also **WITHHOLD** support on the pledgor, if a director, where the pledged amount and unwinding time are deemed significant and therefore an unnecessary risk to the issuer.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from all incumbent directors if the issuer has implemented a multi-class capital structure in which the classes have unequal voting rights and does not have a reasonable sunset provision (e.g., fewer than seven (7) years).

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline when the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends withholding support due to the board (a) unilaterally adopting by-law amendments that have a negative impact on existing shareholder rights or function as a diminution of shareholder rights or (b) failing to remove or subject to a reasonable sunset provision in its by-laws.

**Anti-Takeover Measures**

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer implements excessive anti-takeover measures.

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if the issuer fails to remove restrictive "poison pill" features, ensure a "poison pill" expiration, or submits the "poison pill" in a timely manner to shareholders for vote unless an issuer has implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of its "poison pill".

**<u>Board Responsiveness</u>**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors if the majority-supported shareholder proposal has been reasonably addressed.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals seeking shareholder ratification of a "poison pill" provision may be deemed reasonably addressed if the issuer has implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the "poison pill".

The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support from directors according to the Vote Accountability Guideline if a shareholder proposal received majority support and the board has not disclosed a credible rationale for not implementing the proposal.

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The Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support on a director if the board has not acted upon the director who did not receive shareholder support representing a majority of the votes cast at the previous annual meeting; and shall consider such directors on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the issuer has a controlling shareholder(s).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** directors in cases in which an issue relevant to the majority negative vote has been adequately addressed or cured and which may include sufficient disclosure of the board's rationale.

**<u>Board–Related Proposals</u>**

**Classified/Declassified Board Structure**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to classify the board unless the proposal represents an increased frequency of a director's election in the staggered cycle (e.g., seeking to move from a three-year cycle to a two-year cycle).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to repeal classified boards and to elect all directors annually. Board Structure

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to adopt or amend board structures unless the resulting change(s) would mean the board would not meet Independence Expectations.

For issuers in *<u>Japan</u>*, the Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking a board structure that would provide greater independent oversight.

**Board Size**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking a board range if the range is reasonable in the context of market practice and anti-takeover considerations; however, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST** a proposal if the issuer seeks to remove shareholder approval rights or the board fails to meet market independence requirements.

**Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection**

The Funds shall consider proposals on director and officer indemnification and liability protection on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis using Delaware law as the standard.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to limit or eliminate entirely directors' and officers' liability in connection with monetary damages for violating their collective duty of care.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** indemnification proposals that would expand coverage beyond legal expenses to acts that are more serious violations of fiduciary obligation such as negligence.

**Director and Officer Indemnification and Liability Protection**

The Funds shall vote in accordance with the Proxy Advisory Firm's standards (e.g., overly broad provisions).

**Discharge of Management/Supervisory Board Members**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking the discharge of management and supervisory board members (including when the proposal is bundled) unless concerns surface relating to the past actions of the issuer's auditors or directors, or legal or other shareholders take regulatory action against the board.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals in connection with remuneration practices otherwise supported under these Guidelines or as a means of expressing disapproval of the issuer's or its board's broader practices.

**Establish Board Committee**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that seek creation of a key board committee.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals requesting creation of additional board committees or offices except as otherwise provided for herein.

**Filling Board Vacancies / Removal of Directors**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that allow removal of directors only for cause.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to restore shareholder ability to remove directors with or without cause.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals that allow only continuing directors to elect replacement directors to fill board vacancies.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals that permit shareholders to elect directors to fill board vacancies.

**Stock Ownership Requirements**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such shareholder stock ownership requirement proposals. Term Limits / Retirement Age

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals and **AGAINST** shareholder proposals limiting the tenure of outside directors or imposing a mandatory retirement age for outside directors unless the proposal seeks to relax existing standards.

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**<u>2- Compensation</u>**

**Frequency of Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals seeking an annual "Say on Pay", and **AGAINST** those seeking less frequent "Say on Pay".

**Proposals to Provide an Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation *<u>(Canada)</u>***

The Funds shall vote **FOR** if it is an **ANNUAL** vote unless the issuer already provides an annual shareholder vote.

**Executive Pay Evaluation**

**Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation (Say on Pay) and Remuneration Reports or Committee Members in Absence of Such Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking ratification of the issuer's executive compensation structure unless the program includes practices or features not supported under these Guidelines and the proposal receives a negative Proxy Advisory Firm recommendation.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Provisions that permit or give the Board sole discretion for repricing, replacement, buy back, exchange, or any other form of alternative options. (**<u>Note</u>**: cancellation of options would not be considered an exchange unless the cancelled options were re-granted or expressly returned to the plan reserve for reissuance.);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single Trigger Severance provisions that do not require an actual change in control to be triggered in new or amended employment agreements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single Trigger Severance provisions that do not require an actual change in control to be triggered and the Long-Term Incentive Plan's performance period is less than three years;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Plans that allow named executive officers to have material input into setting their own compensation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Short-Term Incentive Plans in which treatment of payout factors has been inconsistent (e.g., exclusion of losses but not gains);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Long-Term Incentive Plans in which performance measures hurdles/measures are set based on a backward-looking performance period;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Company plans in international markets that provide for contract or notice periods or severance/termination payments that exceed market practices (e.g., relative to multiple of annual compensation); and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Compensation structures at externally managed issuers (EMI) or externally managed REITs (EMR) that lack adequate disclosure based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's assessment.

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends opposing and none of the above factors have been triggered.

**Golden Parachutes**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals due to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Single or modified-single trigger severance provisions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total Named Executive Officer ("NEO") payout as a percentage of the total equity value;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Aggregate of all single-triggered components (cash and equity) as a percentage of the total NEO payout;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Excessive payout; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Recent material amendments or new agreements that incorporate problematic features.

**<u>Equity-Based and Other Incentive Plans Including OBRA</u>**

**Equity Compensation**

The Funds shall consider compensation and employee benefit plans, including those in connection with OBRA<sup>3</sup>, or the issuance of shares in connection with such plans on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. The Funds shall vote the plan or issuance based on factors and related vote treatment under the Executive Pay Evaluation section above or based on circumstances specific to such equity plans as follows:

The Funds shall vote **FOR** a plan, if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Board independence is the only concern;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment places a cap on annual grants;

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<sup>3</sup> OBRA is an employee-funded defined contribution plan for certain employees of publicly held companies.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment adopts or changes administrative features to comply with Section 162(m) of OBRA;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Amendment adds performance-based goals to comply with Section 162(m) of OBRA; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Cash or cash-and-stock bonus components are approved for exemption from taxes under Section 162(m) of OBRA.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Funds shall give primary consideration to management's assessment that such plan meets the requirements for exemption of performance-based compensation.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** a plan if it:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Exceeds recommended costs (*U.S.* or *Canada*);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Incorporates share allocation disclosure methods that prevent a cost or dilution assessment;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Exceeds recommended burn rates and/or dilution limits, including cases in which dilution cannot be fully assessed (e.g., due to inadequate disclosure);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits deep or near-term discounts (or the equivalent, such as dividend equivalents on unexercised options) to executives or directors;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Provides for retirement benefits or equity incentive awards to outside directors if not in line with market practice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits financial assistance to executives, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, or related parties that is not in line with market practice;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits plan administrators to benefit from the plan as potential recipients;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits for an overly liberal change in control definition. (This refers to plans that would reward recipients even if the event does not result in an actual change in control or results in a change in control but does not terminate the employment relationship.);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits for post-employment vesting or exercise of options if deemed inappropriate;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits plan administrators to make material amendments without shareholder approval; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits procedure amendments that do not preserve shareholder approval rights.

**Amendment Procedures for Equity Compensation Plans and Employee Stock Purchase Plans (Toronto Stock Exchange Issuers)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** if the amendment procedures do not preserve shareholder approval rights.

**Stock Option Plans for Independent Internal Statutory Auditors (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals.

**Matching Share Plans**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if the matching share plan does not meet recommended standards considering holding period, discounts, dilution, participation, purchase price, or performance criteria.

**Employee Stock Purchase Plans or Capital Issuance in Support Thereof**

Voting decisions are generally based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

**<u>Director Compensation</u>**

**Non-Executive Director Compensation**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** cash-based proposals.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** performance-based equity-based proposals and patterns of excessive pay.

**Bonus Payments (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** if all bonus payments are for directors or auditors who have served as executives of the issuer and **AGAINST** if any bonus payments are for outsiders.

**Bonus Payments – Scandals**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** bonus proposals for a retiring director or continuing director or auditor when culpability for any malfeasance may be attributable to the nominee.

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis bundled bonus proposals for retiring directors or continuing directors or auditors where culpability for malfeasance may not be attributable to all nominees.

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**Severance Agreements**

**Vesting of Equity Awards upon Change in Control**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals seeking a specific treatment (*e.g.,* double-trigger or pro- rata) of equity that vests upon change in control unless evidence exists of abuse in historical compensation practices.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals regarding the treatment of equity if change(s) in control severance provisions are double-triggered. The funds shall vote **FOR** the proposal if such provisions are not double-triggered.

**Executive Severance or Termination Arrangements, including those Related to Executive Recruitment or Retention**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such compensation arrangements if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The primary concerns raised would not result in a negative vote under these Guidelines on a management "Say on Pay" proposal or the relevant board or committee member(s);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer has provided adequate rationale and/or disclosure; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Support is recommended as a condition to a major transaction such as a merger. Treatment of Severance Provisions

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** new or materially amended plans, contracts, or payments that include a single trigger change in control severance provisions or do not require an actual change in control in order to be triggered.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals seeking double triggers on change in control severance provisions.

**<u>Compensation-Related Shareholder Proposals</u>**

**Executive and Director Compensation**

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis shareholder proposals that seek to impose new compensation structures or policies.

**Holding Periods**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals requiring mandatory issuer stock holding periods for officers and directors.

**Submit Severance and Termination Payments for Shareholder Ratification**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals to submit executive severance agreements for shareholder ratification if such proposals specify change in control events, supplemental executive retirement plans, or deferred executive compensation plans, or if the listing exchange requires ratification thereof.

**<u>3- Audit-Related</u>** 

**Auditor Ratification and/or Remuneration**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals except in such cases as indicated below. The Funds shall consider auditor ratification and/or remuneration on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if:

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** auditor ratification and/or remuneration if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The Proxy Advisory Firm raises questions of auditor independence or disclosure including the auditor selection process;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Total fees for non-audit services exceed 50 percent of aggregated auditor fees (including audit-related fees, and tax compliance and preparation fees as applicable); or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Evidence exists of excessive compensation relative to the size and nature of the issuer.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** an auditor ratification and/or remuneration proposal if the issuer has failed to disclose audit fees.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that ask the issuer to present its auditor for ratification annually.

**Auditor Independence**

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals asking issuers to prohibit their auditors from engaging in non-audit services (or capping the level of non-audit services) on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Audit Firm Rotation**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals asking for mandatory audit firm rotation.

**Indemnification of Auditors**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** auditor indemnification proposals.

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**Independent Statutory Auditors (*<u>Japan</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** an independent statutory auditor proposal if the candidate is or was affiliated with the issuer, its primary bank(s), or one of its top shareholders.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** incumbent directors implicated in scandals, malfeasance, or at issuers exhibiting poor internal controls.

**<u>4- Shareholder Rights and Defenses</u>**

**Advance Notice for Shareholder Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals relating to advance notice period requirements provided that the period requested is in accordance with applicable law and no material governance concerns have arisen regarding the issuer.

**Corporate Documents / Article and Bylaw Amendments or Related Director Actions**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposal if the change or policy is editorial in nature or if shareholder rights are protected.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposal if it seeks to impose a negative impact on shareholder rights or diminishes accountability to shareholders including cases in which the issuer failed to opt out of a law that affects shareholder rights (*e.g.,* staggered board).

The Funds shall, with respect to article amendments for *<u>Japanese</u>* issuers:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** management proposals to amend an issuer's articles to expand its business lines in line with its current industry;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** management proposals to amend an issuer's articles to provide for an expansion or reduction in the size of the board unless the expansion/reduction is clearly disproportionate to the growth/decrease in the scale of the business or raises anti-takeover concerns;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If anti-takeover concerns exist, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals including bundled proposals to amend an issuer's articles to authorize the Board to vary the annual meeting record date or to otherwise align them with provisions of a takeover defense; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Follow the Proxy Advisory Firm's guidelines relating to management proposals regarding amendments to authorize share repurchases at the board's discretion, and vote **AGAINST** proposals unless there is little to no likelihood of a creeping takeover or constraints on liquidity (free float of shares is low) and in cases in which the issuer trades at below book value or faces a real likelihood of substantial share sales, or in which this amendment is bundled with other amendments that are clearly in shareholders' interest.

**Majority Voting Standard**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals that seek director election via an affirmative majority vote in connection with a shareholder meeting provided such vote contains a plurality carve-out for contested elections and provided such standard does not conflict with applicable law in the issuer's country of incorporation.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** amendments to corporate documents or other actions promoting a majority standard.

**Cumulative Voting**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals to restore or permit cumulative voting.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals to eliminate cumulative voting if the issuer:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Is controlled;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Maintains a classified board of directors; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Maintains a dual class voting structure.

Proposals may be supported irrespective of classified board status if an issuer plans to declassify its board or adopt a majority voting standard.

**Confidential Voting**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to adopt confidential voting.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that request issuers to adopt confidential voting, use independent tabulators, and use independent election inspectors so long as the proposals include clauses for proxy contests as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• In the case of a contested election management should be permitted to request that the dissident group honors its confidential voting policy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the dissidents agree the policy shall remain in place; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• If the dissidents do not agree the confidential voting policy shall be waived.

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**Fair Price Provisions**

The Funds shall consider proposals to adopt fair price provisions on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** fair price provisions containing shareholder vote requirements greater than a majority of disinterested shares.

**Poison Pills**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals in connection with poison pills or anti-takeover activities (e.g., disclosure requirements or issuances, transfers, or repurchases) that can be reasonably construed as an anti-takeover measure based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that ask an issuer to submit its poison pill for shareholder ratification or to redeem that poison pill in lieu thereof, unless:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Shareholders have approved the plan's adoption;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The issuer has already implemented a policy that should reasonably prevent abusive use of the poison pill; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The board had determined that it was in the best interest of shareholders to adopt a poison pill without delay, provided that such plan shall be put to shareholder vote within twelve months of adoption or expire and would immediately terminate if not approved by a majority of the votes cast.

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals to redeem an issuer's poison pill on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Proxy Access**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to allow shareholders to nominate directors and list those nominees in the issuer's proxy statement and on its proxy card, provided that criteria meet the Funds' internal thresholds and that such standard does not conflict with applicable law in the country in which the issuer is incorporated. The Funds shall consider shareholder and management proposals that appear on the same agenda on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals also supported by the Proxy Advisory Firm.

**Quorum Requirements**

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis proposals to lower quorum requirements for shareholder meetings below a majority of the shares outstanding.

**Exclusive Forum**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to designate Delaware or New York as the exclusive forum for certain legal actions as defined by the issuer ("Exclusive Forum") if the issuer's state of incorporation is the same as its proposed Exclusive Forum, otherwise they shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Reincorporation Proposals**

The Funds shall consider proposals to change an issuer's state of incorporation on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals not assessed as:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A potential takeover defense; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• A significant reduction of minority shareholder rights that outweigh the aggregate positive impact, but if assessed as such the Funds shall consider management's rationale for the change.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management reincorporation proposals upon which another key proposal, such as a merger transaction, is contingent if the other key proposal is also supported.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder reincorporation proposals not supported by the issuer.

**Shareholder Advisory Committees**

The Funds shall consider proposals to establish a shareholder advisory committee on a **CASE-BY-CASE**

basis.

**Right to Call Special Meetings**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to permit shareholders to call special meetings.

The Funds shall consider management proposals to adjust the thresholds applicable to call a special meeting on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals that provide shareholders with the ability to call special meetings when any of the following apply:

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Company does not currently permit shareholders to do so;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Existing ownership threshold is greater than 25 percent; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Sole concern relates to a net-long position requirement. Written Consent

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** shareholder proposals seeking the right to act via written consent if the issuer:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Permits shareholders to call special meetings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Does not impose supermajority vote requirements on business combinations/actions (e.g., a merger or acquisition) and on bylaw or charter amendments; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Has otherwise demonstrated its accountability to shareholders (e.g., the issuer has reasonably addressed majority-supported shareholder proposals).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals seeking the right to act via written consent if the above conditions are not present.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** management proposals to eliminate the right to act via written consent. State Takeover Statutes

The Funds shall consider proposals to opt-in or out of state takeover statutes (including control share acquisition statutes, control share cash-out statutes, freeze-out provisions, fair price provisions, stakeholder laws, poison pill endorsements, severance pay and labor contract provisions, anti-greenmail provisions, and disgorgement provisions) on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Supermajority Shareholder Vote Requirement**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to require a supermajority shareholder vote and **FOR** proposals to lower supermajority shareholder vote requirements, except:

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if the issuer has shareholder(s) holding significant ownership percentages and retaining existing supermajority requirements would protect minority shareholder interests.

**Time-Phased Voting**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals to implement and **FOR** proposals to eliminate time-phased or other forms of voting that do not promote a "one share, one vote" standard.

**5- <u>Capital and Restructuring</u>**

The Funds shall consider management proposals to make changes to the capital structure not otherwise addressed under these Guidelines, on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis, voting with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendation unless they utilize a contrary recommendation from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing excessive board discretion.

**<u>Capital</u>**

**Common Stock Authorization**

The Funds shall consider proposals to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized for issuance on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. The Proxy Advisory Firm's proprietary approach of determining appropriate thresholds shall be utilized in evaluating such proposals. In cases in which such requests are above the allowable threshold the Funds shall utilize an issuer-specific qualitative review (e.g., considering rationale and prudent historical usage).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals within the Proxy Advisory Firm's permissible thresholds or those in excess of but meeting Proxy Advisory Firm's qualitative standards, to authorize capital increases, unless the issuer states that the additionally issued stock may be used as a takeover defense.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to authorize capital increases exceeding the Proxy Advisory Firm's thresholds when an issuer's shares are at risk of delisting.

Notwithstanding the above, the Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of a class of stock if these Guidelines do not support the issuance which the increase is intended to service (e.g., merger or acquisition proposals).

**Dual Class Capital Structures** 

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to create or perpetuate dual class capital structures with unequal voting rights (e.g., exchange offers, conversions, and recapitalizations) unless supported by the Proxy Advisory Firm (e.g., utilize a "one share, one vote" standard, contain a sunset provision of seven or fewer years to avert bankruptcy or generate non-dilutive financing, or are not designed to increase the voting power of an insider or significant shareholder).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Proposals to increase the number of authorized shares of the class of stock that has superior voting rights in issuers that have dual-class capital structures.

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The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to eliminate dual-class capital structures.

**General Share Issuances / Increases in Authorized Capital**

The Funds shall consider specific issuance requests on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis based on the proposed use and the issuer's rationale.

The Proxy Advisory Firm's assessment shall govern Fund voting decisions to determine support for requests for general issuances (with or without preemptive rights), authorized capital increases, convertible bonds issuances, warrants issuances, or related requests to repurchase and reissue shares.

**Preemptive Rights**

The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals that seek preemptive rights or management proposals that seek to eliminate them on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis. In evaluating proposals on preemptive rights, the Funds shall consider an issuer's size and shareholder base characteristics.

**Adjustments to Par Value of Common Stock**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to reduce the par value of common stock unless doing so raises other concerns not otherwise supported under these Guidelines.

**Preferred Stock**

Utilize the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach for evaluating issuances or authorizations of preferred stock considering the Proxy Advisory Firm's support of special circumstances such as mergers or acquisitions in addition to the following criteria:

The Funds shall consider on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis proposals to increase the number of shares of "blank check" preferred shares or preferred stock authorized for issuance. This approach incorporates both qualitative and quantitative measures including a review of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Past performance (*e.g.,* board governance, shareholder returns, and historical share usage); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The current request (*e.g.,* rationale, whether shares are "blank check" and "declawed", and dilutive impact as determined through the Proxy Advisory Firm's model for assessing appropriate thresholds).

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing issuance of preferred stock or creation of new classes of preferred stock having unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution, and other rights ("blank check" preferred stock).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to issue or create "blank check" preferred stock in cases in which the issuer expressly states that the stock shall not be used as a takeover defense or not utilize a disparate voting rights structure.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** in cases in which the issuer expressly states that, or fails to disclose whether, the stock may be used as a takeover defense.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to authorize or issue preferred stock in cases in which the issuer specifies the voting, dividend, conversion, and other rights of such stock and the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.

**Preferred Stock (International)**

Fund voting decisions should generally be based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach, and the Funds shall:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** the creation of a new class of preferred stock or issuances of preferred stock up to 50 percent of issued capital unless the terms of the preferred stock would adversely affect the rights of existing shareholders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **FOR** the creation/issuance of convertible preferred stock so long as the maximum number of common shares that could be issued upon conversion meets the Proxy Advisory Firm's guidelines on equity issuance requests; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Vote **AGAINST** the creation of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1) A new class of preference shares that would carry superior voting rights to common shares; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) "Blank check" preferred stock unless the board states that the authorization shall not be used to thwart a takeover bid.

**Shareholder Proposals Regarding Blank Check Preferred Stock**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** shareholder proposals requesting shareholder ratification of "blank check" preferred stock placements other than those shares issued for the purpose of raising capital or making acquisitions in the normal course of business.

**Share Repurchase Programs**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to institute open-market share repurchase plans in which all shareholders may participate on equal terms but vote **AGAINST** plans containing terms favoring selected parties.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to cancel repurchased shares.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals for share repurchase methods lacking adequate risk mitigation or exceeding appropriate market volume or duration parameters.

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The Funds shall consider shareholder proposals seeking share repurchase programs on a **CASE-BY- CASE** basis giving primary consideration to input from the relevant Investment Professional(s).

**Stock Distributions: Splits and Dividends**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals to increase common share authorization for a stock split provided that the increase in authorized shares falls within the Proxy Advisory Firm's allowable thresholds.

**Reverse Stock Splits**

The Funds shall consider management proposals to implement a reverse stock split on a **CASE-BY-CASE** considering management's rationale and/or disclosure if the split constitutes a capital increase that effectively exceeds the Proxy Advisory Firm's permissible threshold due to the lack of a proportionate reduction in the number of shares authorized.

**Allocation of Income and Dividends**

With respect to *<u>Japanese</u>* and *<u>South Korean</u>* issuers, the Funds shall consider management proposals concerning income allocation and the dividend distribution, including adjustments to reserves to make capital available for such purposes, on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis voting with the Proxy Advisory Firm's recommendations to oppose such proposals for cases in which:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The dividend payout ratio has been consistently below 30 percent without adequate explanation; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• The payout is excessive given the issuer's financial position.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such issuer management proposals *<u>in other markets</u>*.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals in which issuers seek to establish or maintain disparate dividend distributions between stockholders of the same share class (*e.g.,* long-term stockholders receiving a higher dividend ratio ("Loyalty Dividends")).

*<u>In any market</u>*, in the event multiple proposals regarding dividends are on the same agenda the Funds shall vote **FOR** the management proposal if the proposal meets the support conditions described above and shall vote **AGAINST** the shareholder proposal; otherwise, the Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Stock (Scrip) Dividend Alternatives**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** most stock (scrip) dividend proposals but vote **AGAINST** proposals that do not allow for a cash option unless management demonstrates that the cash option is harmful to shareholder value.

**Tracking Stock**

The Funds shall consider the creation of tracking stock on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis giving primary consideration to the input from relevant Investment Professional(s).

**Capitalization of Reserves**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals to capitalize the issuer's reserves for bonus issues of shares or to increase the par value of shares unless the Proxy Advisory Firm raises concerns not otherwise supported under these Guidelines.

**Debt Instruments and Issuance Requests (*<u>International</u>*)**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals authorizing excessive board discretion to issue or set terms for debt instruments (e.g., commercial paper).

The Funds shall vote **FOR** debt issuances for issuers when the gearing level (current debt-to-equity ratio) does not exceed the Proxy Advisory Firm's defined thresholds.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals in which the debt issuance will result in an excessive gearing level as set forth in the Proxy Advisory Firm's defined thresholds, or for which inadequate disclosure precludes calculation of the gearing level, unless the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such requests results in support of the proposal.

**Acceptance of Deposits (*<u>India</u>*)**

Fund voting decisions are based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's approach to evaluating such proposals.

**Debt Restructurings**

The Funds shall consider proposals to increase common and/or preferred shares and to issue shares as part of a debt restructuring plan on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Financing Plans**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** the adoption of financing plans if they are in shareholders' best economic interests.

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**Investment of Company Reserves (*International*)**

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**<u>Restructuring</u>**

**Mergers and Acquisitions, Special Purpose Acquisition Corporations (SPACs) and Corporate Restructurings**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** a proposal not typically supported under these Guidelines if a key proposal such as a merger transaction is contingent upon its support and a vote **FOR** is recommended by the Proxy Advisory Firm or relevant Investment Professional(s).

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis based on the Proxy Advisory Firm's evaluation approach if the relevant Investment Professional(s) do not provide input with regard thereto.

**Waiver on Tender-Bid Requirement**

The Funds shall consider proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if seeking a waiver for a major shareholder or concert party from the requirement to make a buyout offer to minority shareholders, voting **FOR** when little concern of a creeping takeover exists, and the issuer has provided a reasonable rationale for the request.

**Related Party Transactions**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** approval of such transactions, unless the agreement requests a strategic move outside the issuer's charter, contains unfavorable or high-risk terms (e.g., deposits without security interest or guaranty), or is deemed likely to have a negative impact on director or related party independence.

**6- <u>Environmental and Social Issues</u>**

**Environmental and Social Proposals**

Institutional shareholders now routinely scrutinize shareholder proposals regarding environmental and social matters. Accordingly, in addition to governance risks and opportunities, issuers should also assess their environmental and social risks and opportunities as they pertain to stakeholders including their employees, shareholders, communities, suppliers, and customers.

Issuers should adequately disclose how they evaluate and mitigate such material risks in order to allow shareholders to assess how well the issuers mitigate and leverage their social and environmental risks and opportunities. Issuers should adopt disclosure methodologies considering recommendations from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), or Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) to foster uniform disclosure and to allow shareholders to assess risks across issuers.

Accordingly, the Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals related to environmental, sustainability and corporate social responsibility if the issuer's disclosure and/or its management of the issue(s) appears inadequate relative to its peers and if the proposal:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• applies to the issuer's business,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• enhances long-term shareholder value,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• requests more transparency and commitment to improve the issuer's environmental and/or social risks,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• aims to benefit the issuer's stakeholders,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• is reasonable and not unduly onerous or costly, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• is not requesting data that is primarily duplicative to data the issuer already publicly provides.

**Environmental**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals relating to environmental impact that reasonably:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• aim to reduce negative environmental impact, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other contributing factors to global climate change; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• request disclosure relating to how the issuer addresses its climate impact.

**Social**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals relating to corporate social responsibility that request disclosure of how the issuer manages its:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• employee and board diversity; and/or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• human capital management, human rights, and supply chain risks.

**Approval of Donations**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** proposals if they are for single- or multi-year authorities and prior disclosure of amounts is provided. The Funds shall otherwise vote **AGAINST** such proposals.

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**7- <u>Routine/Miscellaneous</u>**

**Routine Management Proposals**

The Funds shall consider proposals for which the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends voting **AGAINST** on a

**CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Authority to Call Shareholder Meetings on Less than 21 Days' Notice**

For issuers in the *<u>United Kingdom</u>*, the Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis assessing whether the issuer has provided clear disclosure of its compliance with any hurdle conditions for authority imposed by applicable law and has historically limited its use of such authority to time-sensitive matters.

**Approval of Financial Statements and Director and Auditor Reports**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if concerns exist regarding inadequate disclosure, remuneration arrangements (including severance/termination payments exceeding local standards for multiples of annual compensation), or consulting agreements with non-executive directors.

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if other concerns exist regarding severance/termination payments.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** such proposals if concerns exist regarding the issuer's financial accounts and reporting, including related party transactions.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** board-issued reports receiving a negative recommendation from the Proxy Advisory Firm resulting from concerns regarding board independence or inclusion of non-independent directors on the audit committee.

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals if the only reason for a negative Proxy Advisory Firm recommendation is to express disapproval of broader issuer or board practices.

**Other Business**

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** proposals for Other Business.

**Adjournment**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** when presented with a primary proposal such as a merger or corporate restructuring that is also supported.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** when not presented with a primary proposal, such as a merger, and a proposal on the ballot is opposed.

The Funds shall consider other circumstances on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

**Changing Corporate Name**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** management proposals requesting a corporate name change. Multiple Proposals

The Funds may vote **FOR** multiple proposals of a similar nature presented as options to the issuer management's favored course of action, provided that:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Support for a single proposal is not operationally required;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• No single proposal is deemed superior in the interest of the Fund(s); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;• Each proposal would otherwise be supported under these Guidelines.

The Funds shall vote **AGAINST** any proposals that would otherwise be opposed under these Guidelines.

**Bundled Proposals**

The Funds shall vote **FOR** such proposals if all of the bundled items are supported under these Guidelines.

The Funds shall consider such proposals on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis if one or more items are not supported under these Guidelines and/or the Proxy Advisory Firm deems the negative impact, on balance, to outweigh any positive impact.

**Moot Proposals**

This instruction pertains to items for which support has become moot (e.g., a director for whom support has become moot since the time the individual was nominated (e.g., due to death, disqualification, or determination not to accept appointment)); the Funds shall **WITHHOLD** support if the Proxy Advisory Firm recommends that course of action.

**8- <u>Investment Companies Registered Under the Investment Company Act of 1940</u>**

Investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment Companies) generally have different matters requiring shareholder approval and are subject to different regulatory requirements than operating issuers. Accordingly, the Funds shall consider matters related to Investment Companies on a **CASE-BY-CASE** basis.

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**PART C.**

**OTHER INFORMATION**

**Item 28. Exhibits** 

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual Funds dated June 3, 2004 – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa1.txt)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 102 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 8, 2004</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa1.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa1.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 1 dated September 2, 2004 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class I shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa2.txt)<br> [<u>ING Global Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 102 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa2.txt)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 8, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wa2.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 2 dated January 31, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa3.txt)<br> [<u>Value Choice Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 106 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa3.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on January 25, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa3.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 3 dated February 1, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa4.txt)<br> [<u>ING Global Value Choice Fund, formerly ING Worldwide Growth Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa4.txt)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 106 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on January 25, 2005 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa4.txt)<br> [<u>herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wa4.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(5) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 4 dated March 1, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change – ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa5.txt)<br> [<u>International SmallCap Fund, formerly ING International SmallCap Growth Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa5.txt)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2005</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa5.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa5.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(6) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 5 dated April 29, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class I shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa6.txt)<br> [<u>ING Global Value Choice Fund and ING International Value Choice Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa6.txt)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 110 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement September 30, 2005 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa6.txt)<br> [<u>herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa6.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(7) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 6 dated September 1, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Emerging</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa7.txt)<br> [<u>Markets Debt Fund and ING Greater China Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa7.txt)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa7.txt).<br>|
| 28 (a)(8) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 7 dated September 30, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class O shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa8.txt)<br> [<u>for ING Global Equity Dividend Fund and ING Global Real Estate Fund) - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa8.txt)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 110 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2005 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa8.txt)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wa8.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(9) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 8 dated November 1, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Diversified</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxayx9y.txt)<br> [<u>International Fund, ING Index Plus International Equity Fund, and ING International Capital Appreciation Fund)</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxayx9y.txt)<br> [<u>– Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxayx9y.txt)<br> [<u>on December 6, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxayx9y.txt).<br>|
| 28 (a)(10) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 9 dated November 10, 2005 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1063946/000095015304002121/p69309b1exv99wax10y.txt)<br> [<u>International Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1063946/000095015304002121/p69309b1exv99wax10y.txt)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 6, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1063946/000095015304002121/p69309b1exv99wax10y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(11) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 10 dated March 16, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Global Bond</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa11.txt)<br> [<u>Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa11.txt)<br> [<u>Statement on June 19, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa11.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(12) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 11 dated May 25, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust – Filed as an Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa12.txt)<br> [<u>to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on June 19, 2006</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa12.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wa12.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(13) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 12 dated July 13, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class R shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxayx13y.txt)<br> [<u>ING Diversified International Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxayx13y.txt)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on August 14, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxayx13y.txt)<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(14) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 13 dated October 9, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change -</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx14y.txt)<br> [<u>ING Global Natural Resources Fund, formerly ING Precious Metals Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx14y.txt)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 119 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 7, 2006 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx14y.txt)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx14y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(15) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 14 dated November 9, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx15y.txt)<br> [<u>International Value Opportunities Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 119 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx15y.txt)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 7, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002943/p73225aexv99wxayx15y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(16) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 15 dated November 9, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (authority to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx16y.txt)<br> [<u>reclassify, reorganize, recapitalize, or convert issued or unissued interests of any class into interests of one or</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx16y.txt)<br> [<u>more other classes) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx16y.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 23, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx16y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(17) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 16 dated November 9, 2006 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (abolishing</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx17y.txt)<br> [<u>Class M shares for ING Emerging Countries Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx17y.txt)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx17y.txt).<br>|
| 28 (a)(18) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 17 dated February 28, 2007 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change -</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx18y.txt)<br> [<u>ING International Growth Opportunities Fund, formerly ING International Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx18y.txt)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2007</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx18y.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxayx18y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (a)(19) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 18 dated March 2, 2007 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx19y.htm)<br> [<u>Equity Dividend Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx19y.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on July 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx19y.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(20) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 19 dated July 12, 2007 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Asia-Pacific</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx20y.htm)<br> [<u>Real Estate Fund, ING European Real Estate Fund, and Class I shares for ING Global Equity Dividend Fund; and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx20y.htm)<br> [<u>ING Global Natural Resources Fund; and Class O shares for ING Index Plus International Equity Fund) – Filed</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx20y.htm)<br> [<u>as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx20y.htm)<br> [<u>July 27, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxayx20y.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(21) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 20 dated September 12, 2007 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class W shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Diversified International Fund, ING Emerging Countries Fund, ING Foreign Fund, ING Global Equity</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm)<br> [<u>Dividend Fund, ING Global Natural Resources Fund, ING Global Real Estate Fund, ING International Equity</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm)<br> [<u>Dividend Fund, ING International Real Estate Fund, and ING International SmallCap Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm)<br> [<u>to Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on November 9,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm)<br> [<u>2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99a21.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(22) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 21 dated December 17, 2007 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508040250/dex99a22.txt)<br> [<u>ING International SmallCap Multi-Manager Fund, formerly ING International SmallCap Fund) – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508040250/dex99a22.txt)<br> [<u>exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 131 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508040250/dex99a22.txt)<br> [<u>February 27, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508040250/dex99a22.txt).<br>|
| 28 (a)(23) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 22 dated May 30, 2008 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class O shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99a23.txt)<br> [<u>ING Diversified International Fund, ING Global Bond Fund, ING Greater China Fund, and ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99a23.txt)<br> [<u>SmallCap Multi-Manager Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 132 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99a23.txt)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on June 4, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99a23.txt).<br>|
| 28 (a)(24) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING International Value Opportunities Fund</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a24.htm)<br> [<u>effective August 1, 2008 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a24.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a24.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(25) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 23 effective September 27, 2008 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509039277/dex99a24.htm)<br> [<u>of ING International Value Opportunities Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509039277/dex99a24.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509039277/dex99a24.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(26) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 24 dated March 27, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class Q shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba25.htm)<br> [<u>ING International Capital Appreciation Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 135 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba25.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on May 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba25.htm).<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(27) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 25 dated May 14, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class W shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba26.htm)<br> [<u>ING Global Bond Fund, ING Global Value Choice Fund, and ING International Value Choice Fund) – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba26.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 135 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on May 29,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba26.htm)<br> [<u>2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dba26.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(28) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING Disciplined International SmallCap Fund</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a28.htm)<br> [<u>effective July 13, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a28.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a28.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(29) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING Emerging Markets Fixed Income Fund effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a29.htm)<br> [<u>July 13, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a29.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a29.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(30) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 26 effective August 10, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a27.htm)<br> [<u>ING International Growth Opportunities Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a27.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a27.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(31) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 27 effective August 21, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a28.htm)<br> [<u>ING Disciplined International SmallCap Fund and ING Emerging Markets Fixed Income Fund) – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a28.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a28.htm)<br> [<u>September 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a28.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(32) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 28 dated September 10, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class I shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a29.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Russia Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a29.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99a29.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(33) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING International Equity Dividend Fund effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a33.htm)<br> [<u>September 14, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a33.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a33.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(34) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 29 effective October 13, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class W</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a30.htm)<br> [<u>shares for ING International Capital Appreciation Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a30.htm)<br> [<u>139 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2010 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a30.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a30.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(35) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 30 dated November 20, 2009 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (converting</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a31.htm)<br> [<u>Class Q shares into Class W shares and abolishing Class Q shares for ING Foreign Fund, ING Global Natural</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a31.htm)<br> [<u>Resources Fund, ING Global Value Choice Fund, ING International SmallCap Multi-Manager Fund, and ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a31.htm)<br> [<u>Russia Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 139 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a31.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 25, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99a31.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(36) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 31, effective March 5, 2010, to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (converting</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a32.htm)<br> [<u>Class Q shares into Class W shares and abolishing Class Q shares for ING Emerging Countries Fund and ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a32.htm)<br> [<u>International Capital Appreciation Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 140 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a32.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a32.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(37) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 32 dated June 30, 2010 to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change – ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a33.htm)<br> [<u>Global Opportunities Fund, formerly ING Foreign Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a33.htm)<br> [<u>140 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2010 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a33.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510220619/dex99a33.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(38) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 33 dated September 30, 2010 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class I shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99a34.htm)<br> [<u>for ING International Growth Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99a34.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 6, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99a34.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(39) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING Asia-Pacific Real Estate Fund effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a39.htm)<br> [<u>November 26, 2010 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a39.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a39.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(40) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING European Real Estate Fund effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a40.htm)<br> [<u>November 26, 2010 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a40.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 30, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-a40.htm).<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(41) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 34 dated November 18, 2010 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class I shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99a35.htm)<br> [<u>for ING International Core Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99a35.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on January 24, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99a35.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(42) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 35 dated May 19, 2011 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class R shares and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba36.htm)<br> [<u>Class W shares for certain ING Funds) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba36.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 28, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba36.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(43) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 36 dated July 15, 2011 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Emerging</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba37.htm)<br> [<u>Markets Equity Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba37.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement filed on July 28, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dba37.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(44) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 37 dated January 12, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class B shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba44.htm)<br> [<u>ING Emerging Markets Equity Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba44.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2012 and incorporated herein by referenc</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba44.htm)e.<br>|
| 28 (a)(45) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 38 dated February 29, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba45.htm)<br> [<u>ING International Small Cap Fund, formerly ING International SmallCap Multi-Manager Fund) – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba45.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba45.htm)<br> [<u>February 27, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba45.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(46) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING International Capital Appreciation Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba46.htm)<br> [<u>effective January 17, 2012 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba46.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dba46.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(47) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 39 dated July 12, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Diversified</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba47.htm)<br> [<u>Emerging Markets Debt Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba47.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba47.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(48) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 40 effective July 23, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolving ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba48.htm)<br> [<u>Emerging Countries Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba48.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dba48.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(49) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 41 dated August 1, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class W shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dba47.htm)<br> [<u>ING International Core Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dba47.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on August 7, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dba47.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(50) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 42 dated September 6, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class R6 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a50.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Bond Fund and ING Global Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a50.htm)<br> [<u>No. 170 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 21, 2012 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a50.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a50.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(51) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 43 dated November 14, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a51.htm)<br> [<u>ING International Value Equity Fund, formerly ING Global Value Choice Fund) –Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a51.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 170 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 21, 2012</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a51.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a51.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(52) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 44 dated November 15, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a52.htm)<br> [<u>ING Emerging Markets Equity Dividend Fund, formerly ING Greater China Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a52.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 170 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 21, 2012</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a52.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312512513371/d455242dex99a52.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(53) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 45 dated November 29, 2012 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class P shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-a52.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Bond Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-a52.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on November 30, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-a52.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(54) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 46 dated January 10, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (ING Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba54.htm)<br> [<u>Perspectives Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 174 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba54.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 27, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba54.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(55) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to ING Index Plus International Equity Fund, effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba55.htm)<br> [<u>December 7, 2012 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 174 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba55.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 27, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913015169/a13-5982_1ex99dba55.htm).<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(56) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 47 dated July 1, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change – ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a56.htm)<br> [<u>Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, formerly ING International Growth Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a56.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 16, 2013</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a56.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a56.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(57) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 48 effective July 15, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a57.htm)<br> [<u>International Value Choice Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 183 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a57.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 16, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312513474691/d633332dex9928a57.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(58) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 49 dated November 21, 2013 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class A,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99a58.htm)<br> [<u>Class B, Class C, Class O, Class R, and Class W shares for ING Multi-Manager International Equity Fund) –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99a58.htm)<br> [<u>Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 184 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99a58.htm)<br> [<u>on February 26, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99a58.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(59) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 50 dated May 1, 2014 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change of each</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba59.htm)<br> [<u>existing series of the Trust) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba59.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba59.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(60) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 51 dated May 22, 2014 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class R6 shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba60.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Global Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba60.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dba60.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(61) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 52 effective October 1, 2014 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (abolition of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba61.htm)<br> [<u>Class B, Class C, and Class R shares of Voya Global Natural Resources Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba61.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 22, 2014</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba61.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba61.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(62) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 53 effective November 24, 2014 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm)<br> [<u>of Voya Global Opportunities Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 22, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(63) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 54 dated December 1, 2014 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Global Value Advantage Fund, formerly Voya International Value Equity Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 22, 2014</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dba62.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(64) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 55 effective May 26, 2015 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dba64.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Global Natural Resources Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 192 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dba64.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dba64.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(65) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya Emerging Markets Equity Dividend Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a65.htm)<br> [<u>effective January 15, 2016 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a65.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on December 2, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a65.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(66) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 56 dated May 1, 2016 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change – Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a66.htm)<br> [<u>Global Equity Fund, formerly Voya Global Value Advantage Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a66.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 2, 2016 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a66.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a66.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(67) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 57 dated September 15, 2016 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Voya Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a67.htm)<br> [<u>Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund and Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a67.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 2, 2016</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a67.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a67.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(68) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 58 dated November 17, 2016 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Voya CBRE</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a68.htm)<br> [<u>Global Infrastructure Fund and Voya CBRE Long/Short Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a68.htm)<br> [<u>No. 195 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 2, 2016 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a68.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99a68.htm).<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(69) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 59 dated January 12, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Class T shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm)<br> [<u>Voya CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund, Voya CBRE Long/Short Fund, Voya Diversified Emerging Markets Debt</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm)<br> [<u>Fund, Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund, Voya Global Equity Fund, Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm)<br> [<u>Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, Voya Global Perspectives® Fund, Voya Global Real Estate Fund, and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm)<br> [<u>Voya International Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 199 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2017 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba69.htm). <br>|
| 28 (a)(70) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 60 dated January 20, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (name change –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba70.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Funds, formerly International Core Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba70.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 199 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2017</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba70.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917011592/a17-3150_1ex99dba70.htm). <br>|
| 28 (a)(71) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 61 effective May 2, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (abolishment of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>Class B shares for Voya Diversified International Fund, Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global Equity Dividend</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>Fund, Voya Global Equity Fund, Voya Global Real Estate Fund, Voya International Real Estate Fund, Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund, and Voya Russia Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 206 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2017 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dba71.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(72) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 62 effective January 11, 2018 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (establishment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dba72.htm)<br> [<u>of Class P3 shares for Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global Real Estate Fund, Voya Multi-Manager Emerging</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dba72.htm)<br> [<u>Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund and Voya Multi-Manager International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dba72.htm)<br> [<u>Factors Fund) - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 209 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dba72.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 23, 2018 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dba72.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(73) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 63 effective May 1, 2018 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (change of name for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba73.htm)<br> [<u>Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, formerly, Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba73.htm)<br> [<u>Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba73.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba73.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(74) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 64. effective May 18, 2017 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba74.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Diversified International Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba74.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba74.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(75) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 65 effective September 14, 2018 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba75.htm)<br> [<u>(establishment of Class P3 shares for Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Fund and Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba75.htm)<br> [<u>Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba75.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba75.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(76) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 66 effective November 16, 2018 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba76.htm)<br> [<u>(establishment of Class C shares for Voya CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba76.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba76.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba76.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(77) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 67 effective January 25, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (establishment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba77.htm)<br> [<u>of Class W shares for Voya CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund and Class P shares for Voya Multi-Manager</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba77.htm)<br> [<u>Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba77.htm)<br> [<u>International Factors Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba77.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dba77.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(78) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya CBRE Long/Short Fund effective, March 19,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba78.htm)<br> [<u>2019 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba78.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba78.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(79) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 68 effective May 23, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Voya Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba79.htm)<br> [<u>Diversified Payment Fund II) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba79.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba79.htm).<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(80) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 69 effective September 12, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (establish of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba80.htm)<br> [<u>Class R6 shares for Voya Global Equity Dividend Fund and Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba80.htm)<br> [<u>Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba80.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dba80.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(81) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya International Real Estate Fund, effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba81.htm)<br> [<u>October 4, 2019 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba81.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 25, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba81.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(82) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 71 effective November 8, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Voya Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba82.htm)<br> [<u>Diversified Payment Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba82.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba82.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(83) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 72 effective May 23, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Abolishment of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba83.htm)<br> [<u>Class O shares) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba83.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 25, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dba83.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(84) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 70 effective September 12, 2019 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (amending</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a84.htm)<br> [<u>Declaration of Trust language) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a84.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a84.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(85) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 73 effective February 28, 2929 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Name change</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a85.htm)<br> [<u>from Voya Global Equity Fund to Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a85.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a85.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a85.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(86) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya Global Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a86.htm)<br> [<u>effective January 29, 2020 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a86.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a86.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(87) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 74 effective March 20, 2020 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a87.htm)<br> [<u>Voya CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund and Voya Global Real Estate Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a87.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a87.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a87.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(88) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 75 effective June 8, 2020 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a88.htm)<br> [<u>Voya CBRE Long/Short Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a88.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a88.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(89) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 76 effective September 21, 2020 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Dissolution</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a89.htm)<br> [<u>of Voya Global Equity Dividend Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 220 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a89.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99a89.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(90) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya Diversified Emerging Markets Debt Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d2.htm)<br> [<u>effective November 19, 2020 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 221 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d2.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d2.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(91) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 77 effective July 28, 2021 to the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (Dissolution of</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321007376/f10483d2.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Global Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321007376/f10483d2.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 20, 2021 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321007376/f10483d2.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(92) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust of Voya Mutual Funds, dated July 23, 2021 (Change the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d2.htm)<br> [<u>registered office and the registered agent of the Registrant) – Filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d2.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on November 18, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d2.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(93) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution of Series with respect to Voya Russia Fund, effective May 4, 2022 – Filed as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d3.htm)<br> [<u>an exhibit to Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on November 18, 2022</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d3.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d3.htm).<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (a)(94) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 78, dated September 30, 2022, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d4.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (abolition of Class P shares for Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund and Voya Multi-Manager</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d4.htm)<br> [<u>International Factors Fund and abolition of Class P3 shares for Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d4.htm)<br> [<u>Fund and Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d4.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on November 18, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d4.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(95) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 79, dated November 17, 2022, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d5.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (Voya VACS Series EME Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d5.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on November 18, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007203/f23542d5.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(96) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 80, dated November 17, 2022, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d4.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund – Class R6 shares) – Filed as an exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d4.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d4.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d4.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(97) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 81, dated January 11, 2023, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d3.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (Abolish Class T shares - Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund, Voya Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d3.htm)<br> [<u>High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, Voya Global Perspectives Fund, and Voya International High Dividend Low</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d3.htm)<br> [<u>Volatility Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d3.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d3.htm).<br>|
| 28 (a)(98) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 82, dated September 29, 2022, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (Abolition of Class P Shares – Voya Global Bond Fund and Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br> [<u>Fund and abolition of P3 Shares – Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Fund) –Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br> [<u>exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 226 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br> [<u>December 21, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323008499/f37021d2.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(99) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 83, effective December 31, 2023, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d2.htm)<br> [<u>Fund (Dissolution of Voya Russia Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d2.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d2.htm)<br>|
| 28 (a)(100) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment No. 84, effective October 25, 2024, to Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of Voya Mutual</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d3.htm)<br> [<u>Funds (Dissolution of Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund and Voya Global Perspectives® Fund) – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d3.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d3.htm)<br> [<u>February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d3.htm)<br>|
| 28 (b)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended and Restated By-laws of Registrant dated March 18, 2018 - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbb1.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbb1.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbb1.htm).<br>|
| 28 (c)(1) | Not applicable. |
| 28 (d)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended and Restated Investment Management Agreement between Voya Mutual Funds and Voya Investments,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dbd1.htm)<br> [<u>LLC dated November 18, 2014, as amended and restated on May 1, 2015 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dbd1.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 192 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2016 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dbd1.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465916099999/a16-3908_1ex99dbd1.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, dated November 14, 2024, to the Amended and Restated Investment Management</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d5.htm)<br> [<u>Agreement between Voya Mutual Funds and Voya Investments, LLC effective November 18, 2014, as amended</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d5.htm)<br> [<u>and restated on May 1, 2015 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d5.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d5.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(1)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule B and Amended Schedule C, effective November 19, 2020, to the Amended and Restated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d7.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Management Agreement between Voya Mutual Funds and Voya Investments, LLC effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d7.htm)<br> [<u>November 18, 2014, as amended and restated on May 1, 2015 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d7.htm)<br> [<u>No. 221 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2021 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d7.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386321001018/f8134d7.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Investment Management Co. LLC dated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915013838/a15-2496_1ex99dbd2.htm)<br> [<u>November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 189 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915013838/a15-2496_1ex99dbd2.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 25, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915013838/a15-2496_1ex99dbd2.htm)<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (d)(2)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>First Amendment effective May 22, 2015 to Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investments, LLC and Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd2i.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Management Co. LLC dated November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd2i.htm)<br> [<u>No. 191 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 23, 2015 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd2i.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd2i.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(2)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Second Amendment, dated May 1, 2018 to Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investment, LLC and Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbd2iii.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Management Co. LLC dated November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbd2iii.htm)<br> [<u>No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbd2iii.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbd2iii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(2)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A (with redaction), dated November 14, 2024, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d6.htm)<br> [<u>Investments, LLC and Voya Investment Management Co. LLC dated November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d6.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d6.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d6.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investment Co. LLC and Voya Investment Management (UK)</u>](f44226d3.htm)<br> [<u>Limited, effective May 13, 2024 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d3.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement (with redaction) between Voya Investments, LLC and Acadian Asset Management LLC</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd7.htm)<br> [<u>effective November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 191 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd7.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 23, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd7.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(4)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A (with redaction), dated January 14, 2025, to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d7.htm)<br> [<u>Investments, LLC and Acadian Asset Management LLC effective November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d7.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d7.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d7.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(5) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement (with redaction) between Voya Investments, LLC and Wellington Management</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd12.htm)<br> [<u>Company LLP effective November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 191 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd12.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 23, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd12.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(5)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A (with redaction) effective May 1, 2023 with respect to the Sub-Advisory Agreement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d9.htm)<br> [<u>between Voya Investments, LLC and Wellington Management Company LLP effective November 18, 2014 –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d9.htm)<br> [<u>Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d9.htm)<br> [<u>on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d9.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(6) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investments, LLC and Nomura Investments Fund Advisers effective</u>](f44226d4.htm)<br> [<u>December 1, 2025 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d4.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(7) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement (with redaction) between Voya Investments, LLC and Victory Capital Management Inc.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd17.htm)<br> [<u>dated March 2, 2015 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 191 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd17.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on December 23, 2015 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465915086602/a15-25371_1ex99dbd17.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(8) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement (with redaction) between Voya Investments, LLC and Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323004954/f25598d3.htm)<br> [<u>dated June 7, 2023 – Filed as an exhibit to Amendment No. 230 (811-07428) to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323004954/f25598d3.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on June 7. 2023.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323004954/f25598d3.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(9) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Sub-Advisory Agreement between Voya Investments LLC and Lazard Asset Management LLC dated May 6, 2024</u>](f44226d5.htm)<br> [<u>– Filed herein.</u>](f44226d5.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(10) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Expense Limitation Agreement between Voya Investments, LLC and Voya Mutual Funds effective January 1, 2016</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99d18.htm)<br> [<u>– Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99d18.htm)<br> [<u>on December 2, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99d18.htm).<br>|
| 28 (d)(10)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, dated October 1, 2025, to the Expense Limitation Agreement between Voya Investments,</u>](f44226d6.htm)<br> [<u>LLC and Voya Mutual Funds effective January 1, 2016 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d6.htm)<br>|
| 28 (d)(11) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement between Voya Investments, LLC, Voya Investment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbd19.htm)<br> [<u>Distributor, LLC and Voya Mutual Funds, effective January 1, 2016, as amended as restated May 31, 2017 (Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbd19.htm)<br> [<u>Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, formerly Voya Global Equity Fund) – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbd19.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 209 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2018</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbd19.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbd19.htm).<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (d)(11)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, effective January 12, 2023 to the Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d19.htm)<br> [<u>between Voya Investments, LLC, Voya Investment Distributor, LLC and Voya Mutual Funds, effective January 1,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d19.htm)<br> [<u>2016, as amended as restated May 31, 2017 (Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, formerly, Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d19.htm)<br> [<u>Global Equity Fund) – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d19.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d19.htm)<br>|
| 28 (e)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Underwriting Agreement between Voya Mutual Funds and Voya Investments Distributor, LLC dated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dbe1.htm)<br> [<u>November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dbe1.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on December 22, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914088182/a14-26317_1ex99dbe1.htm).<br>|
| 28 (e)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, effective March 1, 2025, to the Underwriting Agreement between Voya Mutual Funds and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d14.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Investments Distributor, LLC dated November 18, 2014 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d14.htm)<br> [<u>No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d14.htm)<br> [<u>reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d14.htm)<br>|
| 28 (f)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Directors as Amended and Restated dated January 23, 2026 – Filed</u>](f44226d7.htm)<br> [<u>herein.</u>](f44226d7.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 - Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg1.txt)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 13, 2004</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg1.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg1.txt).<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Exhibit A, dated December 12, 2025, to the Custody Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon</u>](f44226d8.htm)<br> [<u>dated January 6, 2003 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d8.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated January 1, 2019 to the Custody Agreement, dated January 6, 2003, between the Registrant and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg1ii.htm)<br> [<u>The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg1ii.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg1ii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective November 21, 2022, to the Custody Agreement, dated January 6, 2003, between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d23.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d23.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d23.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated October 16, 2019, to the Multi-Broker Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d24.htm)<br> [<u>China Connect Service dated January 31, 2017 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d24.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d24.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Supplement to the Custody Agreement –Hong Kong – China Connect Service dated April 1, 2019, between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg1iii.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg1iii.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg1iii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Annex A, effective July 1, 2019, to the Supplement to the Custody Agreement –Hong Kong – China</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d25.htm)<br> [<u>Connect Service dated April 1, 2019, between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d25.htm)<br> [<u>exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d25.htm)<br> [<u>February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d25.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(vii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong – China Connect Service dated November 19, 2018,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d26.htm)<br> [<u>between the Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d26.htm)<br> [<u>No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d26.htm)<br> [<u>reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d26.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(viii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Annex A, effective December 21, 2020, to the Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d27.htm)<br> [<u>China Connect Service dated November 19, 2018 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d27.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d27.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(ix) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong – China Connect Service dated June 2, 2016, between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d28.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d28.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d28.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(x) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong – China Connect Service dated April 29, 2016, between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d29.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d29.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d29.htm)<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (g)(1)(xi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Annex A, effective July 29, 2019, to the Supplement to the Custody Agreement – Hong Kong- China</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d30.htm)<br> [<u>Connect Service dated April 29, 2016 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d30.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d30.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(xii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated February 1, 2023, to the Multi-Broker Supplement to the Custody Agreement Hong Kong-</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d7.htm)<br> [<u>China connect Service – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d7.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d7.htm).<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(xiii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Annex A, effective November 30, 2023, to the Supplemented to the Custody Agreement Hong Kong –</u>](f44226d9.htm)<br> [<u>China – Stock Connect Service dated November 19, 2018 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d9.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(1)(xiv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Annex A, effective April 1, 2024, to the Supplemented to the Custody Agreement Hong Kong – China</u>](f44226d10.htm)<br> [<u>– Stock Connect Service dated November 19, 2018 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d10.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wgw13.txt)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on August 29,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wgw13.txt)<br> [<u>2003 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wgw13.txt).<br>|
| 28 (g)(2)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated September 6, 2012, to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d10.htm)<br> [<u>Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 223 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d10.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d10.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(2)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Exhibit A, dated December 12, 2025, to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of</u>](f44226d11.htm)<br> [<u>New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d11.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(2)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule 2 dated July 21, 2021 to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d11.htm)<br> [<u>York Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 223 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d11.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d11.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(2)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment dated July 13, 2021, to the Foreign Custody Manager Agreement with The Bank of New York</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d12.htm)<br> [<u>Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 223 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d12.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322001011/f11138d12.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty with The Bank of New York Mellon dated August 7, 2003 – Filed as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg3.txt)<br> [<u>an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg3.txt)<br> [<u>February 13, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wg3.txt).<br>|
| 28 (g)(3)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective October 1, 2011 to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty dated August 7, 2003,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>between Voya Mutual Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(3)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective March 26, 2019 to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty dated August 7, 2003,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>between Voya Mutual Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg3ii.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbg3ii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (g)(3)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment to Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty to Article IV, effective March 21, 2019 between the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99g3iv.htm)<br> [<u>Bank of New York Mellon and the Registrant dated August 7, 2003 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99g3iv.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99g3iv.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99g3iv.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(3)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective March 30, 2023 to the Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty dated August 7, 2003,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d8.htm)<br> [<u>between The Bank of New York Mellon and Voya Mutual Fund – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d8.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 227 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2024 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d8.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d8.htm)<br>|
| 28 (g)(3)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment to Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty effective May 1, 2025 between The Bank of New</u>](f44226d12.htm)<br> [<u>York Mellon and the Registrant dated August 7, 2023 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d12.htm)<br>|

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|:---|:---|
| 28 (h)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (formerly, PNC</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbh3.htm)<br> [<u>Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc.) and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbh3.htm)<br> [<u>to Post-Effective Amendment No. 135 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on May 29, 2009</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbh3.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbh3.htm).<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective February 8, 2011, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbh3ii.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 - Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbh3ii.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 149 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 28, 2011 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbh3ii.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbh3ii.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective January 1, 2019, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh1ii.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh1ii.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh1ii.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh1ii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective May 1, 2019, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon Investment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1iii.htm)<br> [<u>Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1iii.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1iii.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1iii.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective November 5, 2019, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbh1i.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbh1i.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2019</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbh1i.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbh1i.htm).<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(v) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective May 1, 2020, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon Investment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1v.htm)<br> [<u>Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1v.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 220 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 18, 2020 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1v.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312520321397/d45546dex99h1v.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(vi) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective April 4, 2022, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d33.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009 – Filed as an exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d33.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d33.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d33.htm)<br>|
| 28(h)(1)(vii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective October 21, 2022 to the Transfer Services Agreement between BNY Mellon Investment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007773/f23706d3.htm)<br> [<u>Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009, as amended – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007773/f23706d3.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 224 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 20,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007773/f23706d3.htm)<br> [<u>2022 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386322007773/f23706d3.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(1)(viii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective November 18, 2022, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d34.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009, as amended – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d34.htm)<br> [<u>exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d34.htm)<br> [<u>February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d34.htm)<br>|
| 28(h)(1)(ix) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated as of February 9, 2023, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d35.htm)<br> [<u>Investment Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009, as amended – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d35.htm)<br> [<u>exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d35.htm)<br> [<u>February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d35.htm)<br>|
| 28(h)(1)(x) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective May 1, 2024, to the Transfer Agency Services Agreement between BNY Mellon Investment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d18.htm)<br> [<u>Servicing (US) Inc. and Voya Mutual Funds dated February 25, 2009, as amended – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d18.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d18.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d18.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Melon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wh4.txt)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 13, 2004</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wh4.txt)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015304000358/p68314x1exv99wh4.txt).<br>|
| 28 (h)(2)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, effective February 9, 2023 to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Melon</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d36.htm)<br> [<u>dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d36.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d36.htm)<br>|

---

------

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (h)(2)(ii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Exhibit A, dated December 12, 2025, to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York</u>](f44226d13.htm)<br> [<u>Mellon dated January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's</u>](f44226d13.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](f44226d13.htm)<br>|
| 28 (h)(2)(iii) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Investment Company Reporting Modernization Services Amendment to Fund Accounting Agreement dated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbh2ii.htm)<br> [<u>February 1, 2018 to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated January 6, 2003</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbh2ii.htm)<br> [<u>– Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 209 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbh2ii.htm)<br> [<u>on February 23, 2018 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbh2ii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (h)(2)(iv) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amendment, dated January 1, 2019 to the Fund Accounting Agreement with The Bank of New York Mellon dated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh2iii.htm)<br> [<u>January 6, 2003 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh2iii.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbh2iii.htm).<br>|
| 28 (h)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fund Administration Support Services Agreement (with redaction), effective July 29, 2022, between Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d13.htm)<br> [<u>Investments, LLC and The Bank of New York Mellon – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d13.htm)<br> [<u>to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d13.htm)<br>|
| 28 (i)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective No. 84 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095014701501840/ex99i2.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement filed in November 9, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095014701501840/ex99i2.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Foreign</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001224/p67518bexv99wi2.txt)<br> [<u>Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 98 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001224/p67518bexv99wi2.txt)<br> [<u>Statement on June 27, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001224/p67518bexv99wi2.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wiw3.txt)<br> [<u>Equity Dividend Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wiw3.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on August 29, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015303001743/p67867b1exv99wiw3.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of securities being registered with respect to Class I shares for</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wi4.txt)<br> [<u>ING Global Real Estate – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 102 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wi4.txt)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on September 8, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012404004216/p69481bexv99wi4.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(5) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wi5.txt)<br> [<u>Value Choice Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 106 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wi5.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on January 25, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095012405000367/p69735bxexv99wi5.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(6) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to Class O shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wi6.txt)<br> [<u>for ING Global Equity Dividend Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wi6.txt)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305002491/p70805b1exv99wi6.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(7) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Emerging</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxiyx7y.txt)<br> [<u>Markets Fixed Income Fund, ING Capital Appreciation Fund, ING Greater China Fund, ING Index Plus</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxiyx7y.txt)<br> [<u>International Equity Fund, and ING Diversified International Fund - Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxiyx7y.txt)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 7, 2005 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxiyx7y.txt)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015305003081/p71557exv99wxiyx7y.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(8) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306000509/p71602bexv99wi8.txt)<br> [<u>Real Estate Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306000509/p71602bexv99wi8.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on February 27, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306000509/p71602bexv99wi8.txt)<br>|
| 28 (i)(9) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wi9.txt)<br> [<u>Bond Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wi9.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on June 19, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306001654/p72107bexv99wi9.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(10) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to Class R shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxiyx10y.txt)<br> [<u>for ING Diversified International Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 117 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxiyx10y.txt)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on August 14, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306002160/p72620bexv99wxiyx10y.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(11) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Disciplined</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306003033/p73274b1exv99wxiyx11y.txt)<br> [<u>International SmallCap Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 118 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306003033/p73274b1exv99wxiyx11y.txt)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on December 19, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015306003033/p73274b1exv99wxiyx11y.txt).<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (i)(12) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxiyx12y.txt)<br> [<u>Value Opportunities Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 121 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxiyx12y.txt)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on February 23, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307000392/p73225bexv99wxiyx12y.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(13) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001122/p73535bexv99wxiyx13y.txt)<br> [<u>Equity Dividend Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 123 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001122/p73535bexv99wxiyx13y.txt)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on May 14, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001122/p73535bexv99wxiyx13y.txt)<br>|
| 28 (i)(14) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxiyx13y.htm)<br> [<u>Equity Dividend Fund and ING Global Natural Resources Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxiyx13y.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 124 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 27, 2007 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxiyx13y.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307001587/p74123bexv99wxiyx13y.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(15) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel to the legality of the securities being registered with respect to ING Asia-Pacific</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002143/p74132bexv99wxiyx15y.htm)<br> [<u>Real Estate Fund and ING European Real Estate Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002143/p74132bexv99wxiyx15y.htm)<br> [<u>126 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 12, 2007 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002143/p74132bexv99wxiyx15y.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002143/p74132bexv99wxiyx15y.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(16) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class W shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Diversified International Fund, ING Emerging Countries Fund, ING Foreign Fund, ING Global Equity</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm)<br> [<u>Dividend Fund, ING Global Real Estate Fund, ING Global Natural Resources Fund, ING International Equity</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm)<br> [<u>Dividend Fund, ING International Real Estate Fund, and ING International Small Cap Fund – Filed as an Exhibit</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm)<br> [<u>to Post-Effective Amendment No. 129 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on December 14,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm)<br> [<u>2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000095015307002633/p74477a2exv99wxiyx16y.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(17) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class O shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99i17.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Index Plus International Equity Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 128 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99i17.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on November 9, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312507242515/dex99i17.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(18) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class O shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99i18.txt)<br> [<u>for ING Diversified International Fund, ING Greater China Fund, ING International SmallCap Multi-Manager</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99i18.txt)<br> [<u>Fund, and ING Global Bond Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 132 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99i18.txt)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on June 4, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312508127986/dex99i18.txt).<br>|
| 28 (i)(19) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class W shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbi19.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Value Choice Fund, ING International Value Choice Fund, and ING Global Bond Fund – Filed as</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbi19.htm)<br> [<u>an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 135 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbi19.htm)<br> [<u>May 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909035871/a09-14527_1ex99dbi19.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(20) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class Q shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909043120/a09-17514_1ex99dbi20.htm)<br> [<u>for ING International Capital Appreciation Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 136 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909043120/a09-17514_1ex99dbi20.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465909043120/a09-17514_1ex99dbi20.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(21) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class I shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99i21.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Russia Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 137 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99i21.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on September 29, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312509199705/dex99i21.htm)<br>|
| 28 (i)(22) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class W shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99i22.htm)<br> [<u>for ING International Capital Appreciation Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 139 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99i22.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510040538/dex99i22.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(23) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99i23.htm)<br> [<u>International Growth Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99i23.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on December 6, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312510274644/dex99i23.htm). <br>|
| 28 (i)(24) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to ING</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99i24.htm)<br> [<u>International Core Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99i24.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on January 24, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312511012882/dex99i24.htm)<br>|

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (i)(25) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class R shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbi25.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Real Estate Fund and ING Global Bond Fund; and Class W shares for ING Greater China Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbi25.htm)<br> [<u>ING Index Plus International Equity Fund, and ING Russia Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbi25.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 149 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 28, 2011 and incorporated</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbi25.htm)<br> [<u>herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465911041410/a11-21951_1ex99dbi25.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(26) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class I shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311000957/d28689_ex-i26.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Emerging Markets Equity Fund – Filed has an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 151 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311000957/d28689_ex-i26.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 28, 2011 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311000957/d28689_ex-i26.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(27) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class A,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-i27.htm)<br> [<u>Class C, Class R, and Class W shares, for ING Emerging Markets Equity Fund – Filed as an exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-i27.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 152 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on September 30, 2011</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-i27.htm)<br> [<u>and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544311001001/d28690_ex-i27.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(28) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class B shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dbi28.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Emerging Markets Equity Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 157 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dbi28.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 27, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912013316/a12-3899_1ex99dbi28.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(29) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class W shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dbi29.htm)<br> [<u>for ING International Core Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dbi29.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on August 7, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912055285/a12-17808_1ex99dbi29.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(30) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to ING Diversified</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dbi30.htm)<br> [<u>Emerging Markets Debt Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 165 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dbi30.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465912072760/a12-22818_1ex99dbi30.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(31) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class R6 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913046174/a13-14046_1ex99dbi31.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Bond Fund– Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 181 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913046174/a13-14046_1ex99dbi31.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on May 31, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465913046174/a13-14046_1ex99dbi31.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(32) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class P shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-i32.htm)<br> [<u>for ING Global Bond Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-i32.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on November 30, 2012 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544312001371/d29996_ex-i32.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(33) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to ING Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544313000848/e52770ex-i33.htm)<br> [<u>Perspectives® Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 177 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544313000848/e52770ex-i33.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on March 27, 2013 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000114544313000848/e52770ex-i33.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(34) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class A,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99i34.htm)<br> [<u>Class B, Class C, Class O, Class R, and Class W shares for ING Multi-Manager International Equity Fund –</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99i34.htm)<br> [<u>Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 184 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99i34.htm)<br> [<u>on February 26, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312514069423/d633332dex99i34.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(35) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class R6 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dbi35.htm)<br> [<u>for Voya Global Real Estate Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to the Registrant's</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dbi35.htm)<br> [<u>Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2014 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465914051371/a14-17093_1ex99dbi35.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(36) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class A and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99i37.htm)<br> [<u>Class I shares for Voya Global Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund and Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99i37.htm)<br> [<u>Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 195 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99i37.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on December 2, 2016 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000119312516783443/d303260dex99i37.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(37) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class T shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>for Voya Global Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund, Voya Global Equity Fund, Voya Global High Dividend Low</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>Volatility Fund, Voya Global Real Estate Fund, Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya International Real Estate Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Global Perspectives® Fund and Voya Diversified Emerging Markets Debt Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>Post-Effective Amendment No. 203 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on May 26, 2017 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917035614/a17-13893_1ex99dbi38.htm). <br>|

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|:---|:---|
| 28 (i)(38) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Voya CBRE</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>Global Infrastructure Fund and Voya CBRE Long/Short Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>No. 206 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on July 14, 2017 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dbi38.htm)<br> [<u>reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465917044997/a17-14916_1ex99dbi38.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(39) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class P3 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbi39.htm)<br> [<u>for Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global Real Estate Fund, Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbi39.htm)<br> [<u>Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Fund – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbi39.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 209 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbi39.htm)<br> [<u>February 23, 2018 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465918011641/a18-5291_1ex99dbi39.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(40) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class C and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm)<br> [<u>Class W shares for Voya CBRE Global Infrastructure Fund; Class P shares for Voya Multi-Manager Emerging</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm)<br> [<u>Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund and Voya Multi-Manager International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm)<br> [<u>Factors Fund; and Class P3 shares for Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Fund and Voya</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm)<br> [<u>Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 212 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919010596/a19-1128_1ex99dbi40.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(41) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Voya Global</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbi41.htm)<br> [<u>Diversified Payment Fund II - Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 215 to the Registrant's Form</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbi41.htm)<br> [<u>N-1A Registration Statement on October 31, 2019 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465919058231/a19-19353_1ex99dbi41.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(42) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class R6 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dbi42.htm)<br> [<u>for Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund (formerly, Voya Global Equity Fund) and Voya International</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dbi42.htm)<br> [<u>High Dividend Low Volatility Fund – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 218 to the</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dbi42.htm)<br> [<u>Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 25, 2020 and incorporated herein by reference</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000110465920024699/a20-9592_1ex99dbi42.htm).<br>|
| 28 (i)(43) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Class R6 shares</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d42.htm)<br> [<u>for Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d42.htm)<br> [<u>225 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 24, 2023 and incorporated herein by</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d42.htm)<br> [<u>reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386323001375/f24379d42.htm)<br>|
| 28 (i)(44) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Opinion and Consent of Counsel regarding the legality of shares being registered with respect to Voya VACS</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325006081/f42571d2.htm)<br> [<u>Series EME Fund – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 231 to the Registrant's Form N-1A</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325006081/f42571d2.htm)<br> [<u>Registration Statement on July 23, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325006081/f42571d2.htm)<br>|
| 28 (j)(1) | [<u>Consent of Ropes & Gray LLP – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d14.htm) |
| 28 (j)(2) | [<u>Consent of Ernst & Young LLP – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d15.htm) |
| 28 (k) | Not applicable.  |
| 28 (l) | Not applicable.  |
| 28 (m)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fifth Amended and Restated Service and Distribution Plan (Class A shares) effective November 16, 2023 – Filed</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d16.htm)<br> [<u>as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d16.htm)<br> [<u>February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d16.htm)<br>|
| 28 (m)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, dated November 14, 2024 to the Fifth Amended and Restated Service and Distribution</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d23.htm)<br> [<u>Plan (Class A shares) effective November 16, 2023 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d23.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d23.htm)<br>|
| 28 (m)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fifth Amended and Restated Service and Distribution Plan (Class C shares) effective November 16, 2023 – Filed</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d17.htm)<br> [<u>as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d17.htm)<br> [<u>February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d17.htm)<br>|
| 28 (m)(2)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, dated November 14, 2024 to the Fifth Amended and Restated Service and Distribution</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d24.htm)<br> [<u>Plan (Class C shares) effective November 16, 2023 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d24.htm)<br> [<u>the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d24.htm)<br>|
| 28 (m)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Fourth Amended and Restated Shareholder Service and Distribution Plan (Class R shares) effective November 16,</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d19.htm)<br> [<u>2023 – Filed as an exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 227 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d19.htm)<br> [<u>Statement on February 27, 2024 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386324000972/f37619d19.htm)<br>|

---

------

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| 28 (m)(3)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A, dated November 14, 2024 to the Fourth Amended and Restated Shareholder Service and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d25.htm)<br> [<u>Distribution Plan (Class R shares) effective November 16, 2023 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d25.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d25.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d25.htm)<br>|
| 28 (n)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Twenty-First Amended and Restated Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3, dated May 1, 2023 – Filed as an</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d26.htm)<br> [<u>Exhibit to Post-Effective Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d26.htm)<br> [<u>February 26, 2025 and incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d26.htm)<br>|
| 28 (n)(1)(i) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Amended Schedule A and Schedule B, dated October 25, 2024 to the Twenty-First Amended and Restated</u>](f44226d16.htm)<br> [<u>Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3, dated May 1, 2023 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d16.htm)<br>|
| 28 (o) | Not applicable.  |
| 28 (p)(1) | [<u>Voya Funds and Advisers Code of Ethics, amended January 5, 2026 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d17.htm) |
| 28 (p)(2) | [<u>Acadian Asset Management, LLC Code of Ethics, updated as of January 2026 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d18.htm) |
| 28 (p)(3) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Lazard Asset Management LLC Code of Ethics dated June 2024 – Filed as an Exhibit to Post-Effective</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d30.htm)<br> [<u>Amendment No. 229 to the Registrant's Form N-1A Registration Statement on February 26, 2025 and</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d30.htm)<br> [<u>incorporated herein by reference.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/895430/000168386325001344/f40602d30.htm)<br>|
| 28 (p)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; [<u>Nomura Asset Management International Policy and Procedures Code of Ethics, dated December 1, 2025 – Filed</u>](f44226d19.htm)<br> [<u>herein.</u>](f44226d19.htm)<br>|
| 28 (p)(5) | [<u>Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP Code of Ethics effective February 1, 2026 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d20.htm) |
| 28 (p)(6) | [<u>Victory Capital Management Inc. Code of Ethics effective April 1, 2025 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d21.htm) |
| 28 (p)(7) | [<u>Wellington Management Company LLP Code of Ethics, dated February 2, 2026 – Filed herein.</u>](f44226d22.htm) |

---

**Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant**

None.

**Item 30. Indemnification**

Article 5, Section 5.02 of the Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust provides for the indemnification of Registrant's Trustees, officers, employees, and agents against liabilities incurred by them in connection with the defense or disposition of any action or proceeding in which they may be involved or with which they may be threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having been in such office, except with respect to matters as to which it has been determined that they acted with willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of their office ("disabling conduct").

Section 9 of Registrant's Amended and Restate Investment Management Agreement provides for the indemnification of Registrant's Investment Manager and any Sub-Adviser against all liabilities incurred by it in performing its obligations under the agreement, except with respect to matters involving its disabling conduct.

Section 9 of Registrant's Distribution Agreement provides for the indemnification of Registrant's Distributor against all liabilities incurred by it in performing its obligations under the Agreement, except with respect to matters involving its disabling conduct.

Section 4 of the Shareholder Service Agreement provides for the indemnification of Registrant's Distributor against all liabilities incurred by it in performing its obligations under the Agreement, except with respect to matters involving its disabling conduct.

Registrant has obtained from a major insurance carrier a trustees' and officers' liability policy covering certain types of errors and omissions.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("1933 Act") may be permitted to trustees, officers, and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer, or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer, or controlling person in connection

------

with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it, is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

**Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Advisers**

Any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which the investment adviser and each sub-adviser of Voya Mutual Funds and each director, officer or partner of any such investment adviser, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner or trustee is described in each investment adviser's Form ADV as currently on file with the SEC, the text of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| INVESTMENT ADVISER | FILE NO. |
| Voya Investments, LLC  | 801-48282 |
| Acadian Asset Management LLC | 801-28078 |
| Lazard Asset Management LLC | 801-61701 |
| Nomura Investments Fund Advisers | 801-32108 |
| Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP | 801-62151 |
| Victory Capital Management Inc. | 801-46878 |
| Voya Investment Management Co. LLC | 801-9046 |
| Wellington Management Company LLP | 801-15908 |

---

**Item 32. Principal Underwriter**

(a) Voya Investments Distributor, LLC is the placement agent or principal underwriter, as applicable, for Voya Credit Income Fund; Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund; Voya Equity Trust; Voya Funds Trust; Voya Government Money Market Portfolio; Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio; Voya Investors Trust; Voya Mutual Funds; Voya Partners, Inc.; Voya Separate Portfolios Trust; Voya Variable Funds; Voya Variable Insurance Trust; Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.; and Voya Variable Products Trust.

(b) Information as to the directors and officers of the placement agent or principal underwriter, as applicable, together with the information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by the directors and officers of the placement agent or principal underwriter, as applicable, in the last two years, is included in the table below:

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

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Name and Principal Business Address | Positions and Offices with Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| Positions and Offices with the Registrant |
| Stephen Easton<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut 06095<br>| Chief Compliance Officer |  |
| Huey P. Falgout, Jr. <br> 7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona 85258<br>| Secretary |  |
| Bill Golden<br> 230 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York 10166<br>| Director and Managing Director |  |
| Michelle P. Luk<br> 230 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York 10166<br>| Senior Vice President and Treasurer |  |
| Marino Monti, Jr.<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut 06095<br>| Chief Information Security Officer |  |
| Francis G. O'Neill<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut 06095<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President and Chief Risk <br> Officer<br>|  |

---

------

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Name and Principal Business Address | Positions and Offices with Voya Investments <br> Distributor, LLC<br>| Positions and Offices with the Registrant |
| Monia Piacenti<br> One Orange Way<br> Windsor, Connecticut 06095<br>| Anti-Money Laundering Officer | Anti-Money Laundering Officer |
| Tiffani Potesta<br> 230 Park Avenue<br> New York, New York 10166<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Director, President and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>|  |
| Andrew K. Schlueter<br> 7337 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona 85258<br>| Senior Vice President | Senior Vice President |
| Robert P. Terris<br> 5780 Powers Ferry Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia 30327<br>| Senior Vice President | Senior Vice President |
| Catrina Willingham<br> 5780 Powers Ferry Road NW<br> Atlanta, Georgia 30327<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, <br> Controller, and Financial and Operations <br> Principal<br>|  |

---

(c) Not applicable.

**Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records**

All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the offices of: (a) the Registrant, (b) the Investment Adviser, (c) the Distributor, (d) the Custodians, (e) the Transfer Agent, and (f) the Sub-Advisers. The address of each is as follows:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| (a) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Mutual Funds<br> 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona 85258<br>|
| (b) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Investments, LLC<br> 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona 85258<br>|
| (c) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Investments Distributor, LLC<br> 7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100<br> Scottsdale, Arizona 85258<br>|
| (d) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Bank of New York Mellon<br> 240 Greenwich Street <br> New York, New York 10286<br>|
| (e) | &nbsp;&nbsp; BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc. <br> 301 Bellevue Parkway<br> Wilmington, Delaware 19809<br>|
| (f)(1) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Acadian Asset Management, LLC<br> One Post Office Square, 20th Floor<br> Boston, Massachusetts 02109<br>|
| (f)(2) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza<br> New York, New York 10112<br>|
| (f)(3) | Nomura Investments Fund Advisers610 Merket PlacePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 |
| (f)(4) | &nbsp;&nbsp; Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP<br> 301 Tresser Boulevard<br> Stamford, Connecticut 06901<br>|

---

------

(f)(5) Victory Capital Management Inc. 15935 La Cantera Pkwy San Antonio, Texas 78256 <br> (f)(6) Voya Investment Management Co. LLC 230 Park Avenue New York, New York 10166 <br> (f)(7) Wellington Management Company LLP 280 Congress Street Boston, Massachusetts 02210

**Item 34. Management Services**

Not applicable.

**Item 35. Undertakings** 

Registrant hereby undertakes that if it is requested by the holders of at least 10% of its outstanding shares to call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of voting upon the question of removal of a trustee, it will do so and will assist in communications with other shareholders as required by Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act.

------

**SIGNATURES**

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all the requirements for effectiveness of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to its Registration Statement on Form N-1A pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the 1933 Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Scottsdale and the State of Arizona on the 25<sup>th</sup> day of February, 2026.

VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS

By: /s/ Joanne F. Osberg

------

Joanne F. Osberg

Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| SIGNATURE  | TITLE | DATE |
| _______________________________<br> Christian G. Wilson\*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interested TrusteePresident and Chief Executive <br> Officer<br>| February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Todd Modic\*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Senior Vice President, Chief/Principal Financial <br> Officer and Assistant Secretary<br>| February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Fred Bedoya\*<br>| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Accounting <br> Officer<br>| February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Colleen D. Baldwin\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> John V. Boyer\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Jody T. Foster\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Dennis A. Johnson\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Joseph E. Obermeyer\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Christopher P. Sullivan\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |
| _______________________________<br> Mark R. Wetzel\*<br>| Trustee | February 25, 2026 |

---

\*By: /s/ Joanne F. Osberg

------

Joanne F. Osberg

Attorney-in-Fact\*\*

\*\*

[<u>Powers of attorney for Todd Modic, Fred Bedoya, and each Trustee are attached hereto.</u>](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2663/000168386323003709/f25025d2.htm)

------

## Ex-99

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Colleen D. Baldwin, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| <br> /s/ Colleen D. Baldwin  |
| <br> Colleen D. Baldwin  |
| Chairperson, Director, and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Fred Bedoya, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as officer of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Fred Bedoya  |
| Fred Bedoya <br>|
| Vice President, Treasurer and Principal Accounting Officer  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, John V. Boyer, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as officer of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ John V. Boyer  |
| <br> John V. Boyer  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Todd Modic, hereby constitutes and appoints Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as officer of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Todd Modic  |
| <br> Todd Modic  |
| Senior Vice President, Chief/Principal Financial Officer, and Assistant Secretary  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Joseph E. Obermeyer, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| <br> /s/ Joseph E. Obermeyer  |
| <br> Joseph E. Obermeyer  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Christian G. Wilson, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as officer of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Christian G. Wilson  |
| <br> Christian G. Wilson  |
| President and Chief/Principal Executive Officer  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Christopher P. Sullivan, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 18, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| <br> /s/ Christopher P. Sullivan  |
| <br> Christopher P. Sullivan  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Jody T. Foster, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in her name, place, and stead, in her capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in her name and on her behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as she might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 13, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Jody T. Foster  |
| <br> Jody T. Foster  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Dennis A. Johnson, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 13, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| <br> /s/ Dennis A. Johnson  |
| <br> Dennis A. Johnson  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Mark R. Wetzel, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director/Trustee of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 13, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| <br> /s/ Mark R. Wetzel  |
| <br> Mark R. Wetzel  |
| Director and Trustee  |

---

#### Voya Equity Trust

#### Voya Funds Trust

#### Voya Government Money Market Portfolio

#### Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio

#### Voya Investors Trust

#### Voya Mutual Funds

#### Voya Partners, Inc.

#### Voya Separate Portfolios Trust

#### Voya Variable Funds

#### Voya Variable Insurance Trust

#### Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.

#### Voya Variable Products Trust

#### (the "Registrants")
<u>POWER OF ATTORNEY</u> 

Know All Persons by These Presents, that the undersigned, Christian G. Wilson, hereby constitutes and appoints Todd Modic, Joanne F. Osberg, Caitlin Robinson, and Gizachew Wubishet, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as officer of the above referenced Registrants, the Registration Statements of such entities on Form N-1A and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; and any of said attorneys shall have full power and authority to do and perform in his name and on his behalf, in any and all capacities, every act whatsoever requisite or necessary to be done in the premises, as fully and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, said acts of any of said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 13, 2025

---

| |
|:---|
| /s/ Christian G. Wilson  |
| <br> Christian G. Wilson  |
| Interested Director and Trustee  |

---

## Ex-99

Exhibit (d)(3)

**SUB-SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**VOYA MULTI-MANAGER INTERNATIONAL EQUITY FUND**

**AGREEMENT,** effective as of May 13, 2024, between Voya Investment Management Co. LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Sub-Adviser"), and Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited, a company incorporated in England (the "Sub-Sub-Adviser") (the "Agreement").

**WHEREAS,** Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund (the "Fund") is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and

**WHEREAS,** pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement, (the "Sub-Advisory Agreement"), a copy of which has been provided to the Sub-Sub-Adviser, Voya Investments, LLC, the Fund's adviser (the "Adviser"), has retained the Sub-Adviser to render advisory and management services with respect to the Fund; and

**WHEREAS,** pursuant to authority granted to the Sub-Adviser in the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser wishes to retain the Sub-Sub-Adviser to furnish investment advisory services to the Fund, and the Sub-Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Fund.

**NOW, THEREFORE,** in consideration of the premises and the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Sub-Adviser and the Sub-Sub-Adviser as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.<u>Appointment.</u>** The Sub-Adviser hereby appoints the Sub-Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser and manager to the Fund for the periods and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. To the extent that the Sub-Sub-Adviser is not the only person providing investment advisory services to a Series, the term "Series" shall be interpreted for purposes of this Agreement to only include those assets of the Series over which the Sub-Sub-Adviser is directed by the Sub-Adviser to provide investment advisory services. The Sub-Adviser will be treated as a Professional Client for the discretionary investment management services with respect to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser confirms that this classification is appropriate. It is the responsibility of the Sub-Adviser to inform Sub- Sub-Adviser immediately about any change that might affect the appropriate categorization of the Sub- Adviser. The Sub-Adviser has the right to request Sub-Sub-Adviser to categorize it as a retail client either generally or in specific circumstances. However, it is Sub-Sub-Adviser's policy not to agree to such a request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.<u>Sub-Sub-Adviser</u> <u>Duties.</u>** Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees; the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for the assets of the Fund's portfolio apportioned to the Sub-Sub-Adviser and determine in its discretion the composition of the assets of the Fund's portfolio, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Sub-Adviser will provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation, investment, sales, and reinvestment of the Fund's assets by determining the securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold, closed, or exchanged for the Fund, when these transactions should be executed, and what portion of the assets of the Fund should be held in the various securities and other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted by the investment policies of the Fund, the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall make decisions for the Fund as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and execute and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Fund. The Sub-Sub-Adviser will provide the

services under this Agreement in accordance with the Fund's investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Fund's Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to the Sub-Sub-Adviser by the Sub- Adviser prior to the commencement of this Agreement and promptly following any such amendment. The Sub-Sub-Adviser further agrees as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)The Sub-Sub-Adviser will conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees of which the Sub- Sub-Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of the Registration Statement of the Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of which the Sub-Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Sub-Adviser's portfolio manager operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as such policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Sub- Adviser and agreed to by the Sub-Sub-Adviser. In carrying out its duties under the Sub- Sub-Adviser Agreement, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and procedures:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Sub-Sub-Adviser will manage the Fund so that it meets the income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)The Sub-Sub-Adviser will have no duty to vote any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Fund are invested in connection with annual and special meetings of equity stockholders, provided however, that the Sub-Sub-Adviser retains responsibility to vote or abstain from voting all solicitations with respect to non-equity portfolio securities and all portfolio securities for matters with regard to bankruptcy or related plans of reorganization, unless the Sub- Adviser gives the Sub-Sub-Adviser written instructions to the contrary. The Sub-Sub- Adviser will immediately forward any proxy it receives on behalf of the Fund solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Fund are invested to the Sub-Adviser or to any agent of the Sub-Adviser designated by the Sub-Adviser in writing.

The Sub-Sub-Adviser will make appropriate personnel reasonably available for consultation for the purpose. of reviewing with representatives of the Sub-Adviser and/or the Board any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Fund are invested. Upon request, the Sub-Sub- Adviser will submit a voting recommendation to the Sub-Adviser for such proxies. In making such recommendations, the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall use its good faith judgment to act in the best interest of the Fund. The Sub-Sub-Adviser shall disclose to the best of its knowledge any conflict of interest with the issuers of securities that are the subject of such recommendation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund on a daily basis, such confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Fund, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its administrative and record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Fund. With respect to portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust Company, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Fund's custodian and portfolio accounting agent.

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

&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 Sub-Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or adopted by the Board of Trustees, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Fund for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Sub-Adviser. The parties acknowledge that the Sub- Sub-Adviser is not a custodian of the Fund's assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets.

&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)The Sub-Sub-Adviser will provide the Sub-Adviser, no later than the 10th business day following the end of the Fund's semi-annual period and fiscal year, a letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by the Sub- Adviser) containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 27(b)(7) of 1940 Act Form N-IA in respect of both the prior quarter and the fiscal year to date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi)A complete written compliance checklist, in a form provided by the Sub-Adviser, will be delivered to the Sub-Adviser for each month by the 10th business day of the following month.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Sub-Sub-Adviser will use reasonable efforts to make available to the Fund and the Sub-Adviser, promptly upon request, any of the Fund's investment records and ledgers maintained by the Sub-Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are necessary to assist the Fund and the Sub-Adviser to comply with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Advisers Act"), as well as other applicable laws. The Sub-Sub-Adviser will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with such services in respect to the Fund which may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The Sub-Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund's Board of Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board of Trustees on the investment program for the Fund and the portfolio as required by applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)With respect to any investments, including but not limited to repurchase and reverse repurchase agreements, derivatives contracts, futures contracts and options on futures contracts ("futures"), which are permitted to be made by the Sub-Sub-Adviser in accordance with this Agreement and the investment objectives of the Fund as outlined in the prospectus and/or the most recent annual and semi-annual report, the Sub-Adviser hereby authorizes and directs the Sub- Sub-Adviser to do and perform every act and thing whatsoever necessary or incidental in performing its duties and obligations under this Agreement including, but not limited to, executing as agent on behalf of the Fund or series of Funds, as the case may be, brokerage agreements and other documents to establish, operate and conduct all brokerage or other trading accounts, and executing as agent on behalf of the Fund or series of Funds, as the case may be, such agreements and other documentation as may be required for the purchase or sale, assignment, transfer and ownership of any permitted investment, including limited partnership agreements, repurchase agreements and derivative master agreements (including but not limited to the ISDA Master Agreements, Credit Support Annexes, Collateral Account Control Agreements, Master

Confirmation Agreements, Confirmations), including any schedules and annexes to such agreements, releases, consents, elections and confirmations. The Sub-Sub-Adviser acknowledges that it is obligated to negotiate terms and conditions that conform to the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder and are in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders with respect to such documents. The Sub- Adviser acknowledges and understands that it will be bound by any such trading accounts established, and agreements and other documentation executed, by the Sub-Sub- Adviser for such investment purposes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.<u>Disclosure about</u> <u>Sub-Sub-Adviser</u>.** The Sub-Sub-Adviser has reviewed the most recent Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement for the Fund filed with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Sub-Sub-Adviser, and represents and warrants that, with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Sub-Adviser or information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Sub-Sub-Adviser, such Registration Statement contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and does not omit any statement of a material fact which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Sub-Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is a duly registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will maintain such registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The Sub-

Sub- Adviser will provide the Sub-Adviser with a copy of the Sub-Sub-Adviser's Form ADV, Part 2 at the time the Form ADV is filed with the SEC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.<u>Expenses.</u>** During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in connection with its portfolio management duties under this Agreement. In addition, if the Fund is required, under applicable law, to supplement the Registration Statement because of a change requested by the Sub-Sub- Adviser, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will reimburse the Fund and/or the Sub-Adviser for the cost of preparing, printing and distributing such supplement, unless the Sub-Sub-Adviser is requesting the change in order to comply with an applicable law, rule or regulation. The Adviser or the Fund shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Fund's operations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**6.<u>Compensation.</u>** For the services provided to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser will pay the Sub- Sub-Adviser an annual fee equal to the amount specified for the Fund on **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto, payable monthly in arrears. The fee will be appropriately prorated to reflect any portion of a calendar month that this Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the provisions of the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser is solely responsible for the payment of fees to the Sub-Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Sub-Adviser agrees to seek payment of its fees solely from the Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that if the Fund fails to pay the Sub- Adviser all or a portion of the management fee under said Sub-Advisory Agreement when due, and the amount that was paid is insufficient to cover the Sub-Sub-Adviser's fee under this Agreement for the period in question, then the Sub-Sub-Adviser may enforce against the Fund any rights it may have as a third-party beneficiary under the Sub-Advisory Agreement and the Sub-Adviser will take all steps appropriate under the circumstances to collect the amount due from the Fund. **<u>Expense Sharing.</u>** The Sub-Sub-Adviser hereby agrees to reimburse the Sub-Adviser for the following costs incurred in connection with the Fund: all expenses or costs not ultimately borne by the Fund incurred in connection with creating and ongoing organization of the Fund and the Series to which the Sub-Adviser acts as investment adviser and manager; registering its shares for initial public offering; listing its shares on the New York Stock Exchange; preparing for and conducting the "road shows" to obtain indications of interest; producing, printing and delivering marketing materials and the "red herring" prospectus for the Fund; compensating registered representatives of Voya Investments Distributor, LLC (formerly, ING Funds Distributor, LLC) for sales of Fund shares; compensating the members of the underwriting syndicate for the Fund's closing; and the Fund's initial public offering, including the exercise of the underwriter's over- allotment option; transitioning of assets resulting from sub-sub-adviser changes, and conducting proxies (collectively, the "Covered Expenses"). The Sub-Sub-Adviser shall reimburse the Sub-Adviser for 57.0% of Covered Expenses. The Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Sub-Sub-Adviser reasonable proof of the amount incurred and that it is a Covered Expense and the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall provide reimbursement promptly after receipt of such proof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**7.<u>Marketing Materials.</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)During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Sub-Adviser agrees to furnish the Sub-Adviser at its principal office for prior review and approval by the Sub-Adviser all written and/or printed materials, including but not limited to, PowerPoint® or slide presentations, news releases, advertisements, brochures, fact sheets and other promotional, informational or marketing materials (the "Marketing Materials") for internal use or public dissemination, that are produced or are for use or reference by the Sub-Sub-Adviser, its affiliates or other designees, broker-dealers or the public in connection with the Fund, and Sub-Sub-Adviser shall not use any such materials if the Sub-Adviser reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Sub-

Adviser by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees to furnish the Sub- Sub-Adviser at its principal office all prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, or Marketing Materials prepared for distribution to shareholders of the Fund, or the public that refer to the Sub-Sub-Adviser in any way, prior to the use thereof, and the Sub-Adviser shall not use any such materials if the Sub-Sub-Adviser reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. The Sub-Sub-Adviser's right to object to such materials is limited to the portions of such materials that expressly relate to the Sub- Sub-Adviser, its services and its clients. The Sub-Adviser agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that materials prepared by its employees or agents or its affiliates that refer to the Sub- Sub-Adviser or its clients in any way are consistent with those materials previously approved by the Sub-Sub-Adviser as referenced in the first sentence of this paragraph. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Sub-Sub-Adviser by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.

**8.<u>Compliance</u>**<u>.</u>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)The Sub-Sub-Adviser is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is entered on the UK Financial Services Register under number 565503 and its VAT number is 308 0269 23.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Sub-Sub-Adviser agrees to use reasonable compliance techniques as the Sub-Adviser or the Board of Trustees may adopt, including any written or electronic compliance procedures that are reasonably designed to comply with applicable regulatory requirements.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The Sub-Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Adviser and the Fund (i) in the event that the SEC or any other regulatory authority having the requisite authority has censured the Sub-Sub-Adviser; placed limitations upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or revoked its registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Fund has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The Sub-Sub- Adviser further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser and the Fund promptly of any material fact known to the Sub-Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to the Sub-Sub-Adviser that is not contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund (which describes the Fund), or any amendment or supplement thereto, or if any statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)The Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Sub-Adviser (i) in the event that the SEC has censured the Sub-Adviser or the Fund; placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations; suspended or revoked the Sub- Adviser 's registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Fund has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.

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

![](gpz8oizdclduxe4azq1y9.jpg)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**9.<u>Books and Records.</u>** The Sub-Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund may be the property of the Fund and further agrees to promptly make available to the Fund any of such records upon the Fund's or the Sub-Adviser's request in compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act. The Sub-Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**10.<u>Cooperation; Confidentiality</u>.** Each party to this Agreement agrees to cooperate with the other party and with all appropriate governmental authorities having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the SEC) in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the Fund. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Fund and actions of the Fund, the Sub- Adviser and the Sub-Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser shall treat as confidential and use only in connection with the Fund all information furnished to the Fund or the Sub-Adviser by the Sub- Sub-Adviser, in connection with its duties under the Agreement except that the aforesaid information need not be treated as confidential if required to be disclosed under applicable law, if generally available to the public through means other than by disclosure by the Sub-Sub-Adviser or the Sub-Adviser, or if available from a source other than the Sub- Adviser, Sub-Sub-Adviser or the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**11.<u>Non-Exclusivity.</u>** The services of the Sub-Sub-Adviser to the Fund are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall be free to render investment advisory or other services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**12.<u>Representations Respecting</u> <u>Sub-Sub-Adviser</u>**. The Sub-Adviser agrees that neither the Sub-Adviser, nor affiliated persons of the Sub-Adviser, shall give any information or make any representations or statements in connection with the sale of shares of the Fund concerning the Sub- Sub-Adviser or the Fund other than the information or representations contained in the Registration Statement, prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Fund's shares, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in advance by the Sub- Sub-Adviser, except with the prior permission of the Sub-Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**13.<u>Control.</u>** Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, it is understood and agreed that the Fund shall at all times retain the ultimate responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant to this Agreement and has reserved the right to reasonably direct any action hereunder taken on its behalf by the Sub-Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**14.<u>Liability.</u>** The management services provided by the Sub-Sub-Adviser are wholly for the account and risk of the Fund. Other than in the cases where such damage arises out of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or negligence in the performance of duties on the part of the Sub-Sub- Adviser, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this agreement, the Sub-Sub- Adviser is not responsible for any damage that the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or any other party may suffer at any time, including damage resulting from reductions in value or losses and damage as a result of shortcomings of natural persons and legal entities that are not a party to this agreement, or other employees or agents of the Sub-Sub-Adviser.

No party shall be liable for any losses caused by force majeure, riot, war or natural events due to other occurrences for which the party cannot be held responsible (e.g. administrative act of domestic or foreign high authorities).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**15.<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)The Sub-Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Sub- Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling person") the Sub- Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the Sub-Adviser's responsibilities to the Fund which (1) may be based upon the Sub- Adviser's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Sub- Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Fund, or any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Sub-Adviser or the Fund or to any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser by a Sub-Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person; provided however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)Notwithstanding Section 15 of this Agreement, the Sub-Sub-Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub- Adviser, and any controlling person of the Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Adviser Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the Sub-Sub-Adviser's responsibilities as Sub-Sub-Adviser of the Fund which (1) may be based upon the Sub-Sub-Adviser's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Sub-Sub-Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering the shares of the Fund, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact known or which should have been known to the Sub-Sub-Adviser and was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Sub-Sub-Adviser, or any affiliated person of the Sub-Sub-Adviser by the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Persons; provided, however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The Sub-

Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Sub-Adviser of any material changes in the Registration Statement of the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person unless such Sub-Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the Sub-Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Sub- Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Sub-Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Sub- Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Sub-Adviser assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Sub-Adviser to represent the Sub-Adviser and the Sub-Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Sub-Adviser and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Sub- Adviser and to the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. The Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Sub-Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Sub- Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result, in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person. A Sub-Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub-Adviser unless the Sub-Adviser has failed to provide a defense in accordance with the provisions hereof.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)The Sub-Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person unless such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the Sub-Sub-Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Sub-Sub-Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Sub-Sub-Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Sub-Adviser is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Sub-Sub-Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Sub-Sub- Adviser assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Sub- Sub-Adviser to represent both the Sub- Sub-Adviser and the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Sub-Sub-Adviser

will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Sub-Sub-Adviser and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Sub-Sub-Adviser and to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. The Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Sub-Sub-Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. A Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub-Sub-Adviser unless the Sub-Sub- Adviser has failed to provide a defense in accordance with the provisions hereof.

**16.<u>Duration and Termination.</u>**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)This Agreement shall become effective on the date first indicated above, subject to the condition that the Fund's Board of Trustees, including a majority of those Trustees who are not interested persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Sub-Adviser or the Sub-Sub- Adviser, and the shareholders of the Fund, shall have approved this Agreement. Unless terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect until for two years from the effective date of this Agreement subject to termination pursuant to this Agreement or termination otherwise by law, and continue on an annual basis thereafter with respect to the Fund covered by this Agreement; provided that such annual continuance is specifically approved each year by (i) the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, and (ii) the vote of a majority of those Trustees who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party to this Agreement cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. However, any approval of this Agreement by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund shall be effective to continue this Agreement with respect to the Fund notwithstanding (i) that this Agreement has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of any other Fund or (ii) that this agreement has not been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, unless such approval shall be required by any other applicable law or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund covered by this Agreement: (i) by the Sub-Adviser at any time, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Sub-Sub-Adviser and the Fund, (ii) at any time without payment of any penalty by the Fund, by the Fund's Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, upon sixty

(60)days' written notice to the Sub- Adviser and the Sub-Sub-Adviser, or (iii) by the Sub-Sub- Adviser at any time without payment of penalty upon three (3) months' written notice unless the Fund or the Sub- Adviser requests additional time to find a replacement for the Sub-Sub-Adviser, in which case the Sub-Sub-Adviser shall allow the additional time requested by the Fund or Sub- Adviser not to exceed three (3) additional months beyond the initial three-month notice period; provided, however, that the Sub-Sub-Adviser may terminate this Agreement at any time without penalty, effective upon written notice to the Sub-Adviser and the Fund, in the event either the Sub- Sub-Adviser (acting in good faith) or the Sub-Adviser ceases to be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable of providing investment management services pursuant to its respective contract with the Fund, or in the event the Sub- Adviser becomes bankrupt or otherwise incapable of carrying out its obligations under this

Agreement, or in the event that the Sub-Sub-Adviser does not receive compensation for its services from the Sub-Adviser or the Fund as required by the terms of this Agreement.

In the event of termination for any reason, all records of the Fund for which the Agreement is terminated shall promptly be returned to the Sub-Adviser or the Fund, free from any claim or retention of rights in such record by the Sub-Sub-Adviser, although the Sub-Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the Sections or Paragraphs numbered 10, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this Section numbered 17 and, to the extent that only amounts are owed to the Sub-Sub- Adviser as compensation for services rendered while the agreement was in effect, Section 6.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)Notices. Any notice must be in writing and shall be sufficiently given (1) when delivered in person, (2) when dispatched by telegram or electronic facsimile transfer (confirmed in writing by postage prepaid first class air mail simultaneously dispatched), (3) when sent by internationally recognized overnight courier service (with receipt confirmed by such overnight courier service), or (4) when sent by registered or certified mail, to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.

If to the Fund:

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road, Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85258-2034

Attention: Chief Counsel

If to the Sub-Adviser:

Voya Investment Management Co. LLC

230 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10169

Attention: Voya IM Legal Department

If to the Sub-Sub-Adviser:

Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited

35 King Street

London, EC2V 8EH

Attention: Voya IM Legal Department

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**17.<u>Amendments.</u>** No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved as required by applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**18.<u>Miscellaneous.</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 Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders of the SEC thereunder, and without regard for the conflicts of laws principle thereof. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in this Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) 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)The Sub-Adviser and the Sub-Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Fund enjoys the rights of a third-party beneficiary under this Agreement, and the Sub-Adviser acknowledges that the Sub-Sub-Adviser enjoys the rights of a third party beneficiary under the Sub-Advisory Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)To the extent permitted under Section 17 of this Agreement, this Agreement may only be assigned by any party with the prior written consent of the other parties.

&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 any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.

&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)Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Sub-Sub-Adviser as an agent or co-partner of the Sub-Adviser, or constituting the Sub-Adviser as an agent or co- partner of the Sub-Sub-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;(g)This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.

(REMAINDER OF PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK)

**IN WITNESS WHEREOF,** the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

**VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO. LLC**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Vincent J. Costa |

---

Name: Vincent J. Costa

Title: SMD, CIO, Equities

**VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Kevin Andrew Simonoff |

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Name: Kevin Andrew Simonoff

Title: Director

**SCHEDULE A with respect to the**

**SUB-SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**between**

**VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT CO. LLC**

**and**

**VOYA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED**

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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;**<u>Fund</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Annual Sub-Sub-Adviser Fee** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | [REDACTED] |

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## Ex-99

Exhibit (d)(6)

**SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

**AGREEMENT**, effective as of December 1, 2025, between Voya Investments, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company (the "Manager"), and Nomura Investments Fund Advisers (the "Sub-Adviser"), a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nomura Holding America Inc..

**WHEREAS**, Voya Mutual Funds (the "Fund") is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end, management investment company; and

**WHEREAS**, the Fund is authorized to issue separate series, each series having its own investment objective or objectives, policies, and limitations; and

**WHEREAS**, the Fund may offer shares of additional series in the future; and

**WHEREAS**, pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement, dated November 18, 2014, as amended and restated on May 1, 2015 (the "Investment Management Agreement"), a copy of which has been provided to the Sub-Adviser, the Fund has retained the Manager to render advisory and management services with respect to certain of the Fund's series; and

**WHEREAS**, pursuant to authority granted to the Manager in the Investment Management Agreement, the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to furnish investment advisory services to one or more of the series of the Fund, and the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Fund and the Manager; and

**WHEREAS,** the Sub-Adviser wishes to retain certain of its affiliates, each of which is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), to assist it in furnishing advisory services to one or more series of the Fund.

**NOW, THEREFORE**, in consideration of the premises and the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Manager and the Sub-Adviser as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.<u>Appointment</u>. The Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to provide advisory services to the series of the Fund set forth on **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto (the "Series") for the periods and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. To the extent that the Sub-Adviser is not the only person providing investment advisory services to a Series, the term "Series" shall be interpreted for purposes of this Agreement to only include those assets of the Series over which the Sub-Adviser is directed by the Manager to provide investment advisory services.

In the event the Fund designates one or more series (other than the Series) with respect to which the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory services hereunder, it shall notify the Sub-Adviser in writing. If the Sub-Adviser is willing to render such

services, it shall notify the Manager in writing, whereupon such series shall become a Series hereunder, and be subject to this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.<u>Sub-Adviser</u> <u>Duties</u>. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of Trustees and the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for each Series' portfolio and determine in its discretion the composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation, investment, sales, and reinvestment of each Series' assets by determining the securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold, closed, or exchanged for the Series, when these transactions should be executed, and what portion of the assets of the Series should be held in the various securities and other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted by the investment policies of each Series, the Sub- Adviser shall make decisions for the Series as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and execute and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Series. The Sub-Adviser will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance with each Series' investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Fund's Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to the Sub-Adviser by the Manager prior to the commencement of this Agreement and promptly following any such amendment. The Sub-Adviser further agrees as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)The Sub-Adviser will conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of Trustees of which the Sub-Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of the Registration Statement of the Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of which the Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Manager's portfolio manager operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as such policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Manager and agreed to by the Sub- Adviser. In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and procedures:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Sub-Adviser will (1) manage each Series so that it meets the income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal

Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and (2) manage each Series so that, no action or omission on the part of the Sub-Adviser shall cause a Series to fail to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, and the regulations issued thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for elimination of doubt, the Adviser and the Fund hereby acknowledge that the Sub- Adviser shall not be responsible for actions or omissions on the part of the Adviser with respect to the management of the Series or the assets of a Series other than those specifically managed by the Sub-Adviser, if the management of such assets causes the Series to fail to comply with either (i) Section 851 of the Code, (ii) Section 817(h) of the Code, 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&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 Sub-Adviser will have no duty to vote any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested in connection with annual and special meetings of equity stockholders, provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser retains responsibility to take any investment-related actions regarding corporate actions (for example, participate in a tender offer, rights issue or buy back offer), unless the Manager gives the Sub-Adviser written instructions to the contrary. The Sub-Adviser will immediately forward any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested to the Manager or to any agent of the Manager designated by the Manager in writing.

&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)In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for each Series, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis, such confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its administrative and record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Series. With respect to portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust Company, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Fund's custodian and portfolio accounting agent.

&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 Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or adopted by the Board of Trustees, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Series for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. The parties acknowledge that the Sub- Adviser is not a custodian of the Series' assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets.

&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)The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager, no later than the 10<sup>th</sup> business day following the end of each Series' semi-annual period and fiscal year, a letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by the Manager) containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 27(b)(7) of 1940 Act Form N-1A in respect of both the prior quarter and the fiscal year to date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi)The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager a written compliance checklist in a form provided by the Manager for each month by the 10<sup>th</sup> business day of the following month.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager by the 10<sup>th</sup> business day of each month a written report on each Series of the Fund that contains the following information as of the immediately previous month's end.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)A performance comparison to the Series benchmark listed in the prospectus as well as a comparison to other mutual funds as listed in the rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., or similar independent services that monitor the performance of mutual funds or with other appropriate indexes of investment securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio and the impact of key portfolio holdings and sector concentrations on the Series; 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;(iii)Confirmation of each Series' current investment objective and Sub- Adviser's projected plan to realize the Series' investment objectives.

&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 Sub-Adviser will contact Morningstar to clarify any style box conflicts with each Series' style and the anticipated timeframe in which Morningstar will remedy such conflicts, if any.

&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 Sub-Adviser will make available to the Fund and the Manager, promptly upon request, any of the Series' investment records and ledgers maintained by the Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are necessary to assist the Fund and the Manager to comply with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act, as well as other applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with such services in respect to the Series which may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)The Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund's Board of Trustees for consideration at meetings of the Board of Trustees on the investment program for each Series and the issuers and securities represented in each Series' portfolio, and will furnish the Fund's Board of Trustees with respect to each Series such periodic and special reports as the Trustees and the Manager may reasonably 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;(f)The Sub-Adviser may from time to time, in its discretion, delegate certain of its responsibilities under this Agreement in respect of a Series to one or more qualified companies (each, a "sub-sub-adviser"), each of which is registered under the Advisers Act, provided that (i) to the extent required by applicable law, any agreement with such sub-sub-adviser is approved by a majority of the Fund's Board and a majority of the members of the Fund's Board who are not parties to such agreement and who are not "interested persons," as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, or such sub-sub-adviser, and is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable Series of the Fund and (ii) the separate costs of employing such sub-sub-advisers and of the sub-sub-advisers themselves are borne by the Sub-Adviser or the sub-sub-adviser and not by the Series in question. Notwithstanding any provision of any agreement between the Sub-Adviser and any sub-sub- adviser, for purposes of determining compliance by the Sub-Adviser with the requirements of this Agreement or of any applicable law governing the relationship between the Sub-Adviser and the

Fund or any liability of the Sub-Adviser to the Fund (whether under this Agreement or otherwise and including any obligation to indemnify the Fund), any and all acts and omissions of any sub- sub-adviser or any person acting for or on behalf of a sub-sub-adviser shall be considered the acts and omissions of the Sub-Adviser as if they had been performed by the Sub-Adviser itself, and no limit of liability in any agreement between the Sub-Adviser and any sub-sub-adviser shall limit any liability of the Sub-Adviser to the Fund for any acts or omissions of the sub-sub-adviser. Any representations or warranties by the Sub-Adviser in respect of itself shall be deemed to be true and accurate in respect of each sub-sub-adviser, mutatis mutandis.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.<u>Broker-Dealer</u> <u>Selection</u>. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to make decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for each Series' portfolio, broker-dealer selection, and negotiation of brokerage commission rates in effecting a security transaction. The Sub-Adviser's primary consideration in effecting a security transaction will be to obtain the best execution for the Series, taking into account the factors specified in the prospectus and/or statement of additional information for the Fund, and determined in consultation with the Manager, which include price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature of the market for the security, the timing of the transaction, the reputation, the experience and financial stability of the broker-dealer involved, the quality of the service, the difficulty of execution, and the execution capabilities and operational facilities of the firm involved, and the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price to a Series in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the judgment of the Sub-Adviser in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations to the Fund, by other aspects of the portfolio execution services offered. Subject to such policies as the Fund's

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.<u>Disclosure about</u> <u>Sub-Adviser</u>. The Sub-Adviser has reviewed the most recent Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement for the Fund filed with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, and represents and warrants that, with respect to the

disclosure about the Sub-Adviser or information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Sub-Adviser, such Registration Statement contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and does not omit any statement of a material fact which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is a duly registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will maintain such registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager with a copy of the Sub-Adviser's Form ADV, Part II at the time the Form ADV is filed with the SEC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.<u>Expenses</u>. During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in connection with its portfolio management duties under this Agreement. The Manager or the Fund shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Fund's operations. In addition, if the Fund is required, under applicable law, to supplement the Registration Statement because of a change requested by the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser will reimburse the Fund and/or the Manager for the cost of preparing, printing and distributing such supplement, unless the Sub-Adviser is requesting the change in order to comply with an applicable law, rule or regulation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.<u>Compensation</u>. For the services provided to each Series, the Manager will pay the Sub-Adviser an annual fee equal to the amount specified for such Series in **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto, payable monthly in arrears. The fee will be appropriately prorated to reflect any portion of a calendar month that this Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the provisions of the Investment Management Agreement, the Manager is solely responsible for the payment of fees to the Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to seek payment of its fees solely from the Manager; provided, however, that if the Fund fails to pay the Manager all or a portion of the Investment Management fee under said Investment Management Agreement when due, and the amount that was paid is insufficient to cover the Sub-Adviser's fee under this Agreement for the period in question, then the Sub-Adviser may enforce against the Fund any rights it may have as a third-party beneficiary under the Investment Management Agreement and the Manager will take all steps appropriate under the circumstances to collect the amount due from the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.<u>Marketing Materials</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees to furnish the Manager at its principal office for prior review and approval by the Manager all written and/or printed materials, including but not limited to, PowerPoint<sup>®</sup> or slide presentations, news releases, advertisements, brochures, fact sheets and other promotional, informational or marketing materials

(the "Marketing Materials") for internal use or public dissemination, that are produced or are for use or reference by the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates or other designees, broker-dealers or the public in connection with the Series, and Sub-Adviser shall not use any such materials if the Manager reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Manager by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser may include the Fund's performance in calculating its composites.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)During the term of this Agreement, the Manager agrees to furnish the Sub-Adviser at its principal office all prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, or Marketing Materials prepared for distribution to shareholders of each Series, or the public that refer to the Sub-Adviser in any way, prior to the use thereof, and the Manager shall not use any such materials if the Sub-Adviser reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. The Sub-Adviser's right to object to such materials is limited to the portions of such materials that expressly relate to the Sub-Adviser, its services and its clients. The Manager agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that materials prepared by its employees or agents or its affiliates that refer to the Sub-Adviser or its clients in any way are consistent with those materials previously approved by the Sub-Adviser as referenced in the first sentence of this paragraph. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Sub-Adviser by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.<u>Compliance</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 Sub-Adviser agrees to use reasonable compliance techniques as the Manager or the Board of Trustees may adopt, including any written compliance procedures.

&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 Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Manager and the Fund (i) in the event that the SEC has censured the Sub-Adviser; placed limitations upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or revoked its registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the Manager and the Fund promptly of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to the Sub-Adviser that is not contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund (which describes the Series), or any amendment or supplement thereto, or if any statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect.

&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 Manager agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Adviser (i) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or the Fund; placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations; suspended or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.<u>Books and Records</u>. The Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Series are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund any of such records upon the Fund's or the Manager's request in compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, although the Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-l under the 1940 Act.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.<u>Cooperation; Confidentiality</u>. Each party to this Agreement agrees to cooperate with the other party and with all appropriate governmental authorities having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the SEC) in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the Fund. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Fund and actions of the Fund, the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, and the Manager shall treat as confidential and use only in connection with the Series all information furnished to the Fund or the Manager by the Sub-Adviser, in connection with its duties under the Agreement, except that the aforesaid information need not be treated as confidential if generally available to the public through means other than by disclosure by the Sub- Adviser or the Manager or if received from a source other than the Manager, Sub-Adviser or the Fund. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser, the Fund or the Manager, as the case may be, may disclose the aforesaid information to the extent and only as long as and for the limited purposes as required to do so by a governmental agency or by operation of law, provided that the Sub-Adviser, the Fund or the Manager, as the case may be, to the extent legally permissible, furnishes prior written notice of such disclosure to and reasonably cooperates with, the party whose information is being disclosed in any effort to seek a protective order or other protection of the aforesaid information. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing the Sub-Adviser may disclose confidential information if specifically authorized by the Manager or Fund and the Manager or Fund may disclose confidential information if specifically authorized by the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.<u>Non-Exclusivity</u>. The services of the Sub-Adviser to the Series and the Fund are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser shall be free to render investment advisory or other services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities, provided.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.<u>Prohibited Conduct.</u> The Sub-Adviser may not consult with any other sub-adviser of the Fund concerning transactions in securities or other assets for any investment portfolio of the Fund, including the Series, except that such consultations are permitted between (a) the Sub- Adviser and any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser that is approved as an "investment adviser," as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, to the Series (or those assets of the Series over which the Sub- Adviser is directed by the manager to provide investment advisory services) and (b) the current and successor sub-advisers of the Series in order to effect an orderly transition of sub-advisory duties so long as such consultations are not concerning transactions prohibited by Section 17(a) of the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.<u>Representations Respecting</u> <u>Sub-Adviser</u>. The Manager agrees that neither the Manager, nor affiliated <u>persons</u> of the Manager, shall give any information or make any representations or statements in connection with the sale of shares of the Series concerning the Sub-Adviser or the Series other than the information or representations contained in the Registration Statement, prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Fund's shares, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in advance by the Sub- Adviser, except with the prior permission of the Sub-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;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.<u>Control</u>. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, it is understood and agreed that the Fund shall at all times retain the ultimate responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant to this Agreement and has reserved the right to reasonably direct any action hereunder taken on its behalf by the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.<u>Liability</u>. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls the Sub-Adviser (a) shall bear no responsibility and shall not be subject to any liability for any act or omission respecting any series of the Fund that is not a Series hereunder, and (b) shall not be liable for, or subject to any damages, expenses, or losses in connection with, any act or omission connected with or arising out of any services rendered under this Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Sub- Adviser's duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser's obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16.<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)The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of

Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling person") the Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Adviser Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the

Manager's responsibilities to the Fund which (1) may be based upon the Manager's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Manager's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Fund or any Series, or any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Manager or the Fund or to any affiliated person of the Manager by a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person; provided however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)Notwithstanding Section 15 of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated person of the Manager, and any controlling person of the Manager (all of such persons being referred to as "Manager Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation

(including legal and other expenses) to which a Manager Indemnified Person may become

subject under the 1933 Act, 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the Sub-Adviser's responsibilities as Sub-Adviser of the Series which (1) may be based upon the Sub-Adviser's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Sub-Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering the shares of the Fund or any Series, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact known or which should have been known to the Sub-Adviser and was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Manager, the Fund, or any affiliated person of the Manager or Fund by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person unless such Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the Manager in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Manager of any such claim shall not relieve the Manager from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Manager is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Manager assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Manager to represent the Manager and the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Manager and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Manager and to the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person. The Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Manager shall not be liable to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Manager shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent

of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result, in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Manager Indemnified Person unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the Sub-Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Manager Indemnified Person (or after such Manager Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Sub-Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Sub-Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Manager Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Manager Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Manager Indemnified Person. If the Sub- Adviser assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Sub- Adviser to represent both the Sub-Adviser and the Manager Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Sub-Adviser and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser and to the Manager Indemnified Person. The Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Sub- Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Manager Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified Person.

17.<u>Duration and Termination</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)With respect to each Series identified as a Series on **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto as in effect on the date of this Agreement, unless earlier terminated with respect to any Series this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for two years from the effective date of this Agreement. Thereafter, unless earlier terminated with respect to a Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with respect to each such Series for periods of one year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Series (as defined in the 1940 Act), and provided that such continuance is also approved by the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

With respect to any Series that is added to **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto as a Series after the date of this Agreement, the Agreement shall become effective on the later of (i) the date **<u>Schedule A</u>** is amended to reflect the addition of such Series as a Series under the Agreement or (ii) the date upon which the shares of the Series are first sold to the public, subject to the condition that the Fund's Board of Trustees, including a majority of those Trustees who are not interested persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Manager, and the shareholders of such Series, shall have approved this Agreement. Unless terminated earlier as provided herein with respect to any such Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for a period of two years from the date of its effectiveness (as identified above) with respect to that Series. Thereafter, unless earlier terminated with respect to a Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with respect to each such Series for periods of one year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, or (ii) vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of such Series (as defined in the 1940 Act), and provided that such continuance is also approved by the vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. However, any approval of this Agreement by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a Series shall be effective to continue this Agreement with respect to such Series notwithstanding (i) that this Agreement has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of any other Series or (ii) that this agreement has not been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, unless such approval shall be required by any other applicable law or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Series covered by this Agreement: (i) by the Manager at any time, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Sub-Adviser and the Fund, (ii) at any time without payment of any penalty by the Fund, by the Fund's Board of Trustees or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Series, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or (iii) by the Sub-Adviser upon sixty (60) days' written notice unless the Fund or the Manager requests additional time to find a replacement for the Sub-Adviser, in which case the Sub-Adviser shall allow the additional time requested by the Fund or Manager not to exceed thirty (30) days beyond the initial sixty (60) days' notice period; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may terminate this Agreement at any time without penalty, effective upon written notice to the Manager and the Fund, in the event either the Sub-Adviser (acting in good faith) or the Manager ceases to be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable of providing investment management services pursuant to its respective contract with the Fund, or in the event the Manager becomes bankrupt or otherwise incapable of carrying out its obligations under this Agreement, or in the event that the Sub-Adviser does not receive compensation for its services from the Manager or the Fund as required by the terms of this Agreement.

In the event of termination for any reason, all records of each Series for which the Agreement is terminated shall promptly be returned to the Manager or the Fund, free from any claim or retention of rights in such record by the Sub-Adviser, although the Sub- Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the Sections or Paragraphs numbered 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this Section numbered 17 and, to the extent that only amounts are owed to the Sub-Adviser as compensation for services rendered while the Agreement was in effect, Section 6.

&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>Notices</u>. Any notice must be in writing and shall be sufficiently given

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)when delivered in person, (2) when dispatched by telegram or electronic facsimile transfer (confirmed in writing by postage prepaid first class air mail simultaneously dispatched), (3) when sent by internationally recognized overnight courier service (with receipt confirmed by such overnight courier service), or (4) when sent by registered or certified mail, to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.

If to the Fund:

Voya Mutual Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Attention: Joanne F. Osberg, Secretary

If to the Sub-Adviser:

Nomura Investments Fund Advisors 610 Market Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Attention: Alexandra Parson, Managing Director

Copy to: General Counsel

If to the Manager:

Voya Investments, LLC

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Attention: Joanne F. Osberg, Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.<u>Amendments</u>. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved as required by 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;

19.<u>Use of Names</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)It is understood that the name "Voya Investments, LLC" or any trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo, or any variation of such trademark, service mark, or logo of the Manager or its affiliates, including but not limited to the mark "Voya<sup>®</sup>" (collectively, the "Voya Marks") is the valuable property of the Manager and/or its affiliates, and that the Sub-Adviser has the right to use such Voya Marks only with the prior written consent of the Manager and only so long as the Sub-Adviser is a sub-adviser to the Fund and/or the Series. In the event that the Sub-Adviser is no longer the Sub- Adviser to the Fund and/or the Series, or upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement between the Fund and the Manager without its replacement with another agreement, or the earlier request of the Manager, the Sub-Adviser shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, discontinue all use of the Voya Marks.

(b)It is understood that the name "Nomura Investments Fund Advisers," or any trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo, or any variation of such trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo of the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates (collectively, the "Nomura

Marks") are the valuable property of the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates and that the Fund and/or the Series have the right to use such Nomura Marks in the names of the Series and in offering materials of the Fund only with the prior written approval of the Sub-Adviser and only for so long as the Sub-Adviser is a sub-adviser to the Fund and/or the Series. In the event that the Sub-Adviser is no longer the Sub-Adviser to the Fund and/or the Series, or upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement between the Fund and the Manager without its replacement with another agreement, or the earlier request of the Sub-Adviser, the Manager shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, discontinue all use of the Nomura Marks.

20.<u>Miscellaneous</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders of the SEC thereunder, and without regard for the conflicts of laws principle thereof. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in this Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940

Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Manager and the Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Fund enjoys the rights of a third-party beneficiary under this Agreement, and the Manager acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser enjoys the rights of a third party beneficiary under the Investment Management Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)To the extent permitted under Section 17 of this Agreement, this Agreement may only be assigned by any party with the prior written consent of the other parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Sub-Adviser as an agent or co-partner of the Manager, or constituting the Manager as an agent or co-partner of the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.

**REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK**

![](g93jmgtynyce37ldut914.jpg)

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

**VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC**

By: /s/ Todd Modic

Name: Todd Modic

Title: Senior Vice President

**NOMURA INVESTMENTS FUND ADVISERS, a series of Nomura Investment Management Business Trust**

By: /s/ Susan Natalini

Name: Susan Natalini

Title: Managing Director

**SCHEDULE A**

**with respect to the**

**SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**between**

**VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC**

**and**

**NOMURA INVESTMENTS FUND ADVISERS**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Annual Sub-Advisory Fee</u>** |
|  | **(as a percentage of average daily net assets** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Series</u>** | **allocated to the Sub-Adviser)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging | 0.50% on first $150 million in assets; |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Markets Equity Fund | 0.45% on next $150 million in assets; |
|  | 0.40% on next $200 million in assets; and |
|  | 0.38% on assets thereafter |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund | 0.50% on first $150 million in assets; |
|  | 0.45% on next $150 million in assets; |
|  | 0.40% on next $200 million in assets; and |
|  | 0.38% on assets thereafter |

---

## Ex-99

Exhibit (d)(9)

**SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

This **AGREEMENT** is made as of this 6th day of May 2024 between Voya Investments, LLC, an Arizona limited liability company (the "Manager"), and Lazard Asset Management LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Sub-Adviser").

**WHEREAS**, Voya Mutual Funds (the "Fund") is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end, management investment company; and

**WHEREAS**, the Fund is authorized to issue separate series, each series having its own investment objective or objectives, policies, and limitations; and

**WHEREAS**, the Fund may offer shares of additional series in the future; and

**WHEREAS**, pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement, dated November 18, 2014 (the "Management Agreement"), a copy of which has been provided to the Sub-Adviser, the Fund has retained the Manager to render advisory and management services with respect to certain of the Fund's series; and

**WHEREAS**, pursuant to authority granted to the Manager in the Management Agreement, the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to furnish investment advisory services to one or more of the series of the Fund, and the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Fund and the Manager.

**NOW, THEREFORE**, in consideration of the premises and the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, it is agreed between the Manager and the Sub-Adviser as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.<u>Appointment</u>. The Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as the investment adviser and manager to the series of the Fund set forth on **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto (the "Series") for the periods and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. To the extent that the Sub-Adviser is not the only person providing investment advisory services to a Series, the term "Series" shall be interpreted for purposes of this

Agreement to only include those assets of the Series over which the Sub-Adviser is directed by the Manager to provide investment advisory services.

In the event the Fund designates one or more series (other than the Series) with respect to which the Manager wishes to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory services hereunder, it shall notify the Sub-Adviser in writing. If the Sub-Adviser is willing to render such services, it shall notify the Manager in writing, whereupon such series shall become a Series hereunder, and be subject to this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.<u>Sub-Adviser</u> <u>Duties</u>. Subject to the supervision of the Fund's Board of **Trustees** and the Manager, the Sub-Adviser will provide a continuous investment program for each Series'

portfolio and determine in its discretion the composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio, including determination of the purchase, retention, or sale of the securities, cash, and other investments contained in the portfolio. The Sub-Adviser will provide investment research and conduct a continuous program of evaluation, investment, sales, and reinvestment of each Series' assets by determining the securities and other investments that shall be purchased, entered into, sold, closed, or exchanged for the Series, when these transactions should be executed, and what portion of the assets of the Series should be held in the various securities and other investments in which it may invest. To the extent permitted by the investment policies of each Series, the Sub-Adviser shall make decisions for the Series as to foreign currency matters and make determinations as to and execute and perform foreign currency exchange contracts on behalf of the Series. The Sub-Adviser will provide the services under this Agreement in accordance with each Series' investment objective or objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Fund's Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as amended, copies of which shall be sent to the Sub-Adviser by the Manager prior to the commencement of this Agreement and promptly following any such amendment. The Sub- Adviser further agrees as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)The Sub-Adviser will conform with the 1940 Act and all rules and regulations thereunder, all other applicable federal and state laws and regulations, with any applicable procedures adopted by the Fund's Board of **Trustees** of which the Sub- Adviser has been sent a copy, and the provisions of the Registration Statement of the

Fund filed under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and the 1940 Act, as supplemented or amended, of which the Sub-Adviser has received a copy, and with the Manager's portfolio manager operating policies and procedures as in effect on the date hereof, as such policies and procedures may be revised or amended by the Manager and agreed to by the Sub-Adviser. In carrying out its duties under the Sub-Advisory Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will comply with the following policies and procedures:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Sub-Adviser will (1) manage each Series so that it meets the income and asset diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and (2) manage each Series so that no action or omission on the part of the Sub-Adviser shall cause a Series to fail to comply with the diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code, and the regulations issued thereunder.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Sub-Adviser will have no duty to vote any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested in connection with annual and special meetings of equity stockholders, provided however, that the Sub-Adviser retains responsibility to vote or abstain from voting all solicitations with respect to non-equity portfolio securities and all portfolio securities for matters with regard to bankruptcy or related plans of reorganization, unless the Manager gives the Sub-Adviser written instructions to the contrary. The Sub-Adviser will promptly forward any proxy it receives that is solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested to the Manager or to any agent of the Manager designated by the Manager in writing.

The Sub-Adviser will make appropriate personnel available for consultation for the purpose of reviewing with representatives of the Manager and/or the Board any proxy solicited by or with respect to the issuers of securities in which assets of the Series are invested. Upon request, the Sub-Adviser will submit a written voting recommendation to the Manager for such proxies. In making such recommendations, the Sub-Adviser shall use its good faith judgment to act in the best interests of the Series. The Sub-Adviser shall disclose to the best of its knowledge any conflict of interest with the issuers of securities that are the subject of such recommendation including whether such issuers are clients or are being solicited as clients of the Sub-Adviser or of its affiliates.

&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)In connection with the purchase and sale of securities for each Series, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the transmission to the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Series on a daily basis, such confirmation, trade tickets, and other documents and information, including, but not limited to, Cusip, Sedol, or other numbers that identify securities to be purchased or sold on behalf of the Series, as may be reasonably necessary to enable the custodian and portfolio accounting agent to perform its administrative and record keeping responsibilities with respect to the Series. With respect to portfolio securities to be settled through the Depository Trust Company, the Sub-Adviser will arrange for the prompt transmission of the confirmation of such trades to the Fund's custodian and portfolio accounting agent.

&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 Sub-Adviser will assist the custodian and portfolio accounting agent for the Fund in determining or confirming, consistent with the procedures and policies stated in the Registration Statement for the Fund or adopted by the Board of **Trustees**, the value of any portfolio securities or other assets of the Series for which the custodian and portfolio accounting agent seeks assistance from or identifies for review by the Sub-Adviser. The parties acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser is not a custodian of the Series' assets and will not take possession or custody of such assets.

&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)The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager, no later than the 10<sup>th</sup> business day following a request from the Manager, information to be used by Manager in preparing the Fund's letter to shareholders (to be subject to review and editing by the Manager) containing a discussion of those factors referred to in Item 27(b)(7) of 1940 Act Form N-1A in respect of both the prior quarter and the fiscal year to date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(vi)The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager a written compliance checklist in a form provided by the Manager for each month by the 10<sup>th</sup> business day of the following month.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Sub-Adviser will complete and deliver to the Manager by the 10<sup>th</sup> business day of each month a written report on each Series of the Fund that contains the following information as of the immediately previous month's end.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)A performance comparison to the Series benchmark listed in the prospectus as well as a comparison to other mutual funds as listed in the rankings prepared by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., Morningstar, Inc., or similar independent services that monitor the performance of mutual funds or with other appropriate indexes of investment securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Composition of the assets of each Series' portfolio and the impact of key portfolio holdings and sector concentrations on the Series; 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;(iii)Confirmation of each Series' current investment objective and Sub-Adviser's projected plan to realize the Series' investment objectives.

&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 Sub-Adviser will make available to the Fund and the Manager, promptly upon request, any of the Series' investment records and ledgers maintained by the Sub-Adviser (which shall not include the records and ledgers maintained by the custodian or portfolio accounting agent for the Fund) as are necessary to assist the Fund and the Manager to comply with requirements of the 1940 Act and the Investment

Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Advisers Act"), as well as other applicable laws. The Sub- Adviser will furnish to regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any information or reports in connection with such services in respect to the Series which may be requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Fund are being conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)Upon reasonable request, the Sub-Adviser will provide reports to the Fund's Board of **Trustees** for consideration at meetings of the Board of **Trustees** on the investment program for each Series and the issuers and securities represented in each Series' portfolio, and will furnish the Fund's Board of **Trustees** with respect to each Series such periodic and special reports as the **Trustees** and the Manager may reasonably request.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.<u>Broker-Dealer</u> <u>Selection</u>. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to make decisions to buy and sell securities and other investments for each Series' portfolio, broker-dealer selection, and negotiation of brokerage commission rates in effecting a security transaction. The Sub-Adviser's primary consideration in effecting a security transaction will be to obtain the best execution for the Series, taking into account the factors specified in the prospectus and/or statement of additional information for the Fund, and determined in consultation with the Manager, which include price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dollar spread), the size of the order, the nature of the market for the security, the timing of the transaction, the reputation, the experience and financial stability of the broker-dealer involved, the quality of the service, the difficulty of execution, and the execution capabilities and operational facilities of the firm involved, and the firm's risk in positioning a block of securities. Accordingly, the price to a Series in any transaction may be less favorable than that available from another broker-dealer if the difference is reasonably justified, in the judgment of the Sub-Adviser in the exercise of its

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.<u>Disclosure about</u> <u>Sub-Adviser</u>. The Sub-Adviser has reviewed the most recent Post- Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement for the Fund filed with the SEC that contains disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, and represents and warrants that, with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Adviser or information relating, directly or indirectly, to the Sub-Adviser, such Registration Statement contains, as of the date hereof, no untrue statement of any material fact and does not omit any statement of a material fact which was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Sub-Adviser further represents and warrants that it is a duly registered investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will maintain such registration so long as this Agreement remains in effect. The Sub-Adviser will provide the Manager with a copy of the Sub-Adviser's Form ADV, Part II at the time the Form ADV is filed with the SEC.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.<u>Expenses</u>. During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will pay all expenses incurred by it and its staff and for their activities in connection with its portfolio management duties under this Agreement. The Manager or the Fund shall be responsible for all the expenses of the Fund's operations. In addition, if the Fund is required, under applicable law, to supplement the Registration Statement because of a change requested by the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser will reimburse the Fund and/or the Manager for the cost of preparing, printing and distributing such supplement, unless the Sub-Adviser is requesting the change in order to comply with an applicable law, rule or regulation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.<u>Compensation</u>. For the services provided to each Series, the Manager will pay the Sub-Adviser an annual fee equal to the amount specified for such Series in **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto, payable monthly in arrears. The fee will be appropriately prorated to reflect any portion of a

calendar month that this Agreement is not in effect among the parties. In accordance with the provisions of the Management Agreement, the Manager is solely responsible for the payment of fees to the Sub-Adviser, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to seek payment of its fees solely from the Manager; provided, however, that if the Fund fails to pay the Manager all or a portion of the management fee under said Management Agreement when due, and the amount that was paid is insufficient to cover the Sub-Adviser's fee under this Agreement for the period in question, then the Sub-Adviser may enforce against the Fund any rights it may have as a third-party beneficiary under the Management Agreement and the Manager will take all steps appropriate under the circumstances to collect the amount due from the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.<u>Marketing Materials</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)During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees to furnish the Manager at its principal office for prior review and approval by the Manager all written and/or printed materials, including but not limited to, PowerPoint<sup>®</sup> or slide presentations, news releases, advertisements, brochures, fact sheets and other promotional, informational or marketing materials (the "Marketing Materials") for internal use or public dissemination, that are produced or are for use or reference by the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates or other designees, broker-dealers or the public in connection with the Series, and Sub-Adviser shall not use any such materials if the Manager reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Manager by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.

&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)During the term of this Agreement, the Manager agrees to furnish the Sub- Adviser at its principal office all prospectuses, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, or Marketing Materials prepared for distribution to shareholders of each Series, or the public that refer to the Sub-Adviser in any way, prior to the use thereof, and the Manager shall not use any such materials if the Sub-Adviser reasonably objects in writing within five business days (or such other period as may be mutually agreed) after receipt thereof. The Sub-Adviser's right to object to such materials is limited to the portions of such materials that expressly relate to the Sub-Adviser, its services and its clients. The Manager agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that materials prepared by its employees or agents or its affiliates that refer to the Sub-Adviser or its clients in any way are consistent with those materials previously approved by the Sub-Adviser as referenced in the first sentence of this paragraph. Marketing Materials may be furnished to the Sub- Adviser by first class or overnight mail, facsimile transmission equipment, electronic delivery or hand delivery.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8.<u>Compliance</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 Sub-Adviser agrees to use reasonable compliance techniques as the Manager or the Board of **Trustees** may adopt, including any written compliance procedures.

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

&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 Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall promptly notify the Manager and the Fund (i) in the event that the SEC has censured the Sub-Adviser; placed limitations upon its activities, functions or operations; suspended or revoked its registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to notify the Manager and the Fund promptly of any material fact known to the Sub-Adviser respecting or relating to the Sub-Adviser that is not contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund (which describes the Series), but is required to be included to avoid any material misstatement or omission, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or if any statement contained therein that becomes untrue in any material respect.

&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 Manager agrees that it shall promptly notify the Sub-Adviser (i) in the event that the SEC has censured the Manager or the Fund; placed limitations upon either of their activities, functions, or operations; suspended or revoked the Manager's registration as an investment adviser; or has commenced proceedings or an investigation that may result in any of these actions, or (ii) upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the Series has ceased to qualify or might not qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9.<u>Books and Records</u>. The Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Series are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund any of such records upon the Fund's or the Manager's request in compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, although the Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records required to be maintained by Rule 31a-l under the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10.<u>Cooperation; Confidentiality</u>. Each party to this Agreement agrees to cooperate with the other party and with all appropriate governmental authorities having the requisite jurisdiction (including, but not limited to, the SEC) in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the Fund. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall treat as confidential all information pertaining to the Fund and actions of the Fund, the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, and the Manager shall treat as confidential and use only in connection with the Series all information furnished to the Fund or the Manager by the Sub-Adviser, in connection with its duties under the Agreement except that the aforesaid information need not be treated as confidential if required to be disclosed under applicable law, if generally available to the public through means other than by disclosure by the Sub-Adviser or the Manager, or if available from a source other than the Manager, Sub-Adviser or the Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11.<u>Non-Exclusivity</u>. The services of the Sub-Adviser to the Series and the **Fund** are not to be deemed to be exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser shall be free to render investment advisory or other services to others (including other investment companies) and to engage in other activities.

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12.<u>Prohibited Conduct.</u> The Sub-Adviser may not consult with any other sub-adviser of the **Fund** concerning transactions in securities or other assets for any investment portfolio of the **Fund**, including the Series, except that such consultations are permitted between the current and successor sub-advisers of the Series in order to effect an orderly transition of sub-advisory duties so long as such consultations are not concerning transactions prohibited by Section 17(a) of the 1940 Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13.<u>Representations Respecting</u> <u>Sub-Adviser</u>. The Manager agrees that neither the Manager, nor affiliated persons of the Manager, shall give any information or make any representations or statements in connection with the sale of shares of the Series concerning the Sub-Adviser or the Series other than the information or representations contained in the

Registration Statement, prospectus, or statement of additional information for the Fund's shares, as they may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved in advance by the Sub- Adviser, except with the prior permission of the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14.<u>Control</u>. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Agreement, it is understood and agreed that the Fund shall at all times retain the ultimate responsibility for and control of all functions performed pursuant to this Agreement and has reserved the right to reasonably direct any action hereunder taken on its behalf by the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15.<u>Liability</u>. Except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder or other applicable law, the Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls the Sub-Adviser (a) shall bear no responsibility and shall not be subject to any liability for any act or omission respecting any series of the Fund that is not a Series hereunder, and (b) shall not be liable for, or subject to any damages, expenses, or losses in connection with, any act or omission connected with or arising out of any services rendered under this Agreement, except by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of the Sub-Adviser's duties, or by reason of reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser's obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16.<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)The Manager agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sub-Adviser, any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser, and each person, if any, who, within the meaning of

Section 15 of the 1933 Act controls ("controlling person") the Sub-Adviser (all of such persons being referred to as "Sub-Adviser Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the Manager's responsibilities to the Fund which (1) may be based upon the Manager's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties

(which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Manager's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact

contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering shares of the Fund or any Series, or any amendment thereof or any supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Manager or the Fund or to any affiliated person of the Manager by a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person; provided however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)Notwithstanding Section 15 of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Manager, any affiliated person of the Manager, and any controlling person of the Manager (all of such persons being referred to as "Manager

Indemnified Persons") against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which a Manager Indemnified Person may become subject under the 1933 Act, 1940 Act, the Advisers Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of the Sub-Adviser's responsibilities as Sub- Adviser of the Series which (1) may be based upon the Sub-Adviser's negligence, willful misfeasance, or bad faith in the performance of its duties (which could include a negligent action or a negligent omission to act), or by reason of the Sub-Adviser's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement, or (2) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or prospectus covering the shares of the Fund or any Series, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact known or which should have been known to the Sub-Adviser and was required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Manager, the Fund, or any affiliated person of the Manager or Fund by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliated person of the Sub-Adviser; provided, however, that in no case shall the indemnity in favor of a Manager Indemnified Person be deemed to protect such person against any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties, or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The Manager shall not be liable under Paragraph (a) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person unless such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have notified the Manager in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person (or after such Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Manager of any such claim shall not relieve the Manager from any liability which it may have to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Manager is

prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person. If the Manager assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Manager to represent the Manager and the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, the Manager will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Manager and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Manager and to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person. The Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Manager shall not be liable to the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. The Manager shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Sub- Adviser Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result, in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Sub-Adviser Indemnified Person.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)The Sub-Adviser shall not be liable under Paragraph (b) of this Section 16 with respect to any claim made against a Manager Indemnified Person unless such Manager Indemnified Person shall have notified the Sub-Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Manager Indemnified Person (or after such Manager Indemnified Person shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Sub-Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Sub-Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Manager Indemnified Person against whom such action is brought except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is prejudiced by the failure or delay in giving such notice. In case any such action is brought against the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof or, after notice to the Manager Indemnified Person, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Manager Indemnified Person. If the Sub-Adviser assumes the defense of any such action and the selection of counsel by the Sub-Adviser to represent both the Sub-Adviser and the Manager Indemnified Person would result in a conflict of interests and therefore, would not, in the reasonable judgment of the Manager Indemnified Person, adequately represent the interests of the Manager Indemnified Person, the Sub-Adviser will, at its own expense, assume the defense with counsel to the Sub-Adviser and, also at its own expense, with separate counsel to the Manager Indemnified Person, which counsel shall be satisfactory to the Sub-Adviser and to the Manager Indemnified Person. The Manager Indemnified Person shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Sub-Adviser shall not be liable to the Manager Indemnified Person under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Manager Indemnified Person independently in connection with the defense thereof other than

reasonable costs of investigation. The Sub-Adviser shall not have the right to compromise on or settle the litigation without the prior written consent of the Manager Indemnified Person if the compromise or settlement results, or may result in a finding of wrongdoing on the part of the Manager Indemnified Person.

17.<u>Duration and Termination</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)With respect to each Series identified as a Series on **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto as in effect on the date of this Agreement, unless earlier terminated with respect to any Series, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for two years from the effective date with respect to each such Series of this Agreement. Thereafter, unless earlier terminated with respect to a Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with respect to each such Series for periods of one year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Board of **Trustees** of the Fund, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Series (as defined in the 1940 Act), and provided that such continuance is also approved by the vote of a majority of the Board of **Trustees** of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.

With respect to any Series that is added to **<u>Schedule A</u>** hereto as a Series after the date of this Agreement, the Agreement shall become effective on the later of (i) the date **<u>Schedule A</u>** is amended to reflect the addition of such Series as a Series under the Agreement or (ii) the date upon which the shares of the Series are first sold to the public, subject to the condition that the Fund's Board of **Trustees**, including a majority of those **Trustees** who are not interested persons (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Manager, and the shareholders of such Series, shall have approved this Agreement. Unless terminated earlier as provided herein with respect to any such Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect for a period of two years from the date of its effectiveness (as identified above) with respect to that Series. Thereafter, unless earlier terminated with respect to a Series, the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect with respect to each such Series for periods of one year, provided that such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the Board of **Trustees** of the Fund, or (ii) vote of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of such Series (as defined in the 1940 Act), and provided that such continuance is also approved by the vote of a majority of the Board of **Trustees** of the Fund who are not parties to this Agreement or "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund or the Manager, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. However, any approval of this Agreement by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares (as defined in the 1940 Act) of a Series shall be effective to continue this Agreement with respect to such Series notwithstanding (i) that this Agreement has not been approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of any other Series or (ii) that this agreement has not been approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund, unless such approval shall be required by any other applicable law or otherwise.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Series covered by this Agreement: (i) by the Manager at any time, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Sub-Adviser and the Fund, (ii) at any time without payment of any penalty by the Fund, by the Fund's Board of **Trustees** or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each Series, upon sixty (60) days' written notice to the Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or (iii) by the Sub-Adviser upon three (3) months' written notice unless the Fund or the Manager requests additional time to find a replacement for the Sub-Adviser, in which case the Sub-Adviser shall allow the additional time requested by the Fund or Manager not to exceed three (3) additional months beyond the initial three-month notice period; provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may terminate this Agreement at any time without penalty, effective upon written notice to the Manager and the Fund, in the event either the Sub-Adviser (acting in good faith) or the Manager ceases to be registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act or otherwise becomes legally incapable of providing investment management services pursuant to its respective contract with the Fund, or in the event the Manager becomes bankrupt or otherwise incapable of carrying out its obligations under this Agreement, or in the event that the Sub-Adviser does not receive compensation for its services from the Manager or the Fund as required by the terms of this Agreement.

In the event of termination for any reason, all records of each Series for which the Agreement is terminated shall promptly be returned to the Manager or the Fund, free from any claim or retention of rights in such record by the Sub-Adviser, although the Sub-Adviser may, at its own expense, make and retain a copy of such records. This Agreement shall automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as such term is described in the 1940 Act). In the event this Agreement is terminated or is not approved in the manner described above, the Sections or Paragraphs numbered 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 of this Agreement shall remain in effect, as well as any applicable provision of this Section numbered 17 and, to the extent that only amounts are owed to the Sub- Adviser as compensation for services rendered while the Agreement was in effect, Section 6.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)<u>Notices</u>. Any notice must be in writing and shall be sufficiently given

(1)when delivered in person, (2) when dispatched by telegram or electronic facsimile transfer (confirmed in writing by postage prepaid first class air mail simultaneously dispatched), (3) when sent by internationally recognized overnight courier service (with receipt confirmed by such overnight courier service), or (4) when sent by registered or certified mail, to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party.

If to the Fund:

Voya Mutual Funds

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Attention: Joanne F. Osberg

If to the Sub-Adviser:

Lazard Asset Management LLC 30 Rockefeller Plaza

New York, NY 10112

Attention: Ralph Peluso

If to the Manager:

Voya Investments, LLC

7337 East Doubletree Ranch Road

Suite 100

Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Attention: Todd Modic

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18.<u>Amendments</u>. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver, discharge or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be effective until approved as required by applicable law.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19.<u>Use of Names</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)It is understood that the name "Voya Investments, LLC" or any trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo, or any variation of such trademark, service mark, or logo of the Manager or its affiliates, including but not limited to the mark "Voya<sup>®</sup>" (collectively, the "Voya Marks") is the valuable property of the Manager and/or its affiliates, and that the Sub-Adviser has the right to use such Voya Marks only with the prior written consent of the Manager and only so long as the Sub-Adviser is a sub-adviser to the Fund/Series. In the event that the Sub-Adviser is no longer the Sub-Adviser to the Fund and/or the Series, or upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement between the Fund and the Manager without its replacement with another agreement, or the earlier request of the Manager, the Sub-Adviser shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, discontinue all use of the Voya Marks.

&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)It is understood that the name "Lazard Asset Management, LLC," or any trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo, or any variation of such trademark, trade name, service mark, or logo of the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates (collectively, the "Sub-

Adviser Marks") are the valuable property of the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates and that the Fund and/or the Series have the right to use such Sub-Adviser Marks in the names of the Series and in offering materials of the Fund only with the approval of the Sub- Adviser and only for so long as the Sub-Adviser is a sub-adviser to the Fund and/or the Series. In the event that the Sub-Adviser is no longer the Sub-Adviser to the Fund and/or the Series, or upon the termination of the Investment Management Agreement between

the Fund and the Manager without its replacement with another agreement, or the earlier request of the Sub-Adviser, the Manager shall, as soon as is reasonably possible, discontinue all use of the Sub-Adviser Marks.

20.<u>Miscellaneous</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, provided that nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or rules or orders of the SEC thereunder, and without regard for the conflicts of laws principle thereof. The term "affiliate" or "affiliated person" as used in this Agreement shall mean "affiliated person" as defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940

Act.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)The Manager and the Sub-Adviser acknowledge that the Fund enjoys the rights of a third-party beneficiary under this Agreement, and the Manager acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser enjoys the rights of a third party beneficiary under the Management Agreement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)The captions of this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)To the extent permitted under Section 17 of this Agreement, this Agreement may only be assigned by any party with the prior written consent of the other parties.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby, and to this extent, the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed to be severable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(f)Nothing herein shall be construed as constituting the Sub-Adviser as an agent or co-partner of the Manager, or constituting the Manager as an agent or co-partner of the Sub-Adviser.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(g)This Agreement may be executed in counterparts.

(REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.)

![](gx9q3ghktmm270qbnsswj.jpg)

**IN WITNESS WHEREOF**, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed as of the day and year first above written.

VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC

By: /s/ Todd Modic

Todd Modic

Senior Vice President

LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Nathan Paul |

---

Nathan Paul

Name

Chief Operating Officer

Title

**SCHEDULE A**

**with respect to the**

**SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT**

**between**

**VOYA INVESTMENTS, LLC**

**and**

**LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT, LLC**

**<u>Series</u>**

Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund (effective May 13, 2024)

**<u>Annual Sub-Adviser Fee</u>**

**(as a percentage of average daily net assets**

**allocated to the Sub-Adviser)**

[REDACTED]

## Ex-99

![](gmpdkznr602adqzaow2sz.jpg)

Exhibit (d)(10)(i)

**AMENDED SCHEDULE A**

**to the**

**EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT**

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS** | **VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS** | **VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**OPERATING EXPENSE LIMITS** |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Name of Fund[<sup>1</sup>](#div2f839e4a-98a1-455d-9c8a-e5085ed1e7c0)</u>** |  | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** |  |
|  |  | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund |  |  | 0.15% | 0.15% |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Term Expires March 1, 2025 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Name of Fund<sup>1</sup></u>** |  | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** | **<u>Maximum Operating Expense Limit</u>** |  |
|  |  | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) | (as a percentage of average net assets) |  |
|  |  |  | <u>Share Classes</u> | <u>Share Classes</u> |  |  |
|  | **<u>A</u>** | **<u>C</u>** | **<u>I</u>** | **<u>R</u>** | **<u>R6</u>** | **<u>W</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | 0.90% | 1.65% | 0.65% | 1.15% | 0.65% | 0.65% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Term Expires March 1, 2008 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Term for Class W Shares Expires |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;March 1, 2011 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Term for Class R Shares Expires |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;March 1, 2012 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Term for Class I Shares Expires |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;March 1, 2014 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Term for Class R6 Shares Expires |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;March 1, 2015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets | 1.60% | 2.35% | 1.35% | 1.85% | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | 1.35% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Term Expires March 1, 2025 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity | N/A | N/A | 0.88% | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Term Expires March 1, 2018 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small | 1.95% | 2.60% | 1.40% | N/A | 1.40% | 1.60% |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cap Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Term Expires March 1, 2017 |  |  |  |  |  |  |

---

1This Agreement shall automatically renew for one-year terms with respect to a Fund unless otherwise terminated in accordance with the Agreement.

-1 –

**Effective Date:** October 25, 2024, to reflect the removal of Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund and Voya Global Perspectives® Fund due to their merger into Voya Global Income & Growth Fund.

## Ex-99

**Exhibit (f)(1)**

**DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS**

**as amended and restated January 23, 2026**

WHEREAS, the Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Directors (the "<u>A Plan</u>") was adopted by resolution of the Boards of Trustees of ING Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund, ING Equity Trust, ING Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund, ING Funds Trust, ING Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund, ING Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund, ING Investors Trust, ING Mayflower Trust, ING Mutual Funds, ING Partners, Inc., ING Senior Income Fund, ING Variable Insurance Trust, ING Variable Products Trust, ING Separate Portfolios Trust, and ING Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund (the "<u>A Funds</u>") on September 15, 2005, amended on September 12, 2007, and amended and restated on January 1, 2010, and on May 22, 2013;

WHEREAS, the Deferred Compensation Plan (the "<u>B Plan</u>") was adopted by resolution of the Boards of Directors/Trustees of ING VP Balanced Portfolio, Inc., ING Strategic Allocation Portfolios, Inc., ING VP Intermediate Bond Portfolio, ING VP Money Market Fund, ING Variable Funds, and ING Variable Portfolios, Inc. (the "<u>B Funds</u>") on April 24, 1997 and amended and restated on June 26, 2002, on January 1, 2009, December 20, 2010, and on May 22, 2013;

WHEREAS, the Boards of Trustees of the A Funds and the Boards of Directors/Trustees of the B Funds previously amended and restated the A Plan and the B Plan, respectively, each effective as of May 22, 2013, as provided herein, such that each plan shall henceforth be constituted and administered as set forth herein as the "Deferred Compensation Plan for Independent Directors" (the "<u>Plan</u>") of the registrants listed on **Appendix A** to the Plan. The Boards of Directors/Trustees previously amended and restated the Plan on January 22, 2015, on July 9, 2015, on January 14, 2016, on January 11, 2018, on January 25, 2019, on January 24, 2020, on January 11, 2021, on January 11, 2023, on January 10, 2024, and on January 16, 2025.

NOW THEREFORE, each of the A Plan and the B Plan, as renamed the Plan, shall be amended and restated as follows:

**_____________________________**

**ARTICLE I.**

**<u>ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE</u>**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.1.The Plan has been established by resolution of the Boards of Directors/Trustees

(the "<u>Board</u>") of the registrants listed on **Appendix A** to the Plan. These registrants or their portfolio series, if they have issued more than one series, are collectively referred to under the Plan as the "<u>Funds</u>." The purpose of the Plan is to provide retirement benefits for those former and active directors or trustees, as well as consultants that are anticipated to become directors or trustees, as the case may be, of each Fund who are not employees of the Funds, Voya Investments Distributor,

LLC, or Voya Investments, LLC or its successor (the "<u>Investment Manager</u>"), or any affiliate of the Investment Manager ("<u>Independent Directors</u>"). The Plan shall be maintained and administered as an unfunded plan of deferred compensation that

is intended to comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "<u>Code</u>") and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder ("<u>Section 409A</u>").

Effective January 1, 2016, notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, Compensation payable by the portfolio series listed on **Appendix B** shall no longer be eligible for deferral under the Plan. On and after such date, such portfolio series shall not be included in the term "Funds" as used herein where such inclusion would be inconsistent with the intent of the preceding sentence. Compensation deferred prior to such date shall continue to be deferred in accordance with the terms of the Plan and the applicable Deferral Agreement.

1.2.The provisions of the Plan, as set forth herein or as subsequently amended, are applicable only for Independent Directors who are such on or after May 22, 2013

(the "<u>Effective Date</u>"). The terms of the A Plan and/or the B Plan shall govern with respect to any director/trustee who (a) was an active Independent Director prior to the Effective Date and (b) is not an active Independent Director on or after the Effective Date.

1.3.The Plan shall be administered by the Board or by such person or persons as the

Board may designate to carry out administrative functions hereunder (the "<u>Plan Administrator</u>"). The Plan Administrator shall have complete discretion to interpret and administer the Plan in accordance with its terms, and its determinations shall be final and binding on all persons except for the provisions of ARTICLE VIII, whereunder action by the full Board shall be required.

1.4.This plan document evidences the Plan for each Fund, but each Fund maintains its own separate Plan.

**ARTICLE II.**

**<u>DEFINITIONS</u>**

2.1.Whenever used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below unless otherwise expressly provided. When the defined term is intended, the term is capitalized. The definition of any term in the singular shall also include the plural, and vice versa, whichever is appropriate in the context.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1.1.<u>"Account</u>" means the bookkeeping account maintained for each Participant that represents the Participant's total interest under each Plan as of any

Valuation Date. An Account shall consist of the sum of deferrals of Compensation credited to such Account pursuant to Section 4.1 and any investment earnings including from reinvestment of dividends or losses on these amounts. A Participant shall have a fully vested, non-forfeitable interest at all times in his or her Account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1.2."<u>Beneficiary or Beneficiaries</u>" means the person, persons, or legal entities designated by the Participant in the Participant's Deferral Agreement who are entitled to receive payments under the Plan that become payable to such

person, persons, or legal entities in the event of the Participant's death. If more than one designated beneficiary survives the Participant, payments shall be made equally, unless otherwise provided in the beneficiary designation. Nothing herein shall prevent the Participant from designating primary and secondary beneficiaries. Secondary beneficiaries are considered designated beneficiaries and are entitled to payments under the Plan only in the event that there are no primary beneficiaries surviving the Participant. The Participant may change his or her beneficiary designation at any time by filing a properly completed form with the Plan Administrator. To be effective, a properly completed beneficiary designation form must be on file with the Plan Administrator at the time of the Participant's death.

2.1.3."<u>Compensation</u>" means the annual retainer fees earned by a Participant for service as an Independent Director of the Funds, the annual retainer fee earned by a Participant for service as Chair or Vice-Chair of the Board or a Committee of the Board, and any fees earned by a Participant for attendance at meetings of the Board and any of its Committees, all or a portion of which may be deferred. For a Participant who is an anticipated Independent

Director, "Compensation" may include fees earned by the Participant for consulting, advisory, or other non-employee services to the Funds in anticipation of becoming an active Independent Director prior to becoming an active Independent Director.

2.1.4."<u>Deferral Agreement</u>" means the annual written agreement between the

Funds and the Participant to defer Compensation under the Plan.

2.1.5."<u>Deferred Compensation</u>" means the amount, as mutually agreed to by the

Participant and the Funds, by which any Compensation not yet earned shall be reduced in return for the benefits provided under the Plan.

2.1.6."<u>Lump Sum</u>" means a single payment of the entire balance credited to the Participant's bookkeeping account under ARTICLE IV with respect to one or more Funds at the time payment is required to be made hereunder.

2.1.7."<u>Notional Fund</u>" means any open-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 with respect to which the Investment Manager serves as investment adviser, shares of which are sold to the public, and which the Plan Administrator designates as a Notional Fund under the Plan.

2.1.8."<u>Participant</u>" means any Independent Director of a Fund who fulfills the eligibility and enrollment requirements of ARTICLE III.

2.1.9."<u>Retirement or Retires</u>" means the time at which the Participant has a separation from service for purposes of Treas. Reg. 1.409A-3(a)(1) from a Fund in conformity with the Retirement Policy of the Board in effect at the time of such cessation of service, provided such Retirement Policy provides

for retirement solely after a specified age or solely after a combination of a specified age and years of service.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1.10."<u>Termination of Services</u>" means the time at which the Participant has a separation from service for purposes of Treas. Reg. 1.409A-3(a)(1) from a Fund for any reason other than Retirement or death.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1.11."<u>Unforeseeable Emergency</u>" means a severe financial hardship to the

Participant resulting from an illness or accident of the Participant, the

Participant's spouse or a dependent (as defined in Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Participant, loss of the Participant's property due to casualty, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. For purposes of the Plan, a determination of an Unforeseeable Emergency by the Plan Administrator shall comply with the provisions of Section 409A.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.1.12."<u>Valuation Date</u>" means each day on which the Plan Administrator determines the value of Participant Accounts.

**ARTICLE III.**

**<u>PARTICIPATION IN THE PLAN</u>**

3.1.<u>Eligibility</u>: Any Independent Director of the Funds on or after the Effective Date shall be eligible to participate in the Plan, <u>provided</u> that the terms of the A Plan and/or the B Plan shall govern with respect to any director/trustee who (a) was an active Independent Director prior to the Effective Date and (b) is not an active Independent Director on or after the Effective Date.

3.2.<u>Enrollment in the Plan</u>:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)An Independent Director may become a Participant by executing a Deferral Agreement whereunder that Independent Director agrees to defer all or a portion of Compensation not yet earned and agrees to the provisions of the Plan. An Independent Director who does not elect to participate by completing and filing with the Plan Administrator a Deferral Election shall not be a Plan Participant.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)An election by the Independent Director to defer Compensation under the Plan for any calendar year shall not be effective unless such election is made on or before December 31 of the preceding year, except that an Independent Director may elect to participate in the Plan within 30 days of the date upon which such Independent Director first meets the eligibility requirements of Section 3.1, with deferral of Compensation to begin on the first day of the month subsequent to the month in which the election is made.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)An Independent Director who defers Compensation may not modify the

Independent Director's Deferral Agreement to change the amount deferred during the calendar year; <u>provided</u>, <u>however</u>, that a Participant must make

a new election no later than December 31 each year for Compensation to be earned in the immediately following and subsequent calendar years, with such new election being effective for the deferral of Compensation to begin on the first day of January and then with respect only to Compensation earned on or after that date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)In the Deferral Agreement, the Participant shall elect the time at which his or her Account shall be distributed. With respect to an election made on or after the Effective Date, a Participant may elect to be paid either in a lump sum or in three or five annual installments. A Participant may change his or her distribution election with respect to the Participant's Account, by notifying the Plan Administrator in writing of the Participant's new distribution election; <u>provided</u>, <u>however</u>, that such election may not take effect until at least 12 months after the date on which the election is made, the payment date must defer payment for a period of no less than five years from the date such payment would otherwise have been made, and the election must be made no later than 12 months prior to the Participant's

Retirement or Termination of Services. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no change to a Deferral Agreement under this Section 4.02(d) shall be effective if such change does not comply with the applicable provisions of the Code, including but not limited to, Section 409A.

**ARTICLE IV.**

**<u>ACCUMULATION OF DEFERRED COMPENSATION</u>**

4.1.The Plan Administrator shall establish an Account on behalf of each Participant, the value of which at any given time shall determine the benefits payable to the Participant under ARTICLES V and VI and the withdrawal values under ARTICLE VII. Beginning on the date the Participant first enrolls in the Plan, the

Account shall be credited with an amount equal to the Participant's Deferred

Compensation at such times as the Compensation subject to deferral would otherwise have been paid. Until the Account is removed from the books of the Funds, the Account shall be further adjusted each Valuation Date for notional investment experience as described in Section 4.2 and reduced by any fees or expenses charged against the Account.

4.2.Amounts credited to the Participant's Account shall be periodically adjusted for notional investment experience. In each case such notional investment experience shall be determined by treating such Account as though an equivalent dollar amount had been invested and reinvested in any or all of the Notional Funds. The Plan Administrator shall designate the Notional Funds that are available for notional investing under the Plan. The Plan Administrator shall have the right to add or eliminate Notional Funds at any time and for any or no reason. The Notional Funds used as a basis for determining notional investment experience with respect to the Participant's Account shall be designated by the Participant pursuant to the administrative practices established by the Plan Administrator for this purpose, <u>provided</u> that a Participant may designate no more than five Notional

Funds in total. The Notional Funds designated by a Participant may be changed by the Participant once per calendar month (or such other frequency as established by the Plan Administrator) on a prospective basis by the Participant making a change to his or her investment elections. If at any time any Notional Fund that has previously been designated by the Plan Administrator as a notional investment shall cease to exist or shall be unavailable for any reason, or if the Participant fails to designate one or more Notional Funds pursuant to this Section 4.2, the Plan Administrator may, at its discretion and upon notice to the Participant, treat any amounts previously notionally invested or to be notionally invested in such Notional Fund as being invested in the Voya Money Market Fund or if the Voya Money Market Fund ceases to exist or is unavailable for any reason, such other short-term high-quality fixed-income Notional Fund as the Plan Administrator may from time to time designate, in all cases only until such time as the Participant shall have made another investment election in accordance with the foregoing procedures. The Participant's Account shall continue to be adjusted for notional investment experience until such time as the Participant's Account has been distributed in full.

4.3.It is specifically provided that neither the Plan Administrator nor the Funds shall be obligated to make actual cash deposits to a Participant's Account, but only to make bookkeeping entries as if deposits had been made. If for its own convenience the Funds should make deposits, it is further provided that any sums thus deposited shall remain a general unrestricted asset of the Funds and shall not be deemed as being held in trust, escrow, or in any other fiduciary manner for the benefit of the Participant. The value of a Participant's Account will fluctuate due to the investment experience of the Notional Funds which such Participant has chosen from time to time and at the time at which benefits become payable under the Plan, the value of the Participant's Account may be less than the total amount of Compensation deferred under the Plan. The Funds are not responsible or liable for any amount by which the total amount of Compensation deferred exceeds the value of the Account and the Funds shall have no obligation to restore any such difference.

4.4.If a Notional Fund is dissolved or liquidated, a Participant's deferrals under the

Plan which are treated as though invested in such Notional Fund shall be redirected to one or more Notional Funds designated by the Participant based upon the relative allocations identified by the Participant at that time, or, if the Participant has not designated any remaining Notional Funds, redirected to a Fund operated as a money market Fund in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

**ARTICLE V.**

**<u>BENEFITS ON RETIREMENT</u>**

5.1.If the Participant continues in the service of one or more Funds until Retirement, the Funds shall pay to such Participant the amount then and thereafter standing credited to the Participant's Account described in ARTICLE IV with respect to such Funds at the time as elected by the Participant in the Participant's Deferral

Agreement. Installment payments shall be substantially equal over the period elected. Any excess amounts remaining in the Account with respect to such Funds shall be paid out in the final installment. With respect to benefits payable in a Lump Sum, the Lump Sum shall be an amount equal to the current value of the

Participant's Account with respect to such Funds one month prior to such date elected by the Participant in the Deferral Agreement, paid to the Participant on or about the first day of the month specified by the Participant in the Deferral Agreement, with no interest or earnings being credited after the date payment is due to be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by Section 409A, distribution shall not be made until the expiration of six calendar months from the date the payment was otherwise required to be made and the value of such

Participant's Account shall reflect notional earnings for this six-month period.

5.2.Should the Participant die at any time after Retirement, whether prior to or after the Participant has begun to receive the retirement payments provided for in

Section 5.1, the Participant's designated Beneficiary or Beneficiaries shall be entitled to receive the balance of such payments in a Lump Sum equal to the current value of the deceased Participant's Account on the date as of which such payment is processed. If no Beneficiary or Beneficiaries are designated at the time the Participant dies, then the Participant's surviving spouse, or if no surviving spouse, his or her estate shall be paid by the Plan as promptly as possible after due proof of death, but in all events within 90 days of the receipt of such proof of death, a Lump Sum amount equal to the value of the Participant's Account on the

Valuation Date immediately preceding or coincident with the date as of which such payment is processed, with no interest or earnings being credited after the date the payment is due to be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by Section 409A, distribution shall not be made until the expiration of six calendar months from the date the payment was otherwise required to be made and the value of such Participant's Account shall reflect notional earnings for this six-month period.

**ARTICLE VI.**

**<u>BENEFITS ON TERMINATION OF SERVICES OR</u>**

**<u>DEATH PRIOR TO RETIREMENT</u>**

6.1.In the event there is a Termination of Services with respect to one or more Funds for reason other than death or Retirement, such Funds shall pay to the Participant the amount then and thereafter standing credited to the Participant's Account described in ARTICLE IV with respect to such Funds at the time and in the manner as elected by the Participant in the Participant's Deferral Agreement. Installment

payments shall be substantially equal over the period elected. Any excess amounts remaining in the Account with respect to such Funds shall be paid out in the final installment. With respect to benefits payable in a Lump Sum, the Lump Sum shall be an amount equal to the current value of the Participant's bookkeeping account one month prior to such date elected by the Participant in the Deferral Agreement. The Lump Sum or the initial installment payment shall be paid to the Participant as soon as administratively practicable after the date elected by the Participant, on or about the first day of the month specified by the Participant in the Deferral Agreement (with such month being no less than one month following the Termination of Services), with no interest or earnings being credited after the date the payment is due to be made. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by Section 409A, distribution shall not be made until the expiration of six calendar months from the date the payment was otherwise required to be made and the value of such Participant's Account shall reflect notional earnings for this six-month period.

6.2.In the event the Participant dies before the Participant's Retirement or Termination of Services, or prior to the date the Participant has received all of the payments under Section 6.1, the Participant's designated Beneficiary or Beneficiaries shall be entitled to receive the balance remaining of such payments in a Lump Sum equal to the value of the deceased Participant's Account on the Valuation Date immediately preceding or coincident with the date of the Participant's death. If no

Beneficiary or Beneficiaries are designated at the time the Participant dies, then the Participant's surviving spouse, or if no surviving spouse, his or her estate shall be paid by the Plan as promptly as possible after due proof of death, but in all events within 90 days of the receipt of such proof of death, a Lump Sum amount equal to the value of the Participant's Account on the Valuation Date immediately preceding or coincident with the date as of which such payment is due to be made, with no interest or earnings being credited after the date the payment is processed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if required by Section 409A, distribution shall not be made until the expiration of six calendar months from the date the payment was otherwise required to be made and the value of such Participant's Account shall reflect notional earnings for this six-month period.

6.3.The Plan Administrator may, in its sole and absolute discretion and after providing written notice to the Participant, cause the Plan to pay to the Participant as promptly as possible a Lump Sum equal to the value of the Participant's Account on the Valuation Date immediately preceding or coincident with the date as of which such payment is made ("<u>Cash-Out</u> <u>Payment</u>"); <u>provided</u> that the Cash-Out Payment results in the termination and liquidation of the entirety of the

Participant's interest under the Plan (including all plans with which the Plan is required to be aggregated pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(c)(2) (collectively, the "<u>Controlled Group</u>")); <u>provided</u>, <u>further</u>, that the Cash-Out Payment may not be greater than the applicable dollar amount under Section 402(g)(1)(B) of the Code (which amount for 2026 is $24,500). Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Cash-Out Payment shall be made to a Participant who continues to be a participant in a plan that is a member of the Controlled Group and this Section 6.3 shall be

applied to a Participant's Account separately with respect to the portions of such account attributable to each group of plans constituting a Controlled Group.

**ARTICLE VII.**

**<u>WITHDRAWALS</u>**

7.1.In the event of an Unforeseeable Emergency, the Participant may apply to the Plan Administrator for early withdrawal from the Plan of an amount limited to that which is necessary to meet the emergency and/or suspend his or her deferral under the Plan. If such application for withdrawal is approved by the Plan Administrator, the withdrawal shall be effective at the latter of the date specified in the

Participant's application or the date of approval by the Plan Administrator.

Whenever an application for withdrawal is honored, the Plan Administrator shall pay the Participant from the Participant's Account described in ARTICLE IV only those amounts necessary to meet the emergency. The Participant's Account shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the amounts withdrawn. The Plan Administrator shall make the required findings and such findings shall be conclusive and binding upon all interested persons.

**ARTICLE VIII.**

**<u>LIQUIDATION AND DISSOLUTION OF A FUND</u>**

8.1.Notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, to the extent permitted by Treas. Reg. 1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix), in the event of the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of a Fund that qualifies as a corporate dissolution under Section 331 of the Code (or analogous Code provision in the case of a Fund that is taxable as a partnership), the Plan maintained by such Fund shall be terminated and all unpaid amounts in the bookkeeping accounts of the Participants with respect to such Fund as of the effective date of such dissolution shall be paid in a Lump Sum to the Participants on such effective date or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter, but in all events by the later of: (1) the end of the calendar year in which the deferred compensation plan termination occurs; or (2) the end of the first calendar year in which the payment is administratively practicable. For this purpose, a sale, conveyance or transfer of the Fund's assets to a trust, partnership, association or another corporation in exchange for cash, shares or other securities with the transfer being made subject to, or with the assumption by the transferee of, the liabilities of the Fund shall not be deemed a dissolution of the Fund. In such a case, if the Participant does not continue to provide services to such other trust, partnership, association or corporation following the transaction, the Participant shall be treated as having had a separation from service for purposes of Treas. Reg. §1.409A-3(a)(1) and shall become entitled to payment under ARTICLE VI, but if the Participant continues to provide services to the other trust, partnership, association or corporation following the transaction, the parties to the transaction shall, pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.409A-1(h)(4), treat the Participant as not having had a separation from service and the Participant shall not become entitled to payment under ARTICLE VI by reason of the transaction.

**ARTICLE IX.**

**<u>AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF PLAN</u>**

9.1.The Board may at any time terminate the Plan. Upon such termination, the Participant shall be deemed to have revoked the election to defer Compensation as of the date of such termination and on and after that date, all Compensation deferrals shall cease. Distributions of Participant Accounts shall be made in accordance with the Deferral Elections on file at the time of Plan termination and no distribution may be accelerated as a result of the termination of the Plan, except to the extent permitted under Section 409A.

9.2.The Board may amend the provisions of the Plan at any time; <u>provided</u>, <u>however</u>, that no amendment shall adversely affect the rights of the Participant or the designated Beneficiary or Beneficiaries, if any, as to the receipt of payments under the Plan to the extent of any Compensation deferred before the time of the amendment unless the Participant agrees to such amendment. No Participant consent shall be required for prospective amendments or retroactive amendments that do not adversely affect Plan Participants. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Board may amend the provisions of the Plan to comply with the requirements of applicable law, including but not limited to, Section 409A, without Participant consent irrespective of the impact any such amendment may have on Plan Participants.

**ARTICLE X.**

**<u>PARTICIPANT STATUS</u>**

10.1.Each Participant in the Plan shall have only the status of general unsecured creditor of each applicable Fund. The Plan constitutes a mere promise by each Fund to make payments in the future. Nothing is the Plan shall be deemed to constitute an employment agreement.

**ARTICLE XI.**

**<u>NON-ASSIGNABILITY CLAUSE</u>**

11.1.It is expressly provided that neither the Participant nor the Participant's

Beneficiary or Beneficiaries, nor any other designee, shall have any right to commute, sell, assign, transfer, or otherwise convey the right to receive any payments hereunder, which payments and rights thereto are expressly declared to be non-assignable and non-transferable and, in the event of any attempted assignment or transfer, the Funds shall have no further liability hereunder. Moreover, no unpaid benefits shall be subject to attachment, garnishment, or execution, or be transferable by operation of law in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency, or pursuant to a separation or divorce. The rights of the Participant or the Participant's Beneficiary or Beneficiaries to payments under the Plan are not subject in any manner to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment, or garnishment by creditors of the Participant or the Participant's Beneficiary or Beneficiaries. Notwithstanding the foregoing,

a Participant's Account may be used to pay any amounts the Participant owes to the Funds or an affiliate of the Funds on the date payment is required to be made by the Plan.

**ARTICLE XII.**

**<u>APPLICABLE LAW</u>**

12.1.The Plan shall be construed under the law of the State of Arizona.

**ARTICLE XIII.**

**<u>EFFECTIVE DATE</u>**

13.1.This amendment and restatement of the Plan shall be effective on the date of its adoption by the Funds' Boards of Directors or on such later date as may be provided in the vote, resolution, or consent in which such adoption takes place.

**<u>APPENDIX A</u>**

Up-to-date as of January 23, 2026

VOYA ASIA PACIFIC HIGH DIVIDEND EQUITY INCOME FUND

VOYA CREDIT INCOME FUND

VOYA ENHANCED SECURITIZED INCOME FUND

VOYA EMERGING MARKETS HIGH DIVIDEND EQUITY FUND

VOYA EQUITY TRUST

VOYA FUNDS TRUST

VOYA GLOBAL ADVANTAGE AND PREMIUM OPPORTUNITY FUND

VOYA GLOBAL EQUITY DIVIDEND AND PREMIUM OPPORTUNITY FUND

VOYA GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO

VOYA INFRASTRUCTURE, INDUSTRIALS AND MATERIALS FUND

VOYA INTERMEDIATE BOND PORTFOLIO

VOYA INVESTORS TRUST

VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS

VOYA PARTNERS, INC.

VOYA SEPARATE PORTFOLIOS TRUST

VOYA VARIABLE FUNDS

VOYA VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST

VOYA VARIABLE PORTFOLIOS, INC.

VOYA VARIABLE PRODUCTS TRUST

**<u>APPENDIX B</u>**

VOYA GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET FUND, a series of VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS

VOYA GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO, a series of

VOYA GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET PORTFOLIO

VOYA GOVERNMENT LIQUID ASSETS PORTFOLIO, a series of

VOYA INVESTORS TRUST

## Ex-99

![](gsfrztc609o2e2wmcy5zn.jpg)

Exhibit (g)(1)(i)

December 12, 2025

Don Brophy

Vice President

The Bank of New York Mellon

135 Santilli Highway

Room 026-0026

Everett, MA 02149

Dear Mr. Brophy:

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Custody Agreement, Foreign Custody Manager Agreement, and Fund Accounting Agreement, each dated January 6, 2003, the Fund Accounting, Custody & Transfer Agency for Voya Funds Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2019, and the Letter of Instruction and Indemnification Agreement In Connection With Signature Guarantees and Signature Verifications, dated January 12, 2011 (collectively, the "Agreements"), we hereby notify you of the addition of Voya VAC Series CB Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust, and Voya VACS Series LCC Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust (together, the "Funds"), effective on August 1, 2025, and December 12, 2025, respectively, to be included on the **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** to the Agreements. This **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** supersedes the previous **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** dated May 1, 2025.

The **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** has also been updated to reflect the removal of Voya Floating Rate Fund, which merged into Voya Short Duration High Income Fund, effective August 8, 2025; the removal of VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio, which merged into Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio, effective November 21, 2025; and the name changes of Voya Mid Cap Research Enhanced Index Fund to Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund, effective July 28, 2025, and Voya Small Company Fund to Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund, effective October 1, 2025.

**REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK**

![](gql71df2xl3iojv9to45r.jpg)

Please signify your acceptance to provide services under the Agreements with respect to the aforementioned Funds by signing below where indicated. If you have any questions, please contact me at (480) 477-2190.

Very sincerely,

By: /s/ Todd Modic

Name: Todd Modic

Title: Senior Vice President

Voya Equity Trust

Voya Funds Trust

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:

The Bank of New York Mellon

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. | Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Title: | Vice President | , Duly Authorized |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**AMENDED EXHIBIT A** |  |
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund** | March 27, 2007 |
| **Voya Corporate Leaders Trust Fund** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> Trust Fund – Series B | May 17, 2004 |
| **Voya Credit Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund** | April 26, 2011 |
| **Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Equity Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> 100 Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Income & Growth Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large-Cap Growth Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Value Fund | December 4, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Small Company | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Mid Cap Research | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Mid Cap Value Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Cap Growth Fund | April 4, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series LCC Fund | December 12, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series MCV Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Funds Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya GNMA Income Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Money Market Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Intermediate Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration Bond Fund | December 17, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration High Income Fund | February 9, 2023 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Strategic Income Opportunities Fund | October 15, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series CB Fund | August 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series HYB Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund** | October 27, 2005 |
| **Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund** | March 28, 2005 |
| **Voya Government Money Market Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund** | January 26, 2010 |
| **Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Investors Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Balanced Income Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Liquid Assets Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Inflation Protected Bond Plus Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio | May 3, 2004 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya Retirement | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Conservative Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderate Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderately Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Retirement Moderate Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Stock Index Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series S Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Global Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Small Cap Core Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Morgan Stanley Global Franchise Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| **Voya Mutual Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | June 19, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | December 15, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Partners, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Insights Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2035 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2045 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution Income Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | November 30, 2005 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Aggressive Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Balanced Portfolio | June 29, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Conservative Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Income Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Moderately Aggressive Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> American Century Small-Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Baron Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Contrarian Core Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Invesco Comstock Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| **Voya Separate Portfolios Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Grade Credit Fund | May 16, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Securitized Credit Fund | August 6, 2014 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target In-Retirement Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2030 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2035 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2040 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2045 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2050 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2055 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2060 Fund | October 15, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2065 Fund | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2070 Fund | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMHCD Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series SC Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Growth and Income Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Variable Insurance Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BrandywineGLOBAL – Bond Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| **Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Emerging Markets Index Portfolio | November 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | January 16, 2008 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus LargeCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus MidCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Value Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Small Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Company Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Bond Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series EM Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series I Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series MC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series SC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Products Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |

---

## Ex-99

*Exhibit (g)(1)(xiii)* 

<u>ANNEX</u> <u>A</u>

This Annex A, amended and restated effective as of November 30, 2023, is the Annex A to that certain Supplement to the Custody Agreement Hong Kong – China - Stock Connect Service dated as of November 19, 2018 by and between each of the Portfolios listed on this Annex A and The Bank of New York Mellon.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>PORTFOLIO</u>  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>CUSTODY</u> <u>ACCOUNT</u> <u>NUMBER</u>  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>SLEEVE</u> <u>(if</u> <u>applicable)</u>  |
|  Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472158  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472394 <br> 473280 <br> 591396 <br> 813730  |
|  Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472499  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 473411 <br> 941469  |
|  Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472496  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 938465  |
|  Voya VACS Series EME Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 591420  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 591395  |
|  Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405906  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405907  |
|  Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405899  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405901  |
|  Voya Global Insights Portfolio (formerly VY®Invesco Global Portfolio)  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 681317  | &nbsp;&nbsp; N/A  |

---

Note: (1) each entity listed in the Portfolio column is a Client, although with respect to each sleeve listed in the Sleeve column, for purposes of the account structure set forth in paragraph (a) that structure is established with respect to a particular sleeve commensurate with the account structure established under the CA with respect to such sleeve (and the terms China Connect Account and Cash Account have the meanings that correspond to that account structure established under the CA), (2) the provisions of paragraph (p) (including with respect to an HSBC Termination) are intended to apply on a sleeve-by-sleeve basis and (3) a sleeve may be considered to be the investor in China Connect Securities.

Agreed and accepted by:

Each Separate Legal Entity Listed on this Annex A

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| By: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>/s/ Fred Bedoya____________________</u>  |

---

Name: <u>Fred Bedoya</u> Title:<u>Vice President</u>

Annex A Page 2 of 2

January 30, 2018

Acknowledged by:

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| The Bank of New York Mellon By: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <u>/s/ Sean Brumble</u>  |

---

Name: Title:

Sean Brumble

<u>Managing</u> <u>Director</u>

## Ex-99

Exhibit (g)(1)(xiv)

<u>ANNEX</u> <u>A</u>

This Annex A, amended and restated effective as of April 1, 2024, is the Annex A to that certain Supplement to the Custody Agreement Hong Kong - China - Stock Connect Service dated as of November 19, 2018 by and between each of the Portfolios listed on this Annex A and The Bank of New York Mellon.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
|  <u>PORTFOLIO</u>  | &nbsp;&nbsp; <u>CUSTODY ACCOUNT</u> <u>NUMBER</u>  | &nbsp;&nbsp; <u>SLEEVE (if applicable)</u>  |
|  Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 4721 58  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472394 <br> 473280 <br> 591396 <br> 813730  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472499  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 473411 <br> 941469 <br> **003264**  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 472496  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 938465  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya VACS Series EME Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 591420  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 591395  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405906  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405907  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405899  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 405901  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp; Voya Global Insights Portfolio (formerly VY<sup>®</sup>Invesco Global Portfolio)  | &nbsp;&nbsp; 681317  | &nbsp;&nbsp; N/A  |

---

Note: (1) each entity listed in the Portfolio column is a Client, although with respect to each sleeve listed in the Sleeve column, for purposes of the account structure set forth in paragraph (a) that structure is established with respect to a particular sleeve commensurate with the account structure established under the CA with respect to such sleeve (and the terms China Connect Account and Cash Account have the meanings that correspond to that account structure established under the CA), (2) the provisions of paragraph (p) (including with respect to an HSBC Termination) are intended to apply on a sleeve-by-sleeve basis and (3) a sleeve may be considered to be the investor in China Connect Securities.

Agreed and accepted by

Each Separate Legal Entity Listed on this Annex A

By:<u>/s/ Todd Modic</u>

Name:<u>Todd Modic</u>

Title:<u>Senior Vice President</u>

Acknowledged by

The Bank of New York Mellon

By:<u>/s/ Allison Gardner</u>

Name:<u>Allison Gardner</u>

Title<u>Senior Vice President</u>

## Ex-99

![](gsb0hfhkeqoy4bdc00szm.jpg)

Exhibit (g)(2)(ii)

December 12, 2025

Don Brophy

Vice President

The Bank of New York Mellon

135 Santilli Highway

Room 026-0026

Everett, MA 02149

Dear Mr. Brophy:

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Custody Agreement, Foreign Custody Manager Agreement, and Fund Accounting Agreement, each dated January 6, 2003, the Fund Accounting, Custody & Transfer Agency for Voya Funds Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2019, and the Letter of Instruction and Indemnification Agreement In Connection With Signature Guarantees and Signature Verifications, dated January 12, 2011 (collectively, the "Agreements"), we hereby notify you of the addition of Voya VAC Series CB Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust, and Voya VACS Series LCC Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust (together, the "Funds"), effective on August 1, 2025, and December 12, 2025, respectively, to be included on the **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** to the Agreements. This **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** supersedes the previous **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** dated May 1, 2025.

The **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** has also been updated to reflect the removal of Voya Floating Rate Fund, which merged into Voya Short Duration High Income Fund, effective August 8, 2025; the removal of VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio, which merged into Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio, effective November 21, 2025; and the name changes of Voya Mid Cap Research Enhanced Index Fund to Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund, effective July 28, 2025, and Voya Small Company Fund to Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund, effective October 1, 2025.

**REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK**

![](glnzgan1yjxphxu806d5y.jpg)

Please signify your acceptance to provide services under the Agreements with respect to the aforementioned Funds by signing below where indicated. If you have any questions, please contact me at (480) 477-2190.

Very sincerely,

By: /s/ Todd Modic

Name: Todd Modic

Title: Senior Vice President

Voya Equity Trust

Voya Funds Trust

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:

The Bank of New York Mellon

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. | Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Title: | Vice President | , Duly Authorized |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**AMENDED EXHIBIT A** |  |
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund** | March 27, 2007 |
| **Voya Corporate Leaders Trust Fund** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> Trust Fund – Series B | May 17, 2004 |
| **Voya Credit Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund** | April 26, 2011 |
| **Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Equity Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> 100 Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Income & Growth Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large-Cap Growth Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Value Fund | December 4, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Small Company | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Mid Cap Research | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Mid Cap Value Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Cap Growth Fund | April 4, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series LCC Fund | December 12, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series MCV Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Funds Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya GNMA Income Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Money Market Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Intermediate Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration Bond Fund | December 17, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration High Income Fund | February 9, 2023 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Strategic Income Opportunities Fund | October 15, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series CB Fund | August 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series HYB Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund** | October 27, 2005 |
| **Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund** | March 28, 2005 |
| **Voya Government Money Market Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund** | January 26, 2010 |
| **Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Investors Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Balanced Income Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Liquid Assets Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Inflation Protected Bond Plus Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio | May 3, 2004 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya Retirement | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Conservative Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderate Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderately Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Retirement Moderate Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Stock Index Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series S Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Global Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Small Cap Core Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Morgan Stanley Global Franchise Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| **Voya Mutual Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | June 19, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | December 15, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Partners, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Insights Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2035 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2045 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution Income Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | November 30, 2005 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Aggressive Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Balanced Portfolio | June 29, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Conservative Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Income Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Moderately Aggressive Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> American Century Small-Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Baron Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Contrarian Core Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Invesco Comstock Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| **Voya Separate Portfolios Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Grade Credit Fund | May 16, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Securitized Credit Fund | August 6, 2014 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target In-Retirement Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2030 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2035 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2040 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2045 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2050 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2055 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2060 Fund | October 15, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2065 Fund | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2070 Fund | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMHCD Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series SC Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Growth and Income Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Variable Insurance Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BrandywineGLOBAL – Bond Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| **Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Emerging Markets Index Portfolio | November 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | January 16, 2008 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus LargeCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus MidCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Value Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Small Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Company Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Bond Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series EM Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series I Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series MC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series SC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Products Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |

---

## Ex-99

Exhibit (g)(3)(v)

**AMENDMENT TO SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT AND GUARANTY**

This AMENDMENT TO SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT AND GUARANTY ("Amendment") is made effective as of the 1st day of May, 2025 (the "Effective Date"), by and between **THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON** ("Bank") and each Investment Company listed on <u>Exhibit A</u> to the Agreement (defined below), for itself and for each Series (each, Investment Company and each Series is hereinafter referred to as, "Lender").

WHEREAS, Lenders and Bank have entered into a certain Securities Lending Agreement and Guaranty dated as of August 7, 2003 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the "Agreement"); and

WHEREAS, Lender and Bank desire to amend the Agreement in certain respects as hereinafter provided:

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, each intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.Amendment. The Agreement is hereby amended by deleting <u>Exhibit A</u> therefrom in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof a new <u>Exhibit A</u> identical to that which is attached hereto as <u>Attachment I</u>.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the provisions of the Agreement shall continue in full force and effect; and are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects. Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment, all references in the Agreement to "this Agreement" (and all indirect references such as "herein", "hereby", "hereunder" and "hereof") shall be deemed to refer to the Agreement as amended by this Amendment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.This Amendment may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but all of which shall constitute but one agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the date set forth above.

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| **THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON** | **THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**VOYA FUNDS, on behalf of each Investment** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**VOYA FUNDS, on behalf of each Investment** |
|  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Company and each Series as listed on <u>Exhibit A</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Company and each Series as listed on <u>Exhibit A</u>** |
|  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**to the Agreement** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**to the Agreement** |
| By: | /s/ David DiNardo |  |  |
| Name: | David DiNardo | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;By: | /s/ Joanne F. Osberg |
| Title: | Managing Director | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Name: | Joanne F. Osberg |
|  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Title: | Senior Vice President and Secretary |
| By: | /s/ Matt Knoblock |  |  |
| Name: | Matt Knoblock |  |  |
| Title: | Director |  |  |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Exhibit (g)(3)(v) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**ATTACHMENT I** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**EXHIBIT 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;**with respect to the** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**SECURITIES LENDING AGREEMENT AND GUARANTY** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Fund** | **Tax ID Number** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund** | 20-8258043 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Credit Income Fund** | 86-1011668 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund** | 27-2988890 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund** | 93-3623624 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Equity Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders® 100 Fund | 26-2637458 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Income & Growth Fund | 06-1415522 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Value Fund | 26-1430152 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large-Cap Growth Fund | 33-0733557 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Mid Cap Research Enhanced Index Fund | 06-1501683 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Fund | 06-1522344 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Mid Cap Value Fund | 45-2606398 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Cap Growth Fund | 20-1603453 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Company Fund | 06-1384097 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | 81-3911747 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series MCV Fund | 92-1131301 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Funds Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya GNMA Income Fund | 22-2013958 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Money Market Fund | 06-1330795 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Bond Fund | 23-2978938 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Intermediate Bond Fund | 52-2125227 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration High Income Fund | 92-1215010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration Bond Fund | 46-1334715 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Strategic Income Opportunities Fund | 46-0906231 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series HYB Fund | 92-1180539 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund** | 20-3379510 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund** | 20-2326466 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Government Money Market Portfolio** | 06-0920532 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | Exhibit (g)(3)(v) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund** | 26-1598407 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio** | 06-0891902 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Investors Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Balanced Income Portfolio | 20-4411383 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Perspectives® Portfolio | 46-2185194 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Liquid Assets Portfolio | 95-6891032 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Portfolio | 02-0558398 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio | 20-0573935 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Value Portfolio | 20-8642546 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio | 95-6895624 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Conservative Portfolio | 26-0475378 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Growth Portfolio | 27-0306776 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderate Growth Portfolio | 20-0573968 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderate Portfolio | 20-0573946 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Stock Index Portfolio | 55-0839540 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series S Portfolio | 92-0795039 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Inflation Protected Bond Plus Portfolio | 20-8798165 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® CBRE Global Real Estate Portfolio | 20-3602480 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® CBRE Real Estate Portfolio | 95-6895628 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Invesco Growth and Income Portfolio | 13-3729210 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® JPMorgan Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | 52-2059121 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® JPMorgan Small Cap Core Equity Portfolio | 02-0558352 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Morgan Stanley Global Franchise Portfolio | 02-0558382 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio | 95-6895626 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio | 95-6895630 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Mutual Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | 20-4966196 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund | 26-1751280 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | 33-0552475 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Perspectives® Fund | 46-2174862 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | 45-2766298 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | 90-0636176 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | 33-0591838 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund | 92-1129634 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Partners, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Portfolio | 20-1544721 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Insights Portfolio (FKA VY® Invesco Global Portfolio) | 75-3023503 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2025 Portfolio | 26-1752116 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2030 Portfolio | 45-2897339 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2035 Portfolio | 26-1752193 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2040 Portfolio | 45-2897431 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2045 Portfolio | 26-1752971 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | Exhibit (g)(3)(v) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2050 Portfolio | 45-2897491 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2050 Portfolio | 45-2897491 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2055 Portfolio | 27-0213462 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2060 Portfolio | 47-2770020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2065 Portfolio | 85-0777252 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2070 Portfolio | 33-2389400 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution Income Portfolio | 26-1753031 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | 20-3606522 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2025 Portfolio | 47-0951928 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2030 Portfolio | 45-2888841 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio | 20-2456104 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2040 Portfolio | 45-2888866 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio | 20-2456138 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2050 Portfolio | 45-2888890 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio | 27-0213529 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2060 Portfolio | 47-2784731 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2065 Portfolio | 85-0790735 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2070 Portfolio | 33-2418662 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Aggressive Portfolio | 46-2140327 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Balanced Portfolio | 26-0239133 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Conservative Portfolio | 27-1962562 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Income Portfolio | 20-2456008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Moderately Aggressive Portfolio | 27-1962647 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® American Century Small-Mid Cap Value Portfolio | 45-0467862 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Baron Growth Portfolio | 75-3023525 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Columbia Contrarian Core Portfolio | 52-2354160 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio | 20-3606562 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Invesco Comstock Portfolio | 75-3023521 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® Invesco Equity and Income Portfolio | 52-2354153 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® JPMorgan Mid Cap Value Portfolio | 75-3023510 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth Portfolio | 52-2354156 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio | 06-1496081 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Separate Portfolios Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Grade Credit Fund | 20-8949559 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Securitized Credit Fund | 47-1086328 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target In-Retirement Fund | 46-1247084 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2025 Fund | 46-1153408 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2030 Fund | 46-1164497 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2035 Fund | 46-1173568 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2040 Fund | 46-1182361 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2045 Fund | 46-1194000 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2050 Fund | 46-1203080 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2055 Fund | 46-1214446 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2060 Fund | 47-5291384 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2065 Fund | 85-0764510 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2070 Fund | 33-2369949 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
|  | Exhibit (g)(3)(v) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMCD Fund | 45-5030812 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMCD Fund | 45-5030812 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMHCD Fund | 92-1181688 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series SC Fund | 92-1153091 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Variable Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Growth and Income Portfolio | 06-0912550 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Variable Insurance Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;VY® BrandywineGLOBAL – Bond Portfolio | 47-2560348 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Emerging Markets Index Portfolio | 45-3167142 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | 26-1431015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus LargeCap Portfolio | 06-1462044 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus MidCap Portfolio | 06-1497207 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio | 06-1497206 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International Index Portfolio | 26-1751965 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Growth Index Portfolio | 26-4508675 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Index Portfolio | 26-1751663 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Value Index Portfolio | 26-4508728 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Growth Index Portfolio | 26-4509122 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Index Portfolio | 26-1751794 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Small Cap Index Portfolio | 26-1751874 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Company Portfolio | 06-1462045 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Bond Index Portfolio | 26-1751541 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series EM Portfolio | 92-0813233 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series I Portfolio | 88-4223468 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series MC Portfolio | 88-4228204 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series SC Portfolio | 92-0859015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Variable Products Trust |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Portfolio | 06-6493760 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio | 06-6397002 |

---

## Ex-99

![](gasbde8ukzb0r9tsxhpds.jpg)

Exhibit (h)(2)(ii)

December 12, 2025

Don Brophy

Vice President

The Bank of New York Mellon

135 Santilli Highway

Room 026-0026

Everett, MA 02149

Dear Mr. Brophy:

Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Custody Agreement, Foreign Custody Manager Agreement, and Fund Accounting Agreement, each dated January 6, 2003, the Fund Accounting, Custody & Transfer Agency for Voya Funds Fee Schedule, effective January 1, 2019, and the Letter of Instruction and Indemnification Agreement In Connection With Signature Guarantees and Signature Verifications, dated January 12, 2011 (collectively, the "Agreements"), we hereby notify you of the addition of Voya VAC Series CB Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust, and Voya VACS Series LCC Fund, a series of Voya Funds Trust (together, the "Funds"), effective on August 1, 2025, and December 12, 2025, respectively, to be included on the **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** to the Agreements. This **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** supersedes the previous **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** dated May 1, 2025.

The **<u>Amended Exhibit A</u>** has also been updated to reflect the removal of Voya Floating Rate Fund, which merged into Voya Short Duration High Income Fund, effective August 8, 2025; the removal of VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Growth Equity Portfolio, which merged into Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio, effective November 21, 2025; and the name changes of Voya Mid Cap Research Enhanced Index Fund to Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund, effective July 28, 2025, and Voya Small Company Fund to Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund, effective October 1, 2025.

**REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK**

![](ggm5yf6zd9ji8vbnk5wv6.jpg)

Please signify your acceptance to provide services under the Agreements with respect to the aforementioned Funds by signing below where indicated. If you have any questions, please contact me at (480) 477-2190.

Very sincerely,

By: /s/ Todd Modic

Name: Todd Modic

Title: Senior Vice President

Voya Equity Trust

Voya Funds Trust

ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO:

The Bank of New York Mellon

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| By: | /s/ Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. | Name: Robert M. Stein Jr. |  |
| Title: | Vice President | , Duly Authorized |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**AMENDED EXHIBIT A** |  |
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund** | March 27, 2007 |
| **Voya Corporate Leaders Trust Fund** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> Trust Fund – Series B | May 17, 2004 |
| **Voya Credit Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund** | April 26, 2011 |
| **Voya Enhanced Securitized Income Fund** | May 1, 2024 |
| **Voya Equity Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Corporate Leaders<sup>®</sup> 100 Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Income & Growth Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large-Cap Growth Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Value Fund | December 4, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic Small Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Small Company | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MI Dynamic SMID Cap Fund (formerly, Voya Mid Cap Research | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Enhanced Index Fund) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Fund | June 9, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Mid Cap Value Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Cap Growth Fund | April 4, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series LCC Fund | December 12, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series MCV Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Funds Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya GNMA Income Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Money Market Fund | November 5, 2019 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Intermediate Bond Fund | April 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration Bond Fund | December 17, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Short Duration High Income Fund | February 9, 2023 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Strategic Income Opportunities Fund | October 15, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series CB Fund | August 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series HYB Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Global Advantage and Premium Opportunity Fund** | October 27, 2005 |
| **Voya Global Equity Dividend and Premium Opportunity Fund** | March 28, 2005 |
| **Voya Government Money Market Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Infrastructure, Industrials and Materials Fund** | January 26, 2010 |
| **Voya Intermediate Bond Portfolio** | July 7, 2003 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| **Voya Investors Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Balanced Income Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Government Liquid Assets Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya High Yield Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Inflation Protected Bond Plus Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Large Cap Growth Portfolio | May 3, 2004 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Limited Maturity Bond Portfolio | January 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya Retirement | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Conservative Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderate Portfolio | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Retirement Moderately Aggressive Portfolio (formerly, Voya | August 12, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Retirement Moderate Growth Portfolio) |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Stock Index Portfolio | November 5, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series S Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BlackRock Inflation Protected Bond Portfolio | April 30, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Global Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> CBRE Real Estate Portfolio | January 3, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Small Cap Core Equity Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Morgan Stanley Global Franchise Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Equity Income Portfolio | January 13, 2003 |
| **Voya Mutual Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | June 19, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund | September 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | December 15, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund | November 3, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EME Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Partners, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Insights Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2035 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2045 Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Solution Income Portfolio | March 7, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | November 30, 2005 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2030 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2035 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2040 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2045 Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2050 Portfolio | September 28, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2055 Portfolio | December 4, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2060 Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2065 Portfolio | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution 2070 Portfolio | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Aggressive Portfolio | May 1, 2013 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Balanced Portfolio | June 29, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Conservative Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Income Portfolio | April 29, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Solution Moderately Aggressive Portfolio | April 30, 2010 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> American Century Small-Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Baron Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Contrarian Core Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Columbia Small Cap Value II Portfolio | April 28, 2006 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> Invesco Comstock Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> JPMorgan Mid Cap Value Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> T. Rowe Price Diversified Mid Cap Growth Portfolio | January 10, 2005 |
| **Voya Separate Portfolios Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Grade Credit Fund | May 16, 2007 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Securitized Credit Fund | August 6, 2014 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target In-Retirement Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2030 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2035 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2040 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2045 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2050 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2055 Fund | December 19, 2012 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2060 Fund | October 15, 2015 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2065 Fund | May 1, 2020 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Target Retirement 2070 Fund | May 1, 2025 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series EMHCD Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Series SC Fund | November 18, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Funds** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Growth and Income Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| **Voya Variable Insurance Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;VY<sup>®</sup> BrandywineGLOBAL – Bond Portfolio | February 9, 2015 |
| **Voya Variable Portfolios, Inc.** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Emerging Markets Index Portfolio | November 30, 2011 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Portfolio | January 16, 2008 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| **<u>Fund</u>** | **<u>Effective Date</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus LargeCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus MidCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Index Plus SmallCap Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Large Cap Value Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Growth Index Portfolio | May 1, 2009 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Mid Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russell™ Small Cap Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Small Company Portfolio | July 7, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya U.S. Bond Index Portfolio | March 4, 2008 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series EM Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series I Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series MC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya VACS Index Series SC Portfolio | October 21, 2022 |
| **Voya Variable Products Trust** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya MidCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya SmallCap Opportunities Portfolio | October 6, 2003 |

---

## Ex-99

Exhibit (j)(1)

CONSENT OF COUNSEL

We hereby consent to the use of our name and the references to our firm under the

caption "Legal Counsel" included in or made a part of Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registration Statement of Voya Mutual Funds (File No. 033-56094), on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

<u>/s/ Ropes & Gray LLP</u>

Ropes & Gray LLP

Boston, MA

February 25, 2026

## Ex-99

Exhibit (j)(2)

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

We consent to the references to our firm under the captions "Financial Highlights" in the Prospectus and "Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm" in the Statement of Additional Information, each dated February 28, 2026, and each included in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 232 to the Registration Statement (Form N-1A, File No. 033-56094) of Voya Mutual Funds (the "Registration Statement").

We also consent to the incorporation by reference of our reports dated December 19, 2025, with respect to Voya Global Bond Fund, Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility Fund, Voya Multi- Manager Emerging Markets Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap Fund, and Voya VACS Series EME Fund (the "Funds") (comprising Voya Mutual Funds) included in the Annual Reports to Shareholders (Form N-CSR) for the year ended October 31, 2025, into this Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

February 25, 2026

## Ex-99

Exhibit (n)(1)(i)

**SCHEDULE A**

**to the**

**TWENTY-FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED**

**MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE 18f-3**

**for**

**VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Name of Fund</u>** |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Classes of Shares</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Classes of Shares</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Classes of Shares</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Classes of Shares</u>** |  |
|  | **<u>A</u>** | **<u>C</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>I</u>** | **<u>R</u>** | **<u>R6</u>** | **<u>W</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | √ | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low Volatility | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | √ | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low | √ | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | N/A | √ | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Volatility Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets Equity | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Equity Fund | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Factors Fund | N/A | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small Cap | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | √ | √ |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russia Fund | √ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;√ | √ | &nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | √ |

---

**Schedule A Last Amended: October 25, 2024, to reflect the removal of Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund and Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Fund.**

**SCHEDULE B**

**to the**

**TWENTY-FIRST AMENDED AND RESTATED**

**MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN PURSUANT TO RULE 18f-3**

**for**

**VOYA MUTUAL FUNDS**

**12b-1 Distribution and Service Fees**

**Paid Each Year by the Funds (as a % of average net assets)**

---

| | | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>Name of Fund</u>** |  |  | **<u>Classes of Shares</u>** | **<u>Classes of Shares</u>** |  |  |
|  | **<u>A</u>** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**<u>C</u>** | **<u>I</u>** | **<u>R</u>** | **<u>R6</u>** | **<u>W</u>** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global Bond Fund | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | N/A | 0.50 | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Global High Dividend Low | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | N/A | 0.50 | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Volatility Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya International High Dividend Low | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Volatility Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager Emerging Markets | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | N/A | 0.50 | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Equity Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International | N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Factors Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Multi-Manager International Small | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | N/A | 0.50 | N/A | N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Cap Fund |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Russia Fund | 0.25 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.00 | N/A | 0.50 | N/A | N/A |

---

**Schedule B Last Amended: October 25, 2024, to reflect the removal of Voya Global Diversified Payment Fund and Voya Global Perspectives<sup>®</sup> Fund.**

## Ex-99

![](g37p09onhz6lkx3y5n0ok.jpg)

Exhibit (p)(1)

**January 5, 2026**

Code of Ethics

**Voya Alternative Asset Management LLC**

**Voya Investment Management Co. LLC**

**Voya Investment Management LLC**

**Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited**

**Voya Investments, LLC**

**Pomona Management LLC**

**Voya Investments Distributor, LLC**

**Voya Investment Trust Co.**

**Voya Realty Group LLC**

This Code of Ethics (the "Code") supersedes all codes of ethics previously included in the Voya Investment Management Compliance Policies and Procedures Manual. Voya Investment Management reserves the right to modify any provision in this Code at any time in the future. Such changes will be distributed by electronic communication or by other means, as appropriate.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Table of Contents** | **Table of Contents** |  |
| [1. Adoption of Code of Ethics ...........................................................................................................................](#div17be29ed-8a5c-4376-be89-a473d036d5cb) | [1. Adoption of Code of Ethics ...........................................................................................................................](#div17be29ed-8a5c-4376-be89-a473d036d5cb) | **[4](#div17be29ed-8a5c-4376-be89-a473d036d5cb)** |
| [2.](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917) | **[Covered Persons ...........................................................................................................................................](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** | **[5](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** |
| [3.](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917) | **[Violations of the Code ...................................................................................................................................](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** | **[5](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** |
| [4. Exceptions to the Code .................................................................................................................................](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917) | [4. Exceptions to the Code .................................................................................................................................](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917) | **[5](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** |
| [5.](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917) | **[Statement of Fiduciary Standards.................................................................................................................](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** | **[5](#divf929c61d-18f2-46e3-a7d7-a4a3aca91917)** |
| [6.](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76) | **[Duty of Confidentiality...................................................................................................................................](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76)** | **[6](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76)** |
| [7.](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76) | **[Duty to Comply with Federal Securities Laws..............................................................................................](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76)** | **[6](#div61fd7144-e1bf-4245-8116-b98b75a60d76)** |
| [8.](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab) | **[Personal Trading Restrictions.......................................................................................................................](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab)** | **[7](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab)** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.1.](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab)[Pre-Clearance](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab)[of Securities Transactions ...........................................................................................](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab) | [7](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.2. Requirements for Voya Financial Securities. .......................................................................................](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab) | [7](#div903f053f-05c4-4071-824e-34c62c853eab) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.3. Exceptions to](#divaf6624e8-56d7-4b9f-85bd-ec8a39b94ac0)[Pre-Clearance](#divaf6624e8-56d7-4b9f-85bd-ec8a39b94ac0)[of Securities Transactions......................................................................](#divaf6624e8-56d7-4b9f-85bd-ec8a39b94ac0) | [8](#divaf6624e8-56d7-4b9f-85bd-ec8a39b94ac0) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.4. Prohibition of Initial Public Offerings and Initial Coin Offerings.............................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | [9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.5. Restrictions on Private Placements.....................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | [9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[8.6. Borrowing Money from Suppliers or Clients. .......................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | [9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) |
| [9.](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | **[Intraday Trading Prohibition..........................................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)** | **[9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)** |
| [10. Reportable Funds.........................................................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | [10. Reportable Funds.........................................................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | **[9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)** |
| [11.](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)[Closed-End](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)[Funds........................................................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | [11.](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)[Closed-End](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)[Funds........................................................................................................................................](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d) | **[9](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)** |
| [12. Prohibition on](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)[Short-Term](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)[Trading Profits................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | [12. Prohibition on](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)[Short-Term](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)[Trading Profits................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | **[10](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)** |
| [13. Reporting Obligations................................................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | [13. Reporting Obligations................................................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | **[10](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892)** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.1. Disinterested Directors/Trustees. ......................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | [10](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.2. Initial Disclosure of Personal Holdings. .............................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | [10](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.3. Securities Transaction Records. .......................................................................................................](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) | [10](#div58093e76-9b86-4033-ab81-fd7bdeb65892) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.4. Quarterly Account and Transaction Reports. ......................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.5. Annual Holdings Report.....................................................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.6. Information to be Reported. ...............................................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.7. Initial and Annual Holdings Reports must include the: ........................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[13.8. Quarterly Transaction Reports must include the:................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
| [14. Gift & Entertainment Policy ........................................................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [14. Gift & Entertainment Policy ........................................................................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | **[11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d)** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[14.1. Nominal Business Gifts and Business Entertainment .........................................................................](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) | [11](#div8d150b56-2a66-43d1-b157-6f4ac67a212d) |
| [15. Outside Business Activities ......................................................................................................................](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) | [15. Outside Business Activities ......................................................................................................................](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) | **[14](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3)** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[15.1. Outside Business Interests and Private Investments.........................................................................](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) | [14](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) |
|  |  | 2 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| [15.2. "Control" Persons of Public Companies ............................................................................................](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) | [14](#divfc8fbfaf-2e2e-49d4-bec8-bc6ef1a5f0d3) |
| [15.3. Political Activity.................................................................................................................................](#divfb81991b-b615-4418-b7f8-2713557637ca) | [15](#divfb81991b-b615-4418-b7f8-2713557637ca) |
| **[Code of Ethics Guide – Securities Transactions Matrix.................................................................................](#div1ee9154b-bd0e-4473-9b27-88880b2f5c7c)** | **[17](#div1ee9154b-bd0e-4473-9b27-88880b2f5c7c)** |
| **[Bank Loan and Global CLO Group .................................................................................................................](#divfcf20a5b-9a6a-48c5-838a-6e57bfbdd577)** | **[20](#divfcf20a5b-9a6a-48c5-838a-6e57bfbdd577)** |

---

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

![](g7snyluvioxlvw8fyc5md.jpg)

1. Adoption of Code of Ethics

This Code of Ethics (the "Code") has been adopted by each of the registered investment companies advised by Voya Investments, LLC (or an affiliate) and operating under the Voya funds umbrella (the "Voya funds") and by each of the following Voya Entities (collectively referred to as "Voya Entities"):

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Alternative Asset Management LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Pomona Management LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Management Co. LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investments Distributor, LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Management LLC | &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Trust Co |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Realty Group LLC |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Voya Investments. LLC |  |

---

The provisions of the Code are applicable to all directors, trustees, officers and persons employed or appointed by one or more of the Voya Entities as well as their immediate family members living in such designated person's household[<sup>1</sup>](#div17be29ed-8a5c-4376-be89-a473d036d5cb)(collectively referred to as "Employees") unless otherwise noted. Employees on short-term disability, whose access rights have not been revoked will still be subject to the Code. Employees on long-term disability, whose access rights have been revoked, will not be subject to the Code during the leave period.

Temporary contract workers, interns, independent contractors, or independent consultants, as well as certain persons of other affiliated entities are considered "Employees" for purposes of this Code if such person provides investment advice to clients on behalf of the Voya Entities, is subject to the supervision and control of the Voya Entities, has access to nonpublic information regarding any client's purchase or sale of securities, is involved in making securities recommendations to clients, or has access to such recommendations that are nonpublic. The Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") may exempt such persons from any requirement hereunder if the CCO determines that such exemption would not have a material adverse effect on any client account and for those contingent workers subject to a contractual arrangement with the Voya Entities that addresses insider trading and/or similar potential conflicts of interest.

In addition, the Code is applicable to the trustees/directors of each of the Voya funds (the "Voya funds Directors").

All Employees and the Voya funds Directors (collectively referred to as "Covered Persons") will be provided with a copy of this Code upon employment with the Voya Entities or appointment and notified when any material amendments are made to the Code.

The Code is not intended to supersede or otherwise replace the Voya Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. All of the policies and guidelines contained in the Voya Code of Business Conduct and Ethics shall remain in full force and effect as to Employees.

1An "immediate family member" includes any child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse (including domestic

partners), sibling and in-laws, as well as any person sharing the same household with the Employee in which the Employee contributes to the material financial support of such person. A person who holds account(s) in which the Employee is a joint owner, has trading authority, or beneficial ownership would also be considered an immediate family member, regardless of if that person lives in the same household as the Employee.

Beneficial ownership is interpreted in the same manner as it would be under Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act in determining whether a person is the beneficial owner of a security for purposes of Section 16 of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. Rule 16a-1(2) under the 1934 Act specifies that to have beneficial ownership, a person must have a "direct or indirect pecuniary interest", which is the opportunity to profit directly or indirectly from a transaction in securities. Thus, a Covered Person may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of securities held by members of his or her immediate family sharing the same household, or by certain partnerships, trusts, corporations, or other arrangements.

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

2. Covered Persons

**Certification of Compliance.** All Covered Persons are required to certify annually that they have:

■

■

■

read and understand the provisions contained in the Code; complied with all the requirements of the Code; and reported all transactional information required by the Code.

Generally, as an Employee of the Company, you may be held personally liable for any improper or illegal acts committed during the course of your employment; non-compliance with this Policy may be deemed to encompass one of these acts. Accordingly, you must read this policy and comply with the spirit and the strict letter of its provisions. Failure to comply may result in the imposition of serious sanctions, which may include, but are not limited to, letter of written reprimand, the disgorgement of profits, cancellation of trades, selling of positions, and suspension of personal trading privileges, dismissal, and referral to law enforcement or regulatory agencies.

Covered Persons are required to certify their receipt and understanding of and compliance with the Code within ten days of becoming a Covered Person. On an annual basis, all Covered Persons are required to certify their understanding of and compliance with the Code. Additionally, whenever the Code is materially amended, Covered Persons must certify that they have received the amended Code and that they have read, understand, and will abide by the terms and provisions of the Code. You will be provided with timely notification of these certification requirements and directions on how to complete them by the Code of Ethics Office. Other reporting and certification requirements are set forth in the Gift & Entertainment ("G&E"), Political Contributions, and Personal Securities Transactions sections of this Code.

3. Violations of the Code

Strict compliance with the provisions of the Code is considered to be a basic provision of employment. Employees are required to report any known or suspected violations of the Code to Compliance immediately. An Employee who violates this Code or fails to report a violation of the Code may result in disciplinary action, which may include, but is not limited to a warning, unwinding of trades, disgorgement of profits, suspension of personal trading privileges, and suspension or termination of employment. Repeated offenses will likely be subject to additional sanctions of increasing severity.

4. Exceptions to the Code

Exceptions to the Code will only be made under extraordinary circumstances. No exception may be granted for those sections of the Code that are mandated by regulation.

Exceptions may be made only upon prior request, and no exception will be granted subsequent to a violation of the Code. To be granted an exception to the Code, a written request regarding the nature of the exception must be made and submitted to the CCO and approved by her or him and a member of the Voya Entities' Executive Leadership Team. Exceptions to the Code shall be reported as applicable to the CCO of the Voya funds and the Voya funds Directors.

5. Statement of Fiduciary Standards

A fiduciary is a person or organization that manages money or property for another, usually a client, and, as a result, has a legal duty to act in the best interests of that client. This Code is based on the overriding principle that the Employees have a fiduciary duty to clients, including the Voya funds, while the Voya funds' Directors have a fiduciary duty only to the Voya funds. Our investment advisers owe a fiduciary duty to the Clients for which they serve as an adviser or sub-adviser. Covered Persons of our investment advisers must avoid activities, interests,

![](giyqbk3azkda4466bkree.jpg)

and relationships that could interfere or appear to interfere with our advisers' fiduciary duties. Accordingly, Covered Persons shall conduct their activities in accordance with the following standards:

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Clients' Interests** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Conflicts of Interest Should be** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Compromising Situations** |
| **Come First** | **Avoided** | **Should be Avoided** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In the course of fulfilling their | &nbsp;&nbsp;Covered Persons must avoid any | Covered Persons shall never take |
| duties and responsibilities, | &nbsp;&nbsp;Covered Persons must avoid any | Covered Persons shall never take |
| duties and responsibilities, | situations involving an actual or | advantage of their position of trust |
| Covered Persons **must at all** | situations involving an actual or | advantage of their position of trust |
| Covered Persons **must at all** | potential conflicts of interest or | and responsibility. Covered |
| **times place the interests of the** | potential conflicts of interest or | and responsibility. Covered |
| **times place the interests of the** | possible impropriety with respect | Persons must avoid any situation |
| **clients (or, in the case of the** | possible impropriety with respect | Persons must avoid any situation |
| **clients (or, in the case of the** | to their duties and responsibilities | that might compromise or call into |
| **Voya funds Directors, the Voya** | to their duties and responsibilities | that might compromise or call into |
| **Voya funds Directors, the Voya** | to, in the case of an Employee, a | question their exercise of full |
| funds) first. Covered Persons shall | to, in the case of an Employee, a | question their exercise of full |
| funds) first. Covered Persons shall | Voya Entity or a client of a Voya | independent judgment in the best |
| avoid putting their own personal | Voya Entity or a client of a Voya | independent judgment in the best |
| avoid putting their own personal | Entity or in the case of a Voya | interests of clients. |
| interests ahead of the interests of | Entity or in the case of a Voya | interests of clients. |
| interests ahead of the interests of | funds Director, the Voya funds. |  |
| a client. | funds Director, the Voya funds. |  |
| a client. |  |  |

---

All activities of Covered Persons shall be guided by, and adhere to, these fiduciary standards. The remainder of this Code sets forth specific rules and procedures that are consistent with these fiduciary standards. However, all activities by Employees are required to conform to these standards regardless of whether the activity is specifically covered in this Code. Any violation of the Code by an Employee may include but not be limited to reprimand, suspension, disgorgement of trading profits and termination of employment.

6. Duty of Confidentiality

Covered Persons must keep confidential any non-public information regarding Voya, a Voya Entity, a Voya fund, and any client or any entity whose securities they know or should know are under investment review by a portfolio management team acting on behalf of a Voya Entity. Covered Persons have the highest fiduciary obligation not to reveal confidential information of any nature to any party that does not have an explicitly clear and compelling need to know such information.

All information submitted by a Covered Person to Compliance pursuant to this Code will be treated as confidential information. It may, however, be made available to senior management, governmental and governmental agencies with regulatory authority over the Voya Entities, as well as to the Voya funds Directors, and each of their auditors and legal advisors, as appropriate.

7. Duty to Comply with Federal Securities

Laws

Voya Entities' activities are governed by the federal securities laws, including the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act") and the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"), as amended. Covered Persons are expected to adhere to the federal securities laws, whether or not the activity is specifically covered in this Code.

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

8. Personal Trading Restrictions

The restrictions of this section apply to all Employees covered under the personal trading policies and procedures of the Voya Entities, and to accounts over which they have the authority to make investment decisions, for all transactions involving securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.1.Pre-Clearance** of Securities Transactions

Except for the transactions listed below, approval must be obtained from Compliance before entering an order to buy or sell or transfer securities by gift, engaging in derivative transactions, or selling of shares in connection with margin calls. **An approval to trade is only valid on the business day it is received (note: such approvals terminate at close of business day on the date such approval is granted).** If you receive approval and do not complete the trade that same day, you must seek pre-clearance to complete the trade the next (or any subsequent) business day. Except as noted below, approval must be received for every transaction. Pre- clearance approvals for securities traded on a U.S. exchange or in a U.S. market are effective until the close of business on the day that your pre-clearance request has been approved. Pre- clearance approvals for securities traded on a foreign exchange or in a foreign market are effective until the close of business on the business day following approval of your pre-clearance request. If you want to modify your trade request previously submitted in any way (e.g., date of execution or share quantity), you must submit a new pre-clearance request.

The Voya Entities utilize a vendor system to process personal trading. All pre-clearance requests shall be made via the system, which can be accessed at: StarCompliance .

Employees assigned portfolio management or trading responsibilities are prohibited from knowingly buying or selling the same security traded in an associated client account for a period of 15 days (7 days prior to the client trade and 7 days after the client trade).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.2.Requirements for Voya Financial Securities.**

■

■

■

■

■

■

**Employees must obtain pre-clearance for transactions involving Voya Financial securities, including:**

Open market purchases and sales;

Gifting or making a charitable contribution of your holdings;

Transactions in Voya Company Stock Fund in the 401(k) (other than automatic purchases made pursuant to an established payroll-deduction program, or transactions involving automatic and/or pro-rata rebalances); or

Sales of performance shares units or restricted stock units.

**Employees who wish to transact in Voya securities should consider the following before seeking pre-clearance and transacting:**

Voya Securities must be held for a **minimum of 60 calendar days** from the acquisition date, including the Voya Company Stock Fund in Voya 401(k) accounts.

**Prohibition of Short Selling and Derivatives of Voya Securities. Because of the heightened legal risk, the potential misalignment of your interests and those of Voya Financial and its shareholders, and the inappropriateness of engaging in speculative transactions involving Voya Financial securities, you may not engage in:**

-Short sales of Voya Financial common stock. For example, you cannot sell Voya Financial common stock that you do not own, or if you own the stock, you cannot deliver it against such sale, and borrowing shares to complete the sale; or

![](gt4t1kqooo0shdb291bei.jpg)

-Hedging or other transactions involving options (including exchange-traded options), puts, calls, forward contracts or other derivatives involving Voya Financial securities (excluding stock awards granted under any Voya Financial incentive plan).

**■Prohibition of Trading in Voya Securities during the "Closed Period." Employees are prohibited from trading Voya Securities, including the Voya Company Stock Fund in Voya's 401(k) plan, during the "Closed Period for Voya's Financial Instruments" as set forth by Voya Financial. The Voya Closed Periods are set forth on the StarCompliance vendor system utilized to process personal trading requests.**

**Warning:** Failure to pre-clear will result in sanctions including suspension of personal trading privileges.

**8.3.Exceptions to** Pre-Clearance of Securities Transactions.

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The following types of transactions are not subject to the pre-clearance requirements of this Code; however, certain transactions listed below are subject to the reporting and holding period requirements of the Code. Please reference the Code of Ethics Guide – Securities Transactions Matrix for details.

Direct obligations of the Government of the United States ("U.S.") and its agencies; Direct obligations of the Government of the United Kingdom;

High quality short-term debt instruments, including bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, money market securities and repurchase agreements;

Shares of open-end funds, including shares held in Voya's 401(k) plan (as defined in Reportable Funds, below);

Transactions in accounts over which an Employee has no direct or indirect control or influence (managed or discretionary accounts);

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Transactions under any incentive compensation plan sponsored by the Voya Entities;

Transactions made through an automatic dividend reinvestment plan, automatic payroll deduction or similar program (excluding Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts) where the timing of purchases and sales is controlled by someone other than the Employee;

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Transactions involving Bitcoins or other cryptocurrencies;

Transactions made through a fully discretionary Robo-Advisor program;

An exercise of pro-rata rights issued by a company to all the holders of a class of its securities;

On any given day, transactions involving 100 shares or less (per account) of common stock issued by companies included in the S&P 500 Index;

■Transactions involving exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and exchange-traded notes (ETNs) (apart from single-stock ETFs and ETNs and non-Voya ETFs and ETNs sub-advised by the Voya Entities)[<sup>2</sup>](#divaf6624e8-56d7-4b9f-85bd-ec8a39b94ac0);

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Transactions involving penny stocks;

Transactions involving listed index options, index futures, and other securities with an index as underlying; and

<sup>2</sup> A list of Voya ETFs and sub-advised ETFs is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

![](gjvxangqp24dlr7kd5oqt.jpg)

■Transactions involving unaffiliated[<sup>3</sup>](#div3560cc8e-c1f7-4802-babc-34d96e1f226d)closed-end registered funds.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.4.Prohibition of Initial Public Offerings and Initial Coin Offerings.** Employees are prohibited from acquiring securities in initial public offerings, except for transactions made pursuant to an employee incentive compensation, retention or other program put in place by a Voya Entity, and initial coin offerings.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.5.Restrictions on Private Placements.** Employees are prohibited from acquiring non-public securities (a private placement) without the prior approval of Compliance. If an Employee is granted approval to make such a personal investment, that Employee will not participate in any consideration of whether clients should invest in the same issuer's public or non-public securities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8.6.Borrowing Money from Suppliers or Clients.** Employees may not borrow money from any of Voya suppliers, consultants, or clients. However, the receipt of credit on customary terms in connection with the purchase of goods or services is not considered to be borrowing within the foregoing prohibition. In addition, acceptance of loans from other banks or financial institutions on customary terms to finance proper and usual activities, such as home mortgage loans, is permitted except where prohibited by law.

9. Intraday Trading Prohibition

Covered persons are prohibited from the purchase and sale, and sale and purchase, of the same security, on the same day (intraday trading). This prohibition does not apply to transactions that are fully exempt from pre- clearance, reporting, and holding period requirements. Exceptions to this prohibition are subject to prior approval by Compliance.

10. Reportable Funds

Reportable Fund<sup>3</sup> means any open-end investment company for which any of the Voya Entities serves as an investment adviser or sub-adviser. Open-end investment companies include: U.S. open-end mutual funds (other than money market and short-term bond funds), ETFs, UCITS, SICAVs, and any fund managed by any of the Voya Entities that is an investment option offered as part of a variable annuity. Other than non-Voya ETFs and ETNs sub-advised by the Voya Entities, Reportable Funds do not require pre-clearance. However, all transactions and holdings involving Reportable Funds must be reported, regardless of whether pre-clearance is required.

All transactions in Reportable Funds must be in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, or other applicable fund documents, for the relevant fund, including but not limited to the fund's policies and procedures relating to short-term trading and forward pricing of securities.

11. Closed-End Funds

Certain Covered Persons may be considered insiders to a closed-end fund advised or sub-advised by the Voya Entities. In such cases, these persons will be notified of their status as well as advised of additional restrictions imposed on them and their ability to transact in such closed-end fund.

3Affiliated includes advised and sub-advised closed-end funds. A list of affiliated closed-end funds and Reportable Funds is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

Solely to facilitate compliance with timely Form 4 and 5 filing requirements with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), all such insiders must submit a written report of any transaction involving the closed-end fund on the trade date of such transaction to Compliance.

12. Prohibition on Short-Term Trading Profits

The firm discourages its Employees from engaging in short-term trading strategies for their own accounts. Any excessive or inappropriate trading that, in the firm's view, interferes with job performance, or compromises the duty that the firm owes to its Clients, will not be tolerated. Employees must always conduct their personal trading activities lawfully, properly, and responsibly.

Employees may not profit from short-term trading, which is defined as transactions of securities, except as noted below and set forth in the Code of Ethics Guide – Securities Transactions Matrix, that are initiated and closed (the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the same (or related) securities) within **30 calendar days.**

For Reportable Funds, the 30-calendar day holding period is measured from the time of the most recent purchase date of the applicable shares.

Voya Financial securities must be held for 60 calendar days. Exception: You may sell Voya Financial securities within the 60-day holding period as part of the default option to cover taxes due upon the receipt or vesting of equity-based compensation as described in the Voya Financial Personal Trading Policy . Similarly, you may sell all or a portion of your Voya Financial securities deposited into your account as a result of equity-based compensation grants or vesting events within the 60-day holding period.

Profits made in connection with short-term trades may be subject to disgorgement.

13. Reporting Obligations

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**13.1.Disinterested Directors/Trustees.** Voya funds Directors/Trustees who are not deemed to be "interested persons" (as that term is defined under the 1940 Act) of a Voya fund, its investment adviser, or the investment adviser's affiliates (the "Disinterested Directors") must submit a quarterly report containing the information set forth in 13.2 - 13.5 below, only with respect to those transactions for which such person knew or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a Disinterested Director, should have known, that during the 15-day period immediately before or after the Disinterested Director's transaction in securities that are otherwise subject to the reporting requirements described herein, an applicable Voya fund had purchased or sold the security at issue or that an investment adviser or sub-adviser for an applicable Voya fund had considered purchasing or selling such security.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**13.2.Initial Disclosure of Personal Holdings.** Employees are required to disclose all their personal securities holdings to Compliance within 10 days of commencing employment with a Voya Entity. The holdings report must be current as of a date not more than 45 days prior to the commencement of employment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**13.3.Securities Transaction Records.** Employees should be aware that the Voya Entities maintain a list of designated broker-dealers with whom Employees may maintain a brokerage account. Employees shall notify Compliance if they intend to open, or have opened, a brokerage account. If requested, Employees shall direct their brokers to supply Compliance with duplicate confirmation statements of their securities transactions and copies of all periodic statements for their accounts. Employees must report new authorized brokerage accounts to Compliance within thirty (30) days of funding the account. Note: Employees may not trade in the new account prior to reporting the account. Any brokerage account opened to facilitate cryptocurrency trading is a reportable account under the Code and must be held with an approved designated broker.

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

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

**13.4.Quarterly Account and Transaction Reports.** Employees are required to submit a report listing their securities transactions made during the previous quarter within 30 days of the end of each calendar quarter.

**13.5.Annual Holdings Report.** Employees are required to submit a report listing all securities held as of December 31 of the year reported within 30 days of the end of the calendar year. The holdings reports must be current as of a date not more than 45 days prior to the date the report is submitted.

**13.6.Information to be Reported.** Employees are required to provide the following information when submitting reports as required by 13.2. through 13.5., above:

**13.7.Initial and Annual Holdings Reports must include the:**

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title or description and type of security, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the number of shares or principal amount of each security;

broker-dealer or bank where accounts are held; and date the report is submitted.

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**13.8.Quarterly Transaction Reports must include the:**

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title or description and type of security, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, the number of shares and principal amount of each security (as well as the interest rate and maturity date, if applicable);

trade date and type of transaction (i.e., buy, sell, open, close, etc.): price of the security;

broker-dealer or bank account through which the transaction was affected; and date the report is submitted.

All reports, other than the Initial Disclosure of Personal Holdings, shall be made via the vendor system, which can be accessed at: StarCompliance .

14. Gift & Entertainment Policy

As a general rule, an Employee should not give or accept an inappropriate or significant gift or entertainment to/from a third party that has any business dealings with Voya Financial. All Employees who are also Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") registered representatives are, to the extent they are conducting business on behalf of the Voya Entities, do so under Voya Investments Distributor, LLC ("VID"), a registered broker-dealer with the SEC and a member of FINRA. (Note: those requirements are described more fully in the VID Written Supervisory Procedures.)

This Policy should be read in conjunction with the Voya Financial Gift, Entertainment, and Conflicts of Interest Policy .

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**14.1.Nominal Business Gifts and Business Entertainment**

Giving or receiving gifts in a business setting may give rise to an appearance of impropriety or raise a potential conflict of interest. It could also, depending on facts and circumstances, qualify as paying or receiving non-cash compensation for a testimonial or endorsement under Rule 206(4)-1. As a general rule, Employees should not give to or accept from a third party (e.g., client, broker, or vendor) any gift or gratuity. However, gifts less than $100 per year per person as well

![](gflbkksrt4x98cvux7ie3.jpg)

as occasional, normal and customary meals and/or business entertainment (where the person providing the entertainment is present) that on a fair market value basis does not exceed $750 per incident (note: dinner and a show or golf and lunch would be considered one business entertainment event) or $2,500 per year, the cost of which would be paid for by Voya as a reasonable business expense if not paid for by the third party, and which is not given or accepted in exchange for a testimonial or endorsement, are permitted. Any G&E in excess of these limits should be declined or returned. If it is not practical to return a gift, provide it to Human Resources for donation. In the case of a perishable item worth more than $100, the gift may be shared with the Covered Person's entire department.

Ultimately, except for personal gifts explained more fully below, G&E must have a clear connection with Voya's business and are not permitted if an independent third party might think that the Employee would be influenced in conducting business or might otherwise provide an endorsement of that third party. Any G&E given or received in connection with Voya giving or receiving a testimonial or endorsement will qualify as a paid testimonial or endorsement under Rule 206(4)-1. While G&E under $1,000[<sup>4</sup>](#dive8ca401c-3795-4d1c-9409-fc2aebdb9bf1)are considered "de minimis" compensation and testimonials/endorsements given for de minimis compensation are exempt from some of the provisions of Rule 206(4)-1, such arrangements with third parties are still subject to adviser oversight and required disclosures. Employees should seek prior approval from Legal and Compliance prior to engaging in a testimonial or endorsement arrangement.

Family members (including domestic partners) of Employees are not permitted to accept fees, G&E, invitations to seminars/conferences, payments or other favors in connection with any business of Voya. Any questions should be directed to your supervisor or Compliance Officer, and in the case of FINRA registered representatives conducting business on behalf of VID, your broker-dealer supervisor.

Employees who plan G&E to anyone affiliated with a public entity, including but not limited to state and municipal pension plans, have a special responsibility to both know and adhere to the policy stated above, and to comply fully with additional policies, procedures, and restrictions placed on such Employees by statue statutes, municipal regulations or internal policies. Public entity employees may be under **even more stringent restrictions or outright prohibitions** with regard to receipt of meals and entertainment. Any Voya employee seeking to entertain a public entity employee should first check with Compliance and Legal to see what, if any, additional restrictions may apply. Compliance and Legal can assist in determining what such restrictions are prior to the gifting to and entertaining of such individuals.

The Voya Entities generally restrict employees from providing gifts and/or entertainment to government officials. However, under certain circumstances, expenditures for meals, entertainment and other normal social amenities for government officials may be permitted, provided it is not extravagant and otherwise complies with the laws and customs of the state or country in which the expenditure is incurred. Similarly, gifts may be given only if the gifts are of reasonable value and conform to laws and normal social customs in the recipient's state or country.

**Any employee seeking to provide gifts, entertainment, or social amenities to a government official should obtain prior authorization from their Executive Leadership Team representative and from Compliance. This request should be submitted through StarCompliance.**

<sup>4</sup> For purposes of Rule 206(4)-1.

![](g0ymjm6q5ro3dkl3ykdqu.jpg)

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**Gifts**

The following are some guidelines or examples of acceptable gifts. These guidelines also apply when employees are attending conferences sponsored by Clients, prospects, brokers, vendors and other third parties.

An acceptable gift may not exceed a face value of $100 per third party, per year.

Purely personal gifts are permissible. Personal gifts are gifts that serve a personal (not business) purpose, are paid by the giver (not the giver's employer) and are between close friends or family members (e.g., gifts that are related to commonly recognized personal events, such as births, promotion, wedding, or retirement).

■Discounts or rebates on merchandise or services that do not exceed those available to arm's length clients. The final total cost or value of goods or services is subject to a $100 limit per third party, per year.

■Occasional gifts with a modest nominal value and that are widely distributed and include a company logo (e.g., shirts, caps, pens, books, bags, cups, golf balls, towels, desk ornaments) do not count toward the annual limit as long as they are infrequent and the reasonably estimated value of the item does not exceed $75. Receipt of such gifts is permitted without any approval or reporting obligation.

**Business Meals and Entertainment**

The following are some guidelines regarding acceptable business meals and entertainment. These guidelines also apply when employees are attending conferences sponsored by Clients, prospects, brokers, vendors and other third parties.

■Normal, customary, and occasional business meals or entertainment where the meal or entertainment takes place in one event and the person providing the entertainment is present. A good test is whether Voya would consider such an expense reasonable, if not paid for by a third party. Also, a good rule of thumb is whether an Employee can eat, drink, or enjoy the entertainment in one sitting.

■Business meals and entertainment should be consistent with FINRA guidance and advice. As such, the total fair market value of the event may not exceed $750 per Employee, per event (note: dinner and a show or golf and lunch would be considered one event), subject to an annual maximum amount of $2,500 per third party.[<sup>5</sup>](#div9c471328-b4c5-41ea-b5d1-0485c5c4b565)

■Entertainment, such as tickets to sporting events, golf fees, or ski lift tickets, will be evaluated based on the published ticket price. Again, in all cases both the giver and the recipient must be present.

■The cost of local transportation does not count towards the $750 per event/$2,500 annual limit, provided that the mode of transportation must be reasonable. Any travel and lodging related to the event should be paid for by Voya subject to the Voya Financial Travel and Entertainment Policy .

Any exceptions to the above guidelines must be approved by the Employee's manager and an Executive Leadership Team representative prior to acceptance.

In order to monitor compliance, employees are required to regularly report the receipt of gifts and entertainment (via StarCompliance) and regularly certify that they have complied with the Gift & Entertainment Policy.

5Nominal lunches (e.g., snacks, sandwiches) provided by a broker-dealer during business-related meetings on company premises are exempt from reporting.

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15. Outside Business Activities

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**15.1.Outside Business Interests and Private Investments**

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All Employees are required to devote their full time and efforts to the business of Voya. You are not to maintain outside employment activities that compromise job performance or interfere with your regular duties. In addition, no person may make use of either his or her position as an Employee or information acquired during employment or make personal investments in a manner that may create a conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between the Employee's personal interests and the interests of Voya.

To assist in ensuring that such conflicts of interest are avoided, an Employee must obtain the written approval of the Employee's supervisor **and** Compliance prior to:

Serving as a director, officer, general partner or trustee of, or as a consultant to, any business, corporation or partnership, including family-owned businesses and charitable, non-profit and political organizations.

Serving as a registered representative of any broker-dealer other than VID.

Making any monetary investment in any non-publicly traded business, corporation or partnership, including passive investments in private companies.

Accepting employment of any kind or engaging in any other business outside of Voya.

Acting or representing that the Employee is acting as agent for Voya, an Adviser or any other firm in any investment banking matter or as a consultant or finder.

Forming or participating in any stockholders' or creditors' committee that purports to represent security holders or claimants in connection with a bankruptcy or distressed situation or in becoming actively involved in a proxy contest (see also Personal Trading Restrictions above).

Receiving compensation of any nature, directly or indirectly, from any person, firm, corporation, estate, trust or association other than Voya, whether as a fee, commission, bonus or other consideration such as stock, options or warrants other than compensation earned prior to commencement of employment with Voya.

Every Employee is required to complete a disclosure form on the StarCompliance site and have such form approved by the Employee's supervisor and Compliance prior to serving in any of the capacities or making any of the investments described heretofore. **Similarly, each Employee is required to maintain the data initially disclosed on such form and notify Compliance (and the Employee's supervisor) in the event of any change to the information provided after initial approval. From time to time, Employees may be asked to renew their OBA information.**

In addition, an Employee must advise Legal and his or her supervisor if the Employee is or believes that he or she may become a participant, either as a plaintiff, defendant or witness, in any litigation or arbitration that could reasonably relate to the business of Voya. Written confirmation of such advice should be obtained from the Employee's supervisor and Legal.

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**15.2."Control" Persons of Public Companies**

Every Employee must disclose to Voya if their spouse, domestic partner, or any of their parents, siblings or children, regardless of living in the same household, ("family members") hold a position as a director or executive officer of any public company. Voya may, in its sole discretion, place limitations on an Employee's investment activities in the event an Employee's family member holds a position as a director or executive officer of any public company. **Similarly, each**

**Employee is required to maintain the data initially disclosed on such form and notify**

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**Compliance (and the Employee's supervisor) in the event of any change after initial approval.**

From time to time, an Employee may be offered a position as an executive officer or director of a publicly traded company, which, if accepted, would subject the Employee to requirements arising under Section 16 of the 1934 Act ("Section 16"). Prior to accepting the position, the Employee must receive clearance from the CCO and a member of the Voya Entities senior management team. If the Employee is permitted to accept the position, the Employee will also be subject to the following procedures:

Trades for client accounts or funds over which the Employee has sole or shared investment discretion must also comply with the publicly traded company's policies and procedures. It is the responsibility of the Employee to understand and adhere to such company's reporting requirements.

Appropriate disclosure must be provided to affected clients. The disclosure can be provided via offering documents or other communications sent to affected investors.

**In accordance with the Voya Entities' policies on confidential information and insider trading, the Employee may not, under any circumstances, trade in the company's securities – whether for personal or client accounts – if the Employee is in possession of material non-public information regarding the company. Likewise, material non-public information regarding the company may not be shared with other Voya personnel, other than Legal or Compliance.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**15.3.Political Activity**

While Voya maintains a political action committee, political contributions from Advisers or their respective Employees[<sup>6</sup>](#divfb81991b-b615-4418-b7f8-2713557637ca)may raise various legal and regulatory issues. Most notably, Rule 206(4)- 5 under the Advisers Act prohibits an Adviser from receiving compensation from a government entity for two years if the Adviser or certain Employees contributed money to a government official who is in a position to influence the selection of the Adviser to manage a public fund or provide investment advice to a government entity. Also, some states and municipalities may have laws disqualifying an Adviser from managing assets for various governmental entities if the Adviser or certain of its representatives have made contributions or provided gifts to certain candidates for office. To ensure compliance with these laws and to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest, the Voya Entities have adopted the procedures described below, which requires pre- approval by Compliance and the Voya Political Activity Review Committee ("PARC") of political activities. The activities requiring pre-approval and the procedures for obtaining pre-approval are set out below.

<u>Prior</u> to making any personal contribution (whether it be monetary, or event driven, such as hosting a fundraiser) in an individual capacity to an incumbent or candidate, political party committee or political action committee, all Employees must submit a request for approval from Compliance and PARC through the StarCompliance site.

■Personal political activities of Employees must be kept separate from employment and any expenses related to these activities may not be charged to an Adviser; personal political contributions will not be reimbursed. Also, Employees are not to use Voya's facilities (such as telephones and photocopiers) and may not use working hours for political campaign purposes.

■When acting in a volunteer capacity to an incumbent or candidate running for office, you must obtain pre-approval from Compliance. All requests must be submitted through the

6As a reminder, all references to Employees also apply to an Employee's immediate family members.

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StarCompliance site. For volunteer activity, it is important that your activities cannot be viewed as connected with your position with Voya. To the extent that your volunteer activity involves soliciting or fundraising for political contributions, you will also be required to obtain pre-approval from Compliance.

Employees should take extra care when soliciting fellow Employees to ensure that the solicitation never gives the appearance of being coercive or otherwise related to their employment.

Employees who seek or are appointed to any government position, federal, state or local, paid or unpaid, must obtain pre-approval from Compliance of such activity to ensure compliance with applicable conflict of interest laws. All requests must be submitted through the StarCompliance site.

Employees may not engage in any lobbying activities on behalf of the Voya Entities or any affiliated entity without prior approval from Compliance. Please contact Compliance if you are not sure whether your activities would be considered lobbying.

The use of an Adviser's funds in connection with an election is generally prohibited by law. In order to avoid any allegations of impropriety, it is the Voya Entities' policy that its funds may not be contributed to federal, state or local election campaigns. Any exception to this item, such as requests for company support of political events, political candidates and their campaigns, political parties or political action committees, must be pre-approved by Compliance. All requests must be submitted through the StarCompliance site.

Gifts to government officials, including entertainment and meals, are generally prohibited.

State and local laws dealing with campaign fund raising vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some laws expressly prohibit government officials from contracting, on behalf of their political organizations, with any firm(s) whose employees have made a donation to that official's political campaign.

Employees are required to complete a Political Contribution/Activity Certification on a quarterly basis. Please note that Compliance will keep necessary records based on the information gathered, in compliance with SEC Rule 204-2.

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**Code of Ethics Guide – Securities Transactions Matrix[<sup>1</sup>](#divebb564d8-be64-49a0-bcae-a877d38fc00a)**

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Pre-Clearance** | **Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Intraday** |  |
| **Type of Security** | **Pre-Clearance** | **Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
| **Type of Security** | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
|  | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
|  |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Covered Securities Transactions for Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Covered Securities Transactions for Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Covered Securities Transactions for Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Covered Securities Transactions for Pre-Clearance** |  |
| Stocks (common or preferred) | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Warrants and rights | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Depository receipts (ADRs or GDRs) | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Fixed income securities (excluding |  |  |  |  |
| direct obligations of the U.S. and UK | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Government and U.S. agency bonds) |  |  |  |  |
| Affiliated[<sup>2</sup>](#divebb564d8-be64-49a0-bcae-a877d38fc00a)closed-end funds | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Single-stock ETFs and ETNs | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| ETFs and ETNs sub-advised<sup>2</sup> by the |  |  |  | 30 calendar days |
| ETFs and ETNs sub-advised<sup>2</sup> by the |  |  |  | from the time of |
| Voya Entities (excluding the Voya | Yes | Yes | Yes | from the time of |
| Voya Entities (excluding the Voya | Yes | Yes | Yes | the most recent |
| ETFs) |  |  |  | the most recent |
| ETFs) |  |  |  | purchase date |
|  |  |  |  | purchase date |
| Structured notes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 30 calendar days |
| Transactions involving Voya securities, |  |  |  |  |
| including the Voya Company Stock | Yes | Yes | Yes | 60 calendar days |
| Fund in Voya's 401(k) plan accounts |  |  |  |  |

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Sales of Voya performance shares units (PSU) and restricted stock units (RSU) acquired from a vesting

Sales of restricted stock

Sales of stock acquired via Stock Purchase Plans including sales of Voya stock acquired through Voya's Stock Purchase Plan

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|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |

---

**Private Investments and Outside Activities**

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| Private placements | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |
| Outside activities | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A |

---

**1Applicable pre-clearance, reporting, and holding period requirements also apply to derivates of these securities.**

2Affiliated includes advised and sub-advised funds. A list of affiliated closed-end funds, sub-advised ETFs, and Voya ETFs is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

![](gxvs4ih3ysmzsfcs4v5cz.jpg)

---

| | | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  | **Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Intraday** |  |
| **Type of Security** |  | **Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
| **Type of Security** |  | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
|  |  | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
|  |  |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
|  | **Transactions Exempt from Pre-Clearance** | **Transactions Exempt from Pre-Clearance** | **Transactions Exempt from Pre-Clearance** | **Transactions Exempt from Pre-Clearance** |  |
| Direct obligations of the |  |  |  |  |  |
| Government of the U.S. and the |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No |
| UK |  |  |  |  |  |

---

U.S. Government agency bonds (e.g., GNMA, FNMA, FHLB,

FHLMC)

High quality short-term debt instruments (<u>Including</u>: bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, money market securities and repurchase agreements)

ETFs or ETNs (apart from single- stock ETFs and ETNs and ETFs or ETNs that are sub-advised[<sup>3</sup>](#div65cab7a5-8b2e-4153-a816-71dc96e500dc)by the Voya Entities)

No Yes Yes 30 calendar days <br>

 <br> No No No No <br>

No Yes Yes No

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  |  |  |  | 30 calendar days from |
| Voya ETFs<sup>3</sup> | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;the time of the most |
|  |  |  |  | recent purchase date |
| Unaffiliated open-end funds | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | No | No[<sup>4</sup>](#div65cab7a5-8b2e-4153-a816-71dc96e500dc) | No<sup>4</sup> |
| Affiliated[<sup>5</sup>](#div65cab7a5-8b2e-4153-a816-71dc96e500dc)open-end funds |  |  |  | 30 calendar days from |
| (<u>Including</u>: funds held within the | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;the time of the most |
| Voya 401(k)) |  |  |  | recent purchase date<sup>4</sup> |
| Managed or discretionary accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | Yes | No | No |
| Incentive compensation plan | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No |
| sponsored by the Voya Entities | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N/A | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No |
| sponsored by the Voya Entities |  |  |  |  |
| Automatic dividend reinvestment |  |  |  |  |
| plan, automatic payroll deduction | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | Yes | N/A | No |
| <u>Excluding</u>: Self Directed Brokerage |  |  |  |  |
| Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No |

---

3A list of sub-advised ETFs and open-end funds, and Voya ETFs, is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

4Please review the market timing policy described in the prospectus of each open-end fund in which you invest. Each Employee must comply with that fund's specific market timing policy.

5Affiliated includes advised and sub-advised funds. A list of affiliated open-end funds is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

![](ghi3g8bup8p3h3gg6sxxc.jpg)

---

| | | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|:---|
|  | **Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Intraday** |  |
| **Type of Security** | **Pre-Clearance** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Reporting** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
| **Type of Security** | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Trading** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Holding Period** |
|  | **Required** | **Required** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
|  |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Restriction** |  |
| Exercise of pro-rata rights issued | No | Yes | N/A | No |
| by a company to all the holders of |  |  |  |  |
| a class of its securities |  |  |  |  |
| On any given day, transactions |  |  |  |  |
| involving 100 shares or less (per |  |  |  |  |
| account) of common stock issued | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;30 calendar days |
| by companies included in the S&P |  |  |  |  |
| 500 Index[<sup>6</sup>](#dive1aec4e4-ce3b-4d0d-9b37-617b5246eb2c) |  |  |  |  |

---

Penny stocks

Index options, index futures, and other securities with an index as underlying

Unaffiliated closed-end funds[<sup>7</sup>](#dive1aec4e4-ce3b-4d0d-9b37-617b5246eb2c)(IPO issuances are prohibited)

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | 30 calendar days |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | No |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes | 30 calendar days |

---

**Prohibited Investments**

Short sales of Voya Financial common stock

Hedging or other transactions involving options (including exchange-traded options), puts, calls, forward contracts or other derivatives involving Voya Financial securities (excluding stock awards granted under any Voya Financial incentive plan)

Trading in securities issued by Voya during the "Closed Period for Voya Financial Instruments"

Initial Public Offerings

Initial Coin Offerings

Borrowing money from clients or suppliers

**Other Key Reminders**

Employees assigned portfolio management or trading responsibility are prohibited from knowingly buying or selling the same security traded in an associated client account for a period of 15 days (7 days prior to the client trade and 7 days after the client trade)

Approvals for **U.S. securities** are effective until the close of business on the day that pre-clearance request is approved

Approvals for **foreign securities** are effective until the close of business on the business day following pre- clearance approval

6A list of companies included in the S&P 500 Index is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

7A list of affiliated closed-end funds is available in the Document Library within StarCompliance .

Bank Loan and Global CLO Group

Supplemental Code of Ethics

**Scope**

This Supplemental Code of Ethics (this "Supplemental Code") has been adopted by the Voya Bank Loan and Global CLO Group (the "BLGC Group") of Voya Investment Management Co. LLC ("Voya IM") and applies to all: (a) Voya IM personnel employed within the BLGC Group and (b) Voya IM personnel serving outside of the Group who have routine access to the trading systems utilized by the BLGC Group in order to: (1) provide services (e.g., settlements and operational support) to the BLGC Group; or (2) monitor BLGC Group trading activity (each a "Covered Person").

**Relation to Other Voya IM Policies**

This Supplemental Code is intended to supplement existing Voya IM policies. If any aspect of this Supplemental Code conflicts with any other Voya IM policy (as now or hereafter in effect), the provisions of such other policy shall control, provided that Covered Persons will comply with the requirement to pre-clear S&P Small Lot Transactions, as defined and discussed below.

**Responsibilities**

Each Covered Person must read this Supplemental Code and comply with its terms.

**Personal Trading**

**In General**

Covered Persons may not purchase, sell, or own any equity or debt interest issued by any entity (or any of such entity's affiliates) if the BLGC Group is in possession of any current non-public information about such entity or any of its affiliates. For the purposes of this Policy, the BLGC Group is deemed to be in possession of current non-public information about an entity if:

■The BLGC Group has determined to operate on the private side of the market with regard to such entity; and/or

■The BLGC Group received any non-public information, such as, but not limited to, a "bank book" or other solicitation to invest in an issuance by such entity or any of its affiliates, within the most recent three months (unless such non-public information has been made public or is otherwise determined to no longer constitute non-public information).

**Pre-clearance**

All proposed personal securities transactions by Covered Persons will be checked against the BLGC Group's records to prevent any violations of the above restriction. For all trades, including S&P Small Lot Transactions (see below), Covered Persons must obtain preclearance as a part of Voya IM's normal pre-clearance procedure for personal securities transactions using the <u>StarCompliance</u> system (or any successor thereto). The required pre-clearance against the BLGC Group's records will occur as part of the Voya IM approval process, i.e., the Covered Person does not need to take any additional action in this regard.

![](gspy5xlfgra875ozercv6.jpg)

**S&P 500 Small Lot Transactions**

Voya IM employees are not required to seek pre-clearance approval on daily transactions involving small lots (100 shares or less) of the common stock of companies in the S&P 500 (an "S&P Small Lot Transaction"). This exception to Voya IM's general rule that all securities transactions must receive pre-clearance does not supersede the BLGC Group's policy stated above prohibiting transactions in debt or equity securities of companies about which the BLGC Group is in possession of current material non-public information. Therefore, before undertaking an S&P Small Lot Transaction, Covered Persons must obtain pre-clearance. The pre-clearance procedure for S&P Small Lot Transactions is the same as the normal Voya IM pre-clearance procedure using the StarCompliance (or successor) system.

**Involving Relatives, Friends and Personal Business Associates in Voya IM Business Matters**

In the course of acting on behalf of and in the best interests of Voya IM and its customers, occasions may arise where a Covered Person (each, a "PR Covered Person") has a personal relationship[<sup>1</sup>](#div5bbb4778-b289-4397-ac32-b89075d96000)with a person or entity that could provide services for compensation to Voya IM, is a customer of Voya IM or is an entity in whose loans or securities a Voya IM-managed portfolio has invested. If a PR Covered Person believes that such a situation exists, the PR Covered Person may not make any contact with such person or entity with regards to such situation, nor may the PR Covered Person provide any non-public information to such person or entity. Instead, the PR Covered Person must inform his or her manager and the Group Head of the situation and, if requested by the Group Head, provide appropriate contact information.

The Group Head may authorize contact with such person or entity, but any such contact shall be made by a Covered Person other than the PR Covered Person, as designated by the Group Head. The PR Covered Person shall not have any contact with the person or entity with which PR Covered Person has a personal relationship with regard to the subject matter. In addition, if such a contact is approved, the PR Covered Person shall be relieved of any and all responsibility with regard to the subject matter insofar as it relates to the participation or involvement of such person or entity, or the terms and conditions thereof.

The restriction in this section applies only to situations where there is the expectation that compensation will be paid. It does not apply to situations where advice or services may be provided without compensation or other financial benefit to the person or entity with which the Covered Person has a personal relationship. In all cases, however, the Covered Person may not receive any compensation or other financial benefit.

<sup>1</sup> Personal relationship includes, without limitation, family members and relatives, close personal friends, former employers, etc.

## Ex-99

![](g06wwozby3h6d4nhnxbs7.jpg)

Exhibit (p)(2)

**ACADIAN ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC**

**CODE OF ETHICS**

**January 2026**

![](gn0rfd4a03pfbxsyl41b1.jpg)

**Table of Contents**

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Summary of Material Code Changes | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5 |
| Introduction | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5 |
| General Principles | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 |
| Scope of the Code | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 |
| Persons Covered by the Code | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6 |
| Reportable Investment Accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7 |
| Securities Covered by the Code | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;8 |
| Blackout Periods and Restrictions | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9 |
| Short-Term Trading | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9 |
| Acadian Asset Management Inc. (AAMI) Stock | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;9 |
| Securities Transactions requiring Pre-clearance | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Public Offerings | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Limited or Private Offerings | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 |
| Exceptions specific to Certain Accounts and Transaction Types | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;11 |
| Standards of Business Conduct | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12 |
| Compliance with Laws and Regulations | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12 |
| Conflicts of Interest | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Conflicts among Client Interests | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Competing with Client Trades | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Disclosure of Personal Interest | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Referrals/Brokerage | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Vendors and Suppliers | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| Market Manipulation | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;13 |
| Insider Trading and Regulation FD | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Material Non-public Information | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;14 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AAMI and Nonpublic Acadian Information | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;15 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Penalties | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Regulation FD | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;16 |
| Gifts and Entertainment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;General Statement | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gifts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Receipt | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;17 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Offer | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ERISA, Taft Hartley and Public Plan Clients and Prospects | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;40 Act Mutual Fund Clients | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cash | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| Updated as of January 2026 | &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 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Entertainment |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Providing | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Accepting | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;18 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ERISA, Taft Hartley and Public Plan Clients and Prospects | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;40 Act Mutual Fund Clients | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Expense Reports for Gifts and Entertainment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Conferences | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly Reporting of Gifts and Entertainment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;19 |
| Political Contributions and Compliance with the Pay-to-Play Rule |  |
| Requirements | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;20 |
| Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;21 |
| Charitable Contributions | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22 |
| Confidentiality | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;22 |
| Service on a Board of Directors | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23 |
| Partnerships | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23 |
| Other Outside Activities | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23 |
| Marketing and Promotional Activities | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;23 |
| Affiliated Broker-Dealers | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 |
| Compliance Procedures | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reporting of Access Person Investment Accounts | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Duplicate Statements | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;24 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Personal Securities Transactions Pre-clearance | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pre-Approval of Political Contributions | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly Reporting of Transactions | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;25 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly Reporting of Gifts and Entertainment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly Reporting of Private Investments | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Quarterly Reporting of Political Contributions | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Communication Acknowledgment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;MNPI Acknowledgment | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Annual Reporting | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;26 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;New Hire Reporting | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27 |
| Review and Enforcement | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;27 |
| Certification of Compliance | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Initial Certification | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Acknowledgement of Amendments | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Annual Certification | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28 |
| Access Person Disclosure and Reporting | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;28 |
| Updated as of January 2026 | &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 |

---

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Recordkeeping | 30 |
| Form ADV Disclosure | 30 |
| Administration and Enforcement of the Code | 31 |
| Responsibility to Know Rules | 31 |
| Excessive or Inappropriate Trading | 31 |
| Training and Education | 31 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;New Hires | 31 |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Annual | 31 |
| Compliance and Risk Committee Approval | 32 |
| Report to Fund CCOs and Boards | 32 |
| Report to Senior Management | 32 |
| Reporting Violations and Whistleblowing Protections | 32 |
| Fraud Policy | 32 |
| Sanctions | 35 |
| Further Information about the Code and Supplements | 35 |
| Persons Responsible for Enforcement and Training | 35 |

---

Appendices (in pdf only)

A. CFA Institute Asset Manager Code of Professional Conduct

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**Summary of Code Changes**

Administrative changes to replace the My Compliance Office ("MCO") system with StarCompliance as the third-party Code of Ethics system.

**Introduction**

Acadian Asset Management LLC ("Acadian") has adopted this Code of Ethics (the "Code") pursuant to Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the "Advisers Act"), rule amendments under Section 204 of the Advisers Act, the business conduct rules of the National Futures Association ("NFA"), including Compliance Rule 2-9, and any other ethics requirements related to any of our other registrations. The Code sets forth standards of conduct expected of Acadian's employees, and certain consultants, and contractors. Acadian has also adopted the CFA Institute Asset Manager Code of Professional Conduct attached as Appendix A. Compliance with the Code is a condition of employment.

The policies and procedures outlined in the Code are intended to promote compliance with fiduciary standards. As a fiduciary, Acadian has the responsibility to render professional, continuous, and unbiased investment advice, owes our clients a duty of honesty, good faith and fair dealing, must act at all times in the best interests of our clients, and must avoid or disclose conflicts of interests.

This Code is designed to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Protect Acadian's clients by deterring misconduct;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Guard against violations of the securities laws;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Educate all persons covered by the Code regarding Acadian's expectations and the laws governing their conduct;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Remind all persons covered by the Code that they are in a position of trust and must act with complete propriety at all times;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Protect the reputation of Acadian; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Establish policies and procedures for all persons covered by the Code to follow so that Acadian may determine compliance with our ethical principles and regulatory requirements.

This Code is based upon the principle that the members of our Board of Managers, Executive Management Team, Executive Committee, officers, and all other persons covered by the Code owe a fiduciary duty to, among others, our clients to conduct their affairs, including their personal securities transactions, in such a manner as to avoid (i) materially serving their own personal interests ahead of clients; (ii) materially taking inappropriate advantage of their position with Acadian; and (iii) any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility. This fiduciary duty includes the duty of Acadian's Chief Compliance Officer to report violations of the Code to Acadian's Compliance and Risk Committee, the Executive Management Team, the Executive Committee, and if deemed necessary, to our Board of Managers, and the Board of Directors of any U.S. registered investment company for which Acadian acts as adviser or sub-adviser.

StarCompliance

StarCompliance is the primary system we utilize to facilitate all Code related communications and reporting.

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**Part 1. General Principles**

Our principles and philosophy regarding ethics stress Acadian's overarching fiduciary duty to our clients and the obligation of all persons covered by the Code to uphold that fundamental duty. In recognition of the trust and confidence placed in Acadian by our clients and to give effect to the belief that Acadian's operations should be directed to benefit our clients, Acadian has adopted the following general principles to guide the actions of all persons covered by the Code:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.The interests of clients are paramount. All persons covered by the Code must conduct themselves and their operations to give maximum effect to this belief by placing the interests of clients before their own.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.All personal transactions in securities by all persons covered by the Code must be accomplished so as not to conflict materially with the interests of any client.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.All persons covered by the Code must avoid actions or activities that allow (or appear to allow) a person to profit or benefit from his or her position with respect to a client, or that otherwise bring into question the person's independence or judgment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.Personal, financial, and other potentially sensitive information concerning the firm, our clients, our prospects, and our employees, consultants and contractors will be kept strictly confidential. All persons covered by the Code will only access this information if it is required to complete their jobs and will only disclose such information to others if it is required to complete their jobs and to deliver the services for which the client has contracted.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.All persons covered by the Code will conduct themselves honestly, with integrity and in a professional manner to preserve and protect Acadian's reputation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.All persons covered by the Code will comply with all laws and regulations applicable to our business activities.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), the NFA, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC") and U.S. federal law require that the Code not only be adopted but that it also is enforced with reasonable diligence.

The Compliance Team will keep records of any violation of the Code and of the actions taken as a result of such violations. Failure to comply with the Code may result in disciplinary action, including monetary penalties and the potential for the termination of employment. In addition, non-compliance with the Code can have severe ramifications, including enforcement actions by regulatory authorities, criminal fines, civil injunctions and penalties, disgorgement of profits, and sanctions on your ability to remain employed in any capacity in the investment advisory business.

**Part 2. Scope of the Code**

**A.Persons Covered by the Code**

Each employee, consultant, or contractor will be designated as either an "Access Person" or "Supervised Person" under the Code when they join Acadian. The difference in designation is dependent upon various factors including job responsibilities, systems access, and if a

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contractor, length and scope of engagement. Ultimate determination as to whether any individual or action is subject to or exempt from the Code, or if a Code exception should be granted, is left to the Chief Compliance Officer.

An "Access Person(s)" includes employees, consultants, and contractors, whose job responsibilities require him or her to access Acadian's research and/or trading databases to perform their job requirements. Any other employee, consultant or contractor not meeting that definition is a "Supervised Person."

Certain Code requirements applicable to an Access Person also apply to immediate family

members[<sup>1</sup>](#div08826fbe-cd90-48b1-9f1d-4f3323d29453)of that Access Person, and any other person subject to the financial support of the Access Person. For these individuals, along with the Access Person they must also report their covered investment accounts, pre-clear their personal securities transactions in covered securities in private investments and partnerships, ensure their personal securities transactions comply with blackout and sixty-day trading restrictions, and provide duplicate copies of their account statements upon request. Further, each Access Person must educate these individuals on these Code requirements and ensure ongoing compliance. Non-compliance will have the same ramifications on the Access Person as if it were the Access Person him or herself who did not comply. Each Access Person must inform a Compliance Officer when there is a change to either their immediate family members or someone subject to their financial support.

Members of Acadian's Board of Managers employed by our immediate parent company, Acadian Affiliate Holdings, LLC or our ultimate parent company, Acadian Asset Management Inc. ("AAMI"), along with any other non-resident officer, director, manager or immediate family member of an Access Person, who is subject to another Code of Ethics that complies with Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and whose Code has been reviewed and approved by Acadian's Chief Compliance Officer, shall be exempt from the requirements imposed by this Code.

**B.Reportable Investment Accounts**

Each Access Person must report any accounts in which he or she has a direct or indirect beneficial interest in which a covered security is eligible for purchase or sale. Examples of reportable accounts typically include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•individual and joint accounts including accounts established through your employment with Acadian such as a 401K and/or deferred compensation account

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•accounts in the name of an immediate family member as defined in the Code

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•accounts in the name of any individual subject to your financial support

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•trust accounts

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•estate accounts

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•accounts where you have power of attorney or trading authority

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•other types of accounts in which you have a present or future interest in the income, principal or right to obtain title to securities.

**<u>Exception</u>**: 529 plans are not considered a reportable account under the Code. Further, any transactions within such plans do not require pre-clearance or reporting on a holdings report.

1An immediate family member is defined to include any relative by blood or marriage living in an Access Person's household who is subject to the Access Person's financial support or any other individual living in the household subject to the Access Person's financial support (spouse, minor children, a domestic partner etc.).

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**C.Securities Covered by the Code**

For purposes of the Code and our reporting requirements, the term "covered security" will include the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•any stock or corporate bond;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•ETFs comprised of less than 25 covered securities as defined by the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Depositary Receipts (e.g., ADRs, EDRs and GDRs);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•municipal, Government Sponsored Entities (GSE) and agency bonds;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•investment in equity or commodity derivative instruments;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•commodity futures;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•options or warrants to purchase or sell securities;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•limited partnerships meeting the SEC's definition of a "security" (including limited liability and other companies that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•UITs, foreign (offshore) mutual funds, and closed-end investment companies;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•shares of open-end mutual funds, UCITS funds, and CITS that <u>are</u> advised or sub- advised by Acadian[<sup>2</sup>](#diveecf7f89-8d24-4648-aa8c-0aa2e21813ed); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•private investment funds (including Acadian managed commingled funds), hedge funds, and investment clubs.

Additional types of securities may be added at the discretion of the Compliance Team as new types of securities are offered and traded in the market and/or Acadian's business changes.

However, the following are excluded:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•direct obligations of the U.S. government;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper, and high- quality short-term debt obligations, including repurchase agreements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•shares issued by money market funds (domiciled inside or outside the United States); and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•shares of open-end mutual funds that <u>are not</u> advised or sub-advised by Acadian;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•shares of ETFs that are comprised of 25 or more covered securities as defined by the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•529 plans;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Options or warrants to purchase or sell securities on exempted securities (ex. options on ETFs with more than 25 underlying holdings).

Cryptocurrencies:

Initial coin offerings ("ICOs") **<u>are securities</u>** under current SEC rules. As such, you are required to seek pre-approval for investments in ICOs, report the accounts you open to hold ICOs, and report transactions in ICOs (e.g. same as if you were buying an equity IPO). ICOs are subject to the 60-day hold requirements. Bitcoin ETFs would be subject to the same requirements.

Bitcoin, bitcoin cash and bitcoin futures **<u>are NOT securities</u>** under current SEC regulations and therefore "trading" in such cryptocurrencies are not reportable under the Code at this time.

2A transaction in fund advised or sub-advised by Acadian is subject to pre-clearance requirements unless the transaction is occurring in Acadian's 401K or deferred compensation plans. However, all holdings in such funds, including those owned in your 401K and deferred compensation accounts, must be reported on your year-end holdings report.

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**D.Blackout Periods and Restrictions.**

Access Persons will be permitted to trade subject to the following conditions:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)**No personal trades will be permitted in any individual security on the same day that Acadian trades that security or a similar line of the same security on behalf of any client.**

For purposes of clarity, this applies to any individual stock, bond, ETF comprised of less than 25 covered securities as defined by the Code, Depositary Receipt, and to any individual security underlying any Depositary Receipt or a different class of the security (option as an example) being traded. For example, the purchase of an ADR would not be permitted if we were trading in the underlying security and vice versa.

Acadian's Compliance Team may allow exceptions to this "blackout" policy on a case-by-case basis when the abusive practices that the policy is designed to prevent, such as front running, conflicts of interest, or client detriment, are not present <u>and</u> the equity of the situation supports an exemption.

In addition, should preclearance be denied on three (3) consecutive trading days, the Compliance Team, upon request, will consider an exemption to Code restrictions if we deem, in our discretion, that our clients will not be harmed if such transaction is permitted.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)**Short-Term** Trading Restriction.

Access Persons are reminded that they are specifically prohibited from engaging in any form of market timing or short-term trading in funds advised or sub-advised by Acadian or in any other covered security.

For any transaction requiring preclearance, Acadian has adopted a sixty (60) day hold requirement in an effort to avoid conflicts of interests and to ensure that the interests of our clients are placed first. This requirement is at the individual brokerage account level. This requirement is intended to deter front running, market manipulation and the potential misuse of Acadian internal resources.

Acadian's Compliance Team may allow exceptions to this short-term trading restriction on a case-by-case basis when the abusive practices that the policy is designed to prevent, such as front running or conflicts of interest, are not present <u>and</u> the equity of the situation supports an exemption.

Unless an exception is granted by the Compliance Team, no Access Person may execute opposing trades (buy/sell, sell/buy) in a covered security within sixty (60) calendar days. Trades made in violation of this prohibition may be subject to being unwound or any profit realized may be subject to disgorgement to a charity or to a client if appropriate at the discretion of the Compliance Team.

An Access Person wishing to execute a short-term trade must request an exception when entering the pre-clearance request.

**E.Acadian Asset Management Inc. Stock**

<u>For Clients</u>:

Acadian is restricted from purchasing or recommending the purchase or sale of **Acadian Asset Management Inc.** stock ("AAMI") on behalf of our clients.

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<u>For Access Persons</u>:

Acadian Access Persons, Supervised Persons, or their immediate family members or those subject to their financial support may invest in AAMI but with conditions. To reduce the risk that such investment might be found to have resulted from insider trading or another violation of securities laws, AAMI has established a policy setting forth when trading in AAMI is not permitted or appropriate.

**Mandatory Requirements/Prohibitions of AAMI's policy:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Prohibits trading in AAMI when in possession of material, nonpublic information ("MNPI").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Prohibits communicating MNPI to any third-party unless for legitimate 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;•Prohibits engaging in any transaction involving AAMI during a blackout period. Blackout periods will be communicated to Acadian compliance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Prohibits engaging in short sales of AAMI or trading in naked options.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Requires obtaining <u>pre-clearance from AAMI</u> prior to trading in any AAMI security.

Please send your pre-clearance request to Acadian compliance and we will facilitate on your behalf with AAMI.

**F.Securities Transactions requiring** Pre-clearance

With limited exceptions noted in section G below, discretionary transactions executed by an Access Person in the following covered securities must be "pre-cleared" with the Compliance Team in accordance with the procedures outlined herein prior to execution:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•any stock or corporate bond;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•ETFs comprised of less than 25 covered securities as defined in the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Depositary Receipts (e.g. ADRs, EDRs and GDRs);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•investment or single stock futures contracts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•options or warrants to purchase or sell a covered security as defined by the Code;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•limited partnerships meeting the SEC's definition of a "security" (including limited liability and other companies that are treated as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•UITs, foreign mutual funds, and closed-end investment companies;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•shares of open-end mutual funds, UCITS funds, and CITS that <u>are</u> advised or sub- advised by Acadian (unless in the Acadian 401K or deferred compensation plan),

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•private investment funds (including Acadian managed commingled funds), hedge funds, and investment clubs.

Additional types of securities may be added to the pre-clearance requirements at the discretion of the Compliance Team as new types of securities are offered and traded in the market and/or Acadian's business changes.

**Initial Public Offerings** Acadian as a firm typically does not participate in initial public offerings (IPO). Access Persons must pre-clear for their personal accounts purchases of any securities in an IPO. Such pre-clearance is <u>required</u> even if the purchase is made on behalf of the Access Person by a broker or investment adviser without the Access Person's influence or control in a fully discretionary managed account. Before granting such approval, Acadian will evaluate such investment to determine that the investment creates no material conflict between the Access Person and Acadian. Acadian may consider approving the transaction if it can determine that:

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(i)the investment opportunity did not result from Acadian directing brokerage business to the underwriter of the issuer of the security, (ii) the Access Person is not misappropriating an opportunity that should have been offered to Acadian eligible clients, (iii) investment decisions for Acadian clients will not be unduly influenced by the Access Person's participation in the IPO, and (iv) all investment decisions will be made solely on the best interests of clients. Acadian will maintain a written record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision, to approve the personal acquisition of an IPO for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval was granted.

**Third-Party Limited or Private Offerings** In addition to pre-clearing private placements offered by Acadian, Access Persons must pre-clear for their personal accounts purchases or sales of any securities in third-party limited or private offerings. Before granting such approval, Acadian will evaluate such investment to determine that the investment creates no material conflict between the Access Person and Acadian. Acadian may consider approving the transaction if it can determine that: (i) the investment opportunity did not result from Acadian directing brokerage business to the underwriter of the issuer of the security, (ii) the Access Person is not misappropriating an opportunity that should have been offered to Acadian eligible clients, (iii) investment decisions for Acadian clients will not be unduly influenced by the Access Person's investment, and (iv) all investment decisions will be based solely on the best interests of clients. Access Persons are permitted to invest in private offerings offered and/or managed by Acadian provided they meet the investment qualifications of the particular investment. Acadian will maintain a record of any decision, and the reasons supporting the decision to approve the personal acquisition of a private placement for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which the approval was granted.

**G.<u>Exceptions specific to certain account and transaction types</u>**:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.**<u>Other than transactions in Initial Public Offerings or</u> <u>Third-Party</u> <u>Limited or Private Offerings as described above</u>**, transactions occurring within investment accounts in which the Access Person had no direct or indirect influence or control over the transactions do not require pre-clearance, are not subject to blackout or holding period restrictions, and do not require reporting on holding reports provided 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;•The account is disclosed to a compliance officer before trading commences and the compliance officer is provided with necessary documentation to confirm that the Access Person will not have direct or indirect influence over transactions in the account; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The Access Person and/or the investment manager for the account provides written confirmation periodically at the request of a compliance officer that the Access Person did not have any direct or indirect influence on any of the transactions executed in the account.

Examples of such accounts include accounts where the Access Person has granted to a broker, dealer, trust officer or other third-party non-Access Person full discretion to execute transactions on behalf of the Access Person without consultation or Access Person input or direction (an example would be Managed Accounts and the party directing the transaction has utilized such discretion).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.Transactions occurring within a reported investment account that are part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan, or a pre-established dollar cost averaging type contribution plan do not require pre-clearance, are not subject to blackout or holding period restrictions, and do not require reporting on holding reports.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.The following transactions in covered securities within a reported investment account are exempt from the Code's pre-clearance, blackout and short-term trading requirements but must be disclosed on year-end holding reports:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a.purchases or sales that are involuntary on the part of the Access Person

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b.purchases or sales within Acadian's 401k or deferred compensation plans

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c.purchases or sales effected upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of our securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d.purchases or sales of equity or commodity derivative instruments or futures or options on them

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e.purchases or sales of municipal, Government Sponsored Entities (GSE) and agency bond

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;f.purchases or sales of commodity futures or commodity future ETFs or options on them

**Part 3. Standards of Business Conduct**

The Code sets forth standards of business conduct that we require of our Access Persons. Access Persons should maintain the highest ethical standards in carrying out Acadian's business activities. Acadian's reputation is one of our most important assets. Maintaining the trust and confidence of clients is a vital responsibility. This section sets forth Acadian's business conduct standards.

**A.Compliance with Laws and Regulations**

Each Access Person must comply with all laws and regulations applicable to our business, including all securities laws, and all firm policies and procedures including, but not limited to, those found in this Code of Ethics, the Compliance Manual, the IT Security Policy, and the Employee Handbook. Access Persons are not permitted to:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a.engage in any act, practice, or course of conduct that operates or would operate as a fraud, deceit, or manipulative practice upon any 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.make false or misleading statements, spread rumors, or fail to disclose material facts;

&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.engage in any manipulative practice with respect to securities, including price or market manipulation; 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;d.utilize or transmit to others "inside" information as more fully described herein.

**B.Conflicts of Interest**

As a fiduciary, Acadian has an affirmative duty of care, loyalty, honesty, and good faith to act in the best interests of our clients. Compliance with this duty can be achieved by trying to avoid conflicts of interest, including those between personal and Acadian related activities, and by

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fully disclosing all material facts concerning any conflict that does arise with respect to any client. Client specific conflicts are reviewed and addressed directly with the individual client. We conduct an ongoing review for actual and potential conflicts that may be systemic to Acadian and our processes. We disclose these conflicts as part of our Compliance Manual, which is typically updated annually, as well as in Form ADV, Part 2A, which is updated and delivered annually to each client. Examples of certain conflicts related to the Code include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.Conflicts among Client Interests.** Conflicts of interest may arise where Acadian or our Access Persons have reason to favor the interests of one client over another client (e.g., larger accounts over smaller accounts, accounts compensated by performance fees over accounts not so compensated, accounts in which Access Persons have made material personal investments, or accounts of close friends or relatives of Access Persons, etc.). Access Persons are prohibited from engaging in inappropriate favoritism of one client over another client.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.Competing with Client Trades.** As referenced in the section on Personal Transactions, an Access Person are generally prohibited from engaging in any securities transactions on the day Acadian trades in the security on behalf of a client and any other transaction that would result in a material negative impact to a client.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.Disclosure of Personal Interest**. Access Persons are prohibited from recommending, implementing, or considering any securities transaction for a client without having first disclosed to the Compliance Team any material beneficial ownership, business or personal relationship, Board membership, or other material interest in the issuer. A member of the Compliance Team will analyze the conflict and determine the appropriate course of action including potential recusal of the Access Person from the decision of the placement of the security at issue on a no-buy list.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.Referrals/Brokerage.** Access Persons are required to act in the best interests of our clients regarding execution and other costs paid by clients for brokerage services. As part of this principle, Access Persons will strictly adhere to Acadian's policies and procedures regarding brokerage allocation, best execution, soft dollars, and other related policies. Access Persons should refrain from undertaking personal investment transactions with the same individual employee at a broker-dealer firm with whom Acadian conducts business for our clients.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.Vendors and Suppliers.** Each Access Person is required to disclose any personal investments or other interests in vendors or suppliers with respect to which that person negotiates or makes decisions on behalf of Acadian. Access Persons with such interests are prohibited from negotiating or making decisions regarding Acadian's business with those companies.

**C.Market Manipulation**

Access Persons are prohibited from making any statements or taking any action intended to manipulate the price of a security or the market for a security. Manipulative conduct includes the creation or spreading of false rumors or other information intended to influence the price of a security. Access Persons are advised to ensure any statement that they may make in a public forum is true, accurate, and not misleading. This includes any statements that you may make independent of your employment with Acadian or beyond your authority as an Access Person, including via any personal blogs, websites, or chat rooms.

Acadian only permits employees to use Acadian approved electronic communication systems to send and receive external correspondence related to your role at Acadian. This includes, but it not limited to, sales and investment related correspondence. Acadian employees shall have no expectation of privacy in the content or attachments of any electronic communication sent or received through any approved electronic communication systems including, but not limited to, the

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Acadian email system, Bloomberg Email and Instant Messaging systems, Teams, and for those who have been pre-approved by the Compliance team, LinkedIn.

The use of personal address email, text, instant messaging other than Bloomberg, or the use of personal social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Whats App, and LinkedIn to conduct Acadian related business or to solicit prospects or clients is prohibited unless preapproved in writing by a compliance officer. Unless you have worked with the Compliance Team to record keep your LinkedIn pages, you may not reshare Acadian content. You may not write commentary on Acadian unless it is pre-approved by a compliance officer.

**D.Insider Trading and Regulation FD**

As a general rule, it is against the law to buy or sell any securities while in possession of material, non-public information relevant to that security (sometimes called "inside information"), or to communicate such information to others who trade on the basis of such information (commonly known as "tipping"). Information is "material" as to a security if a reasonable investor would consider the information significant in deciding whether to buy, hold or sell the security, i.e., any information that might affect the price of the security. Material information can be positive or negative and can relate to virtually any aspect of the Company's business.

Access Persons are prohibited from trading, either personally or on behalf of others, while in possession of material non-public information and from communicating material non-public information to others in violation of the law. This specifically includes personally trading or informing others of the securities held in a client portfolio or transactions contemplated on behalf of any client.

**Insider Trading - Material Non-Public Information.**

The term "material non-public information" relates not only to issuers but may also include Acadian's AUM, internal information, securities recommendations and client securities holdings and transactions. Information is "material" when there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions. Generally, this is information the disclosure of which will have a substantial effect on the price of a company's securities. Examples of events or developments that should be presumed to be "material" with respect to Acadian's activities that should not be discussed outside Acadian and should only be discussed internally with those with a need to know include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•knowledge of a trend in revenues, earnings, or assets under management not yet fully disclosed to the public;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•acquisition, material loss, or regulatory action;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•material change in the number of clients;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•significant legal exposure due to actual, pending or threatened litigation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•a purchase or sale of substantial assets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•changes in senior management or other major personnel changes; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•changes in our auditors or a notification from its auditors that we may no longer rely on the auditor's audit report.

These examples are illustrative only; many other types of information may be considered "material," depending on the circumstances. The materiality of particular information is subject to reassessment on a regular basis. Information is "non-public" as to a security until it has been effectively communicated to the marketplace through a press release or other appropriate news media and enough time has elapsed to permit the investment market to absorb and evaluate the information. In many cases, this process may require the passage of several trading days after any initial disclosure. If there can be any doubt whatsoever as to whether information has been effectively communicated to the marketplace, such information should be considered non-public

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until such time as there is no doubt. You should direct any questions about whether information is material to the Compliance Team.

**<u>AAMI and Nonpublic Acadian Information</u>**

As the sole remaining affiliate of AAMI, certain information specific to Acadian's business activities could be deemed by investors to be material nonpublic information ("MNPI") of AAMI.

Information is "material" if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making an investment decision or it could reasonably be expected to have a substantial effect on the price of AAMI's securities.

"Nonpublic" information is information that has not been previously disclosed to the general public by means of a press release, SEC filing or other media for broad public access. Disclosure to even a large group of analysts or stockholders does not constitute disclosure to the public.

Of specific potential concern to AAMI is the public release (both in writing or verbally) of Acadian's firm wide AUM and firm wide cash flows prior to their public release by AAMI. As a result, the following policies and procedures have been implemented:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Acadian's firm wide AUM will only be made available for external dissemination following its release as part of AAMI's quarterly public filings. The most recent publicly available AUM will be used in all external materials and staled until AAMI publicly releases the following quarterly AUM information. That new number will then be staled thereafter until the next AAMI public filing.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Firm wide cash flows will also be staled as of the most recent public filing and remain staled at that date in all external materials until the AAMI publicly releases the next quarter end cash flow numbers.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•AUM and cash flow information for specific individual strategies will not be publicly released in any manner that in the aggregate would result in the release of more than 50% of firm wide AUM and cash flow amounts. Any AUM and cash flow numbers that can be aggregated to the firm wide AUM and cash flows must be staled to reflect the most recent publicly available information.

Please note, we are still able to provide more current month end AUM and cash flow information for individual strategies as long as what is provided cannot be aggregated to the firm wide level.

The above applies to both written and verbal communication. Any information that cannot be provided in external written content also cannot be shared verbally with any external party until the public filing has been made.

AAMI has agreed that an exception can be made to the above policy changes for clients, prospects, and consultants that execute with Acadian an MNPI acknowledgement. The content of this MNPI acknowledgment is non-negotiable. Once executed by an authorized representative of the entity wishing to receive the more current information, we will be able to provide that entity, going forward, with month end information, with a 7-business day lag. This MNPI acknowledgement will be tracked in Conga and owned by the Compliance team.

While it is not practical to compile an exhaustive list, other information concerning any of the following items specific to Acadian or AAMI should be reviewed carefully to determine whether such information is, or is not, also MNPI:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Earnings, including whether AAMI will or will not meet expectations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Material changes in Acadian assets under management;

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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;•Material changes in the number of clients;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Mergers, acquisitions, tender offers, joint ventures, or changes in assets under management;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Acquisition or loss of an important client or contract;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Changes in senior management;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Changes in compensation policy;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A change in auditors or auditor notification that Acadian or AAMI may no longer rely on an audit report;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A change in an auditor's opinion with respect to Acadian's or AAMI's financial statements;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•The issuance by the auditors of a going concern qualification;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Financings and other events regarding AAMI's securities (e.g., defaults on debt securities, calls of securities for redemption, repurchase plans, stock splits, public or private sales of additional securities);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Transactions with directors, officers or principal security holders;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Regulatory approvals or changes in regulations and any analysis of how they affect AAMI; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Significant litigation.

**Insider Trading - Penalties**

Both the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") are very effective at detecting and pursuing insider trading cases and they have aggressively prosecuted insider traders and tippers. Any person who engages in insider trading or tipping can face a substantial jail term (up to 20 years), civil penalties of up to three times the profit gained (or loss avoided) by that person and/or his or her "tippee," and criminal fines of up to $5,000,000. In addition, if it is found that the Company failed to take appropriate steps to prevent insider trading, the Company may be subject to significant criminal fines and civil penalties of up to $1,000,000 or, if greater, three times the profit gained (or loss avoided) as a result of the insider trading.

You may also be sued by those seeking to recover damages for insider trading violations. Regardless of whether a government inquiry occurs, Acadian views seriously any violation of our insider trading policies, and such violations constitute grounds for disciplinary sanctions, including immediate dismissal and reporting to legal and regulatory authorities.

**Before executing any trade for yourself or others, including clients, an Access Person must determine whether he or she has access to material non-public information.**

If you think that you might have access to material non-public information, you should take the following steps:

1. report the information and proposed trade immediately to the Chief Compliance Officer.

2. do not purchase or sell the securities on behalf of yourself or others, including clients.

3. do not communicate the information inside or outside Acadian, other than to the Chief Compliance Officer or his designee.

**<u>Regulation FD</u>**

As an affiliate of Acadian Asset Management Inc. ("AAMI"), a publicly traded company, Acadian is committed to fair disclosure of information related to Acadian or AAMI that could influence the value of AAMI's securities and will not act to advantage any particular analyst or investor,

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consistent with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC's") Fair Disclosure Regulation ("Regulation FD").

AAMI will continue to provide current and potential investors with information reasonably required to make an informed decision on whether to invest in AAMI's securities, as required by law or as determined appropriate by AAMI management.

Acadian prohibits Access Persons from making any disclosure of material nonpublic information about Acadian or AAMI to anyone outside Acadian (other than for business purposes to persons who first are obliged to maintain confidentiality with respect to such information) unless AAMI discloses it to the public at the same time in a manner consistent with Regulation FD. Examples of activities subject to this policy include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Quarterly earnings releases and related conference calls;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Providing guidance as to AAMI's financial performance or results;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Contact with financial analysts covering AAMI;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Reviewing analyst reports and similar materials;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Referring to or distributing analyst reports regarding AAMI;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Analyst and investor visits;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Speeches, interviews, seminars and conferences;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Responding to market rumors;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Responding to media inquiries regarding financial or other material events; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Postings on Acadian's or AAMI's website.

E. Gifts and Entertainment

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.General Statement**

A conflict of interest occurs when the personal interests of Access Persons interfere or could potentially interfere with their responsibilities to Acadian and our clients. Access Persons may not accept inappropriate gifts, favors, entertainment, special accommodations or other things of material value that could influence their decision- making or make them feel beholden to a person or firm. Access Persons are expressly prohibited from letting gifts, gratuities or entertainment influence their selection of any broker, dealer or vendor for Acadian business. Similarly, Access Persons may not offer gifts, favors, entertainment or other things of value that could be viewed as overly generous or aimed at influencing decision-making or making a client feel beholden to Acadian or the Access Person.

Supervisors of specific business units have the discretion to set more restrictive entertainment and gift policies than those in this Code that individuals subject to their supervision must comply with.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.Gifts**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a.Receipt** - No Access Person may receive gifts totaling more than de minimis value ($100 per calendar year) from any <u>person or entity</u> that does investment related business with or on behalf of Acadian. For example, regardless of the number of employees at XYZ broker who provide a gift, the aggregate value of the gifts that can be accepted by an Access Person from all individuals associated with XYZ broker is $100. Promotional items containing the name and/or logo of the provider shall not be considered a gift provided its estimated value is under $100.

Access Persons are expressly prohibited from soliciting any gift related to our investment activities.

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**b.Offer** – No Access Person may give or offer any gift of more than de minimis value ($100 per year) to existing clients or prospective clients. Access Persons may not give gifts if the intent is to retain or gain investment related business. In certain countries in which we may conduct business, the offer of a gift may be a cultural norm. In such cases, it may be permissible to exceed the de minimis value provided the gift is reasonable in value and has been approved by a Senior Manager.

<u>Gifts to ERISA, Taft-Hartley, and Public Plan Clients and Prospects</u>

Regulations relating to the investment management of ERISA, state or municipal pension funds, and Taft-Hartley clients often severely restrict or prohibit the offer of gifts of any value to their representatives. The Compliance Team should be consulted prior to providing any type of gift of any value to such clients or prospects as restrictions vary and many require detailed reporting be provided of such activity both by Acadian as provider and by the recipient. It is also advisable as a best practice to consult with the intended recipient before making such an offer as the offer of a gift alone, without actually providing the gift, could be a violation.

<u>40 Act Mutual Fund clients</u>

Pursuant to Section 17(e)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, no employee may accept from any source any compensation (including any gifts or entertainment in any amount) for the purchase or sale of any property to or for the mutual fund clients sub-advised by Acadian.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.Cash** - No Access Person may give or accept cash gifts or cash equivalents to or from a client or prospective client or any other entity that conducts investment related business with or on behalf of Acadian.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.Entertainment**

<u>Providing Entertainment</u>: No Access Person may provide extravagant or excessive entertainment to a client, prospective client, or any person or entity that does or seeks to do investment related business with or on behalf of Acadian. Access Persons may occasionally provide business entertainment events, at a venue where business is typically discussed, such as dinner or a sporting event, of reasonable value, provided that the Access Person is present.

<u>Accepting Entertainment</u>: The firm recognizes that Access Person participation in entertainment provided by those with whom we conduct investment related business may be beneficial and further legitimate business interests. However, the acceptance of extravagant or excessive entertainment (face value >$1,000) from a client, prospective client, or any person or entity that does or seeks to do investment related business with Acadian is not permitted.

Access Persons are permitted to attend occasional business meals, at a venue where business is typically discussed, of reasonable value, provided that the person or a representative of the organization providing the meal is present.

Access Persons are also permitted to attend other entertainment events, such as sporting events, subject to the following conditions:

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

&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.A representative of the hosting organization must be present;

&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.The primary purpose of the invitation must be to discuss business or to build a business relationship; 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;3.You must receive prior written approval from your supervisor regardless of the value of the entertainment being provided.

Access Persons are expressly prohibited from soliciting any entertainment related to our investment activities.

<u>Entertainment to ERISA, Taft-Hartley and Public Plan Clients and Prospects</u>

Regulations relating to the investment management of ERISA, state or municipal pension funds, and Taft-Hartley clients often severely restrict or prohibit the offer of entertainment of any value (Including coffee, meals, drinks etc.) to their representatives. The Compliance Team should be consulted prior to providing any type of entertainment of any value to such clients or prospects as restrictions vary and many require detailed reporting be provided of such activity both by Acadian as provider and by the recipient. It is also advisable as a best practice to consult with the intended recipient before making such an offer as the offer of entertainment alone, without actually providing the entertainment, could be a violation.

<u>40 Act Mutual Fund clients</u>

Pursuant to Section 17(e)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, no employee may accept from any source any compensation (including any gifts or entertainment in any amount) for the purchase or sale of any property to or for the mutual fund clients sub-advised by Acadian.

**5. Detailed Expense Reports Required for Gifts and Entertainment**

For all gifts and entertainment purchased for or provided to a client or prospect, make certain that the expense report submitted for reimbursement clearly discloses what was provided, the names of each individual recipient, and the organization that each recipient represented. Appropriate supporting receipts must be provided. Certain ERISA, public plan clients, and Taft-Hartley plan clients may require that we provide detailed gift and entertainment reports related to their representatives.

**6. Conferences** – Access Person attendance at all third-party sponsored industry conferences is subject to supervisor approval. If the conference involves potential clients, prospects, or consultants, and Acadian's attendance at the conference will be paid for by the host or a third party (including conference fee, travel, and lodging as examples), this should be disclosed prior to attendance to the Compliance Team. The Compliance Team will review, among other factors, the purpose of the conference, the conference agenda, and the proposed costs that will be paid or reimbursed by the third party.

It is against Acadian policy to sponsor or pay to attend any conference where our payment is a primary consideration of whether we will be awarded business from any client or prospective client who may be in attendance.

**7. Quarterly Reporting** – Acadian will require all Access Persons to report any gifts or entertainment received on a quarterly basis. Gifts and entertainment provided will be monitored through the periodic review of expense reports.

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**F.Political Contributions and Compliance with the** Pay-to-Play Rule Requirements

Acadian as a firm is prohibited from making political contributions. Political contributions requested by a client or prospect will be prohibited as these may be deemed as an attempt to retain or win business. Employees, contractors, or consultants of Acadian's non-U.S. affiliated offices are prohibited from donating to any candidate in a U.S. election. As such, the requirements in this section are not applicable to these individuals.

Rule 206(4)-5 (the "Rule") under the Advisers Act seeks to curtail "pay to play" practices by investment advisers that provide advisory services to a state or local government entity or to an investment pool in which a state or local governmental entity invests.

There are three key elements of the Rule:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(i)a two-year "time-out" from receiving compensation for providing advisory services to certain government entities after certain political contributions are made,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(ii)a prohibition on soliciting contributions and payments, and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(iii)a prohibition from paying third parties for soliciting government clients.

For purposes of the Code and the Rule, an "<u>official</u>" is any person (including any election committee for the person) who was, at the time of the contribution, an incumbent, candidate or successful candidate for elective office of a government entity, if the office: (i) is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser by a government entity, or (ii) has authority to appoint any person who is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser by a government entity.

A "<u>government entity</u>" includes all state and local governments, their agents, and instrumentalities, as well as all public pension plans and other collective government funds, including participant-directed plans such as 403(b), 457, and 529 plans. These entities are typically pension plans that are separate legal entities from state and local governments, but have elected officials as board members.

To ensure Acadian complies with the Rule, all Acadian Access Persons will be required to adhere to the following procedures:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.Submit a written pre-approval form to the Compliance Team and receive compliance approval prior to making any political contribution to an "official" (includes incumbents, candidates, and committees as defined above) of a "government entity", regardless of contribution amount.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.Submit quarter–end and year-end reports of all political contributions made to any official of a government entity.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.A prohibition from directly or indirectly soliciting political contributions on behalf of any official of a government entity if such individual can directly or indirectly influence the investment advisory business or from soliciting payments to a political party of a state or locality where the investment adviser is providing or seeking to provide investment advisory services to a government entity. Pursuant to this provision, Access Persons are prohibited from:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•indirectly making political contributions to politicians through, for example, spouses, lawyers or affiliated companies;

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•"bundling" a large number of small contributions to influence an election in the state or locality in which the Investment Adviser is seeking business;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•soliciting contributions from professional service providers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•consenting to the use of Acadian's name on fundraising literature for a candidate; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•sponsoring a meeting or conference which features an official as an attendee or guest speaker and which involves fundraising for the official (and, in this case, expenses incurred by the Access Person for hosting the event (such as the cost of the facility or refreshments, or reimbursement of any of the official's expenses for the event) would be a contribution by the Investment Adviser, thereby triggering the two-year "time-out" provisions of the Rule).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.A prohibition on paying any non-regulated third party for soliciting advisory business from U.S. based government clients on our behalf.

Failure of each Access Person to adhere to the requirements of the Rule could result in Acadian being prohibited from receiving compensation from a government entity for a period of two-years from the date of the contribution.

**G.Anti-Bribery** and Corruption Policy and risks related to employee acts including political contributions and gifts/entertainment

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the "FCPA") prohibits corrupt payments to foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or keeping business. The person making or authorizing the payment must have a corrupt intent, and the payment must be intended to induce the recipient to misuse his official position to direct business wrongfully to the payer or to any other person. You should note that the FCPA does not require that a corrupt act succeed in its purpose. The offer or promise of a corrupt payment can constitute a violation of the statute. The FCPA prohibits any corrupt payment intended to influence any act or decision of a foreign official in his or her official capacity, to induce the official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his or her lawful duty, to obtain any improper advantage, or to induce a foreign official to use his or her influence improperly to affect or influence any act or decision. The FCPA prohibits paying, offering, promising to pay (or authorizing to pay or offer) money or anything of value. The prohibition extends only to corrupt payments to a foreign official, a foreign political party or party official, or any candidate for foreign political office. A "foreign official" means any officer or employee of a foreign government, a public international organization, or any department or agency thereof, or any person acting in an official capacity.

Obligations imposed on Access Persons go further than compliance with the FCPA. Bribery and corrupt business practices create unfair markets, erode public trust and stifle long-term economic development and are contrary to Acadian's values. Bribery or corruption in any manner or for any purpose or benefit will not be tolerated and any such action by an Access Person or the firm is strictly prohibited. Access Persons must be committed to ethical and legal business conduct and must:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Act legally and with integrity at all times to safeguard its staff members, resources, tangible and intangible assets, and our reputation;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Create and maintain a trust-based and inclusive internal culture in which bribery and corruption are not tolerated;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Conduct all business relationships in an ethical and lawful manner; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Cooperate fully with law enforcement and regulators locally within the bounds of local legislation.

Access Persons who deliberately breach the policy will be subject to disciplinary action, potentially leading to dismissal.

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Access Persons are expected to act legally, ethically, and with integrity at all times to safeguard our employees, resources, assets and reputation. Access Persons must closely adhere to the gift and entertainment and the political contributions policies and procedures described herein.

Any suspicions of bribery or corruption should be reported in accordance with the Whistleblowing policy set out in this Code. Acadian and all Access Persons are expected to cooperate fully with any law enforcement or regulatory inquiry into any bribery or corruption allegation.

**H.Charitable Contributions**

Although Acadian encourages our Access Persons to be charitable, no donations should be made or should appear to have been made for the purpose of obtaining or retaining client business. No donations should be made in the name of any client if such a donation would result in a violation of the client's ethical requirements. This is typically the case with state and municipal clients.

Any request from a client or prospect for a charitable donation should be brought to the attention of a Compliance Officer. Any charitable donation made in response to a client or prospect request should be nominal as not to appear to have been made to obtain or retain the business and should be done in accordance with Acadian's charitable giving policies.

**I.Confidentiality**

Access Persons have the highest fiduciary obligation to protect and keep confidential at all times sensitive non-public information related to our clients, prospects, Access Persons, and the firm. Please also refer to your obligations to protect information from disclosure under Insider Trading and Regulation FD sections of this Code. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a.any prospect or client's identity (unless the client consents), any information regarding a client's financial circumstances, business practices, or advice furnished to a client by Acadian;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b.information on specific client accounts, including recent or impending securities transactions by clients and activities of the portfolio managers for client accounts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c.specific information on Acadian's investments for clients (including former clients) and prospective clients and account transactions and holdings;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d.information on other Access Persons, including their social security numbers, financial account information and account numbers, compensation, benefits, position level and performance rating; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e.information on Acadian's firm wide assets under management and cash flows, business activities, including new services, products, research, technologies, investment process, and business initiatives, unless disclosure has been authorized by Acadian.

Access Persons should not access information on any client, prospect, consultant, or employee that is not required to perform their specific job functions. Access Persons should not discuss or release any non-public information that they may be authorized to access and view to any internal party or external party unless that party has a compelling business need to receive the information.

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Access Persons should be sensitive to the problem of inadvertent or accidental disclosure, through careless conversation in a public place or the failure to safeguard papers and documents. Documents and papers should be kept in appropriately marked file folders and locked in file cabinets when appropriate. Any confidential information that must be transmitted over email or via the internet should also be protected in accordance with Acadian's IT Security Policy.

**J.Service on a Board of Directors**

Prior to accepting a position as an officer, director, trustee, partner, or Controlling person in any other company or business venture not related to Acadian, or as a member of an investment organization (e.g., an investment club), Access Persons must disclose the position to the Compliance Team.

While the prior disclosure of Board membership or service on a charitable/non-profit organization is generally not required, disclosure and pre-approval would be required if your service involved participation on the finance, treasury, or investment committees or their functional roles or equivalents. Acadian may place specific restrictions on such service.

Each Board position should also be disclosed to the Compliance Team at least annually. Notice of such positions may be given to a compliance officer of any Fund advised or sub-advised by the Company.

As a firm policy, Acadian will restrict from our potential investment universe, and will not invest in or recommend client investment in, any publicly traded company for which an Access Person serves as a Board member.

**K. Partnerships**

Any non-Acadian related non-investment partnership or similar arrangement, either participated in or formulated by an Access Person, should be disclosed to the Compliance Team prior to formation, or if already in existence at the time of employment, as part of New Hire reporting. Any such partnership interest should also be disclosed to the Compliance Team at least annually. Investment partnerships such as participating as a passive "partner" in a hedge fund would require pre-clearance and reporting on holdings reports.

**L.Other Outside Activities**

Access Persons may not engage in outside business interests or employment that could in any way materially conflict with the proper performance of their duties to or for Acadian. All Access Persons should inform their supervisor and Human Resources prior to accepting any employment outside of Acadian if it has the potential of impacting or conflicting with their responsibilities to Acadian. Supervisors will involve the Compliance Team as needed.

**M.Marketing and Promotional Activities**

Acadian has instituted policies and procedures relating to our creation and distribution of marketing, performance, advertising, and promotional materials to ensure compliance with relevant securities and commodities laws and GIPs. All oral and written statements made by Access Persons to the public, regardless of format or audience, must be professional, accurate, balanced and not misleading in any way.

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**N.Affiliated** Broker-Dealers

Certain employees of Acadian are affiliated with a third-party limited-purpose broker-dealer related to the offer and sale of funds. Acadian will not utilize the services of this broker-dealer to trade for the accounts of any firm client. Acadian will also abide by any restrictions imposed by a client regarding the use of any specific broker-dealer including those that may be an affiliate of a client.

**Part 4. Compliance Procedures**

Access Persons are expected to respond truthfully and accurately to all requests for information. With general exceptions as outlined below, any reports, statements or confirmations described herein, submitted through the StarCompliance system, or created under this Code will be treated as confidential to the extent possible.

Access Persons should be aware that copies of such reports, statements or confirmations, or summaries of each, may be provided to their supervisors, to senior management, to AAMI, to compliance personnel and the Board of Directors of any registered investment company client, to outside counsel, and/or to regulatory authorities upon appropriate request. To the extent possible, efforts will be made to preserve the confidentiality of any personal information contained on any such report prior to providing is to the requesting party.

**A.Reporting of Access Person Investment Accounts**

All Access Persons are required to notify the Compliance Team in writing of any investment account in which he or she has direct or indirect beneficial interest in which a covered security can be purchased.

**B.Duplicate Statements**

The Compliance Team, in its discretion, will determine if the receipt of duplicate investment account statements for any Access Person's investment account will further enhance its ability to oversee and enforce the Code. Such statements will typically not be required if the investment firm issuing such statements has an agreement in place with StarCompliance to directly feed employee transaction information into StarCompliance for our access.

If the Compliance Team determines a feed from StarCompliance is not available for a specific brokerage account, the employee will be responsible for providing duplicate copies of the statements to the Compliance Team. Statements not available to the Compliance Team by other means can be provided by uploading statements as part of the employee's quarterly disclosure reporting in StarCompliance.

The purpose of receiving "duplicates" is to independently confirm Code compliance, especially as it relates to compliance with pre-clearance of trades, the blackout period, and reporting. Duplicate investment account statements will typically be requested directly from the broker or adviser for any Access Person investment accounts where the Access Person exercises investment discretion over the account and has the ability to trade in covered securities including individual stocks, Acadian or affiliated managed funds, or other types of covered securities that may conflict with the type of investments Acadian makes for our clients.

Duplicate investment account statements are typically not requested or received from the following types of accounts:

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•accounts in which individual stocks, bonds, Depository Receipts, ETFs, and Acadian advised or sub-advised mutual funds cannot be purchased or sold;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•accounts where the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control over transactions in the account; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Acadian's 401k and deferred compensation plan accounts.

C. Pre-clearance of Personal Securities Transactions

All Access Persons must strictly comply with Acadian's policies and procedures regarding personal securities transactions in covered securities including requesting pre-clearance before trading in a covered security.

**<u>Pre-clearance approval is typically only effective on the day granted.</u>**

Pre-clearance requests, once granted, are only effective until the close of the market on which the "cleared" security trades. If the trade is not executed before market close on the day the pre-clearance was requested and granted, then the request would need to be re-submitted the following day. For example, pre-clearance requests granted on Monday in the U.S. for a security trading in the U.S. are effective until the close of U.S. markets that Monday.

One exception relates to the pre-clearance of a security trading on a foreign exchange. A request to trade a security trading on a foreign exchange made after close of the exchange but prior to the reopen of the exchange for the next trading day would be approved until the close of that foreign exchange on the next trading day.

No one, including the Chief Compliance Officer, is authorized to approve his or her own trades.

**D.Pre-Approval** of Political Contributions

Access Persons must submit a pre-approval request to a member of the Compliance Team and receive compliance approval prior to making any political contribution to any "official" of a "government entity" regardless of contribution amount. Please refer to the Political Contributions section of the Code for the definition of official, government entity, and additional details.

**E.Quarterly Reporting through StarCompliance**

**1. Transactions**

Within **<u>thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (i.e. end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a quarterly report to the Compliance Team to report either no reportable trading activity or all transactions involving covered securities in reportable accounts in which they have direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership and the account in which the security was purchased or sold as well as duplicate statements associated with the quarter if an

StarCompliance feed is not available for employee brokerage accounts[<sup>3</sup>](#divaf8e2510-45c2-40f0-8984-d0a84da54945). As noted above, statements for any brokerage accounts not on feeds need to be provided on a quarterly basis.

3Transactions in in covered securities in Acadian's 401K plan and deferred compensation plan do not require quarterly reporting. Year-end holdings in these accounts must be reported.

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**2. Gifts and Entertainment**

Within **<u>thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a quarterly report of any gifts or entertainment received from any person or organization doing or seeking to do investment related business with Acadian. A Supervisor approval is required when there is a reportable item. A report is required even if there is nothing to report but supervisor approval on such report is not required.

**3. Private Investments**

Within **<u>thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a report to certify that they either have no private investments to report or attest to all pre-existing private investments including any that were acquired within the previous quarter.

**4. Political Contributions**

**<u>Within thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a quarterly report of any political contributions made to any official of a government entity as defined in the Code. A signed report is required even if there is nothing to report. Access Persons located in Acadian's non-U.S. affiliated offices are prohibited from donating to any candidate in a U.S. election. As such, reporting requirements related to political contributions are not applicable to these individuals. Notwithstanding, each must comply with any reporting requirements that may be established specific to their office.

**5. Communication Acknowledgment**

Within **<u>thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a report to certify that they acknowledge and comply with firm policies related to approved methods of electronic communication.

**6. MNPI Acknowledgment**

Within **<u>thirty (30) calendar days</u>** of each quarter end (end of April, July, October, and January) all Access Persons must submit a report to certify that they acknowledge and comply with firm policies and procedures related to material non-public information.

**F.Annual Reporting through StarCompliance**

**<u>By January 30th</u>** of each year, each Access Person must complete and submit a listing as of December 31 of the prior year of:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(1)each investment account in which they have a direct or indirect interest in which a security can be purchased (a review of all accounts should be done at least annually and/or when accounts are opened/closed);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)their investment holdings in covered securities (including a separate report for "private investments") including security name, share amount, price per share and principal amount (**<u>market values should be updated as of 12/31</u>**):

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(3)a listing of all non-Acadian and non-investment related directorships or partnerships in which they are involved;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(4)a list of all political contributions made including candidate name, elected office, amount, and date;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(5)Any other reports requested by the Compliance Team specific to the Access Person;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(6)Affirmation acknowledging receipt of and compliance with the Code; and

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(7)Affirmation acknowledging receipt of and compliance with the Compliance Manual.

Your year-end investment holdings report must contain <u>all</u> holdings in covered securities in <u>any covered accounts</u> including those positions held in Acadian's 401K plan, and deferred compensation plan. **<u>To be considered complete, these reports must contain the quantity and value of each reported holding as of December 31.</u>**

On an annual basis, each Access Person will also be required to provide certification of their receipt of the Code of Ethics and an acknowledgement of their obligation to comply with its requirements.

**G.New Hire Reporting through StarCompliance**

New Access Persons are required to file the following attestations within **ten (10) business days** of their hire date:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a.Initial Affirmation acknowledging receipt of and compliance with the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b.Initial Report of Reportable Investment Accounts along with a copy of the last issued holdings statement for each account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c.Initial Report of Securities Holdings.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d.Access Person Partnership Involvement Relationship Report.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e.Access Person Report of Director/Relationship Involvement.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;f.Access Person Report of Political Contributions for prior two years from hire date.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;g.Communication Acknowledgment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;h.MNPI Acknowledgment.

**H.Review and Enforcement of Personal Transaction Compliance and General Code Compliance**

The Compliance Team will periodically review personal securities transactions reports and other reports submitted by Access Persons. The review may include, but not limited to, the following:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a.An assessment of whether the Access Person followed the Code and any required internal procedures, such as pre-clearance, including the comparison of "Pre- clearance" submissions to any account statements that may have been received from brokers, advisers or other sources;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;b.Comparison of personal trading to any blackout period;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;c.An assessment of whether the Access Person and Acadian are trading in the same securities and, if so, whether clients are receiving terms as favorable as the Access Person;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;d.Periodically analyzing the Access Person's trading for patterns that may indicate potential compliance issues including front running, excessive or short-term trading or market timing; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;e.Any pattern of trading or activity raising the appearance that the Access Person may be taking advantage of their position at Acadian.

Before any determination is made that a code violation has been committed by an Access Person, the Access Person will have the opportunity to supply additional explanatory material. If the Chief Compliance Officer initially determines that a material violation has occurred, he will prepare a written summary of the occurrence, together with all supporting information/documentation including any explanatory material provided by the Access Person, and present the situation to Access Person's manager, the Compliance and Risk Committee, and, if the Chief Compliance Officer and Committee deem it necessary, to the Acadian Executive Management Team and Executive Committee, or the Board of Managers. Depending on the

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incident, AAMI may become involved as well as outside counsel for evaluation and recommendation for resolution.

Acadian's Chief Compliance Officer reports all Code violations and their resolution, regardless of materiality, to Acadian's Compliance and Risk Committee at least quarterly. Further, if the Chief Compliance Officer and the Committee deem it necessary, a Code violation may also be reported to the Acadian Executive Management Team and Executive Committee, the Board of Managers, and the Board of Directors of any U.S. registered investment company for which Acadian acts as adviser or sub-adviser.

**I.Certification of Compliance**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.Initial Certification.** Compliance with the Code is a condition of hire and ongoing employment at Acadian. Each Access Person is provided with a copy of the Code when hired and receives training on the Code from a Compliance Officer. Acadian requires all Access Persons to certify that they have: (a) received a copy of the Code; (b) read and understand all provisions of the Code; and (c) agreed to comply with the terms of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.Acknowledgement of Amendments.** Acadian will provide Access Persons with any material amendments to our Code and Access Persons will submit an acknowledgement that they have received, read, and understood the amendments to the Code. Acadian and members of our compliance staff will make every attempt to bring important changes to the attention of Access Persons.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.Annual Certification.** All Access Persons and supervised persons are required annually to certify that they have received, read, understood, and complied with the Code.

**Part 5. Access Person Disclosures and Reporting Obligations**

Acadian has certain disclosure obligations to our clients and regulators. Each Access Person has an immediate and ongoing obligation to notify a Compliance Officer if any of the responses to the questions listed below are "yes" or become "yes" at any time.

(1)In the past ten years, have you:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)been convicted of or plead guilty to nolo contendere ("no contest") in a domestic, foreign, or military court to any felony?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)been charged with any felony?

(2)In the past ten years, have you:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)been convicted of or plead guilty or nolo contendere ("no contest") in a domestic, foreign or military court to a misdemeanor involving: investments or an investment related business, or any fraud, false statements, or omissions, wrongful taking of property, bribery, perjury, forgery, counterfeiting, extortion, or a conspiracy to commit any of these offenses?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)been charged with a misdemeanor listed in 2(a)?

3. Has the SEC or the Commodity Futures trading Association (CFTC) ever:

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)found you to have made a false statement or omission?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)found you to have been involved in a violation of SEC or CFTC regulations or statutes?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)found you to have been a cause of an investment related business having its authorization to do business denied, suspended, revoked, or restricted?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)entered an order against you in connection with investment related activity?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)imposed a civil money penalty on you or ordered you to cease and desist from any activity?

4. Has any other federal regulatory agency, any state regulatory agency, or any foreign financial regulatory authority:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)ever found you to have made a false statement or omission, or been dishonest, unfair, or unethical?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)ever found you to have been involved in a violation of investment related regulations or statutes?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)ever found you to have been a cause of an investment related business having its authorization to do business denied, suspended, revoked, or restricted?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)in the past ten years, entered an order against you in connection with an investment related activity?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(e)ever denied, suspended, revoked, or otherwise prevented you from associating with an investment related business?

5. Has any self-regulatory organization or commodities exchange ever:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)found you to have made a false statement or omission?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)found you to have been involved in a violation of its rules?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)found you to have been the cause of an investment related business having its authorization to do business denied, suspended, revoked, or restricted?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(d)disciplined you by barring or suspending you from association with other advisers or otherwise restricting your activities?

6. Has the authorization to act as an attorney, accountant, or federal contractor granted to you ever been revoked or suspended?

7. Are you the subject of any regulatory proceeding?

8. Has any domestic or foreign court:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(a)in the past ten years, enjoined you in connection with any investment related activity?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(b)ever found that you were involved in a violation of investment related statutes or regulations?

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(c)ever dismissed, pursuant to a settlement agreement, an investment related civil action brought against you by a state or foreign financial regulatory authority?

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9. Are you now the subject of any civil proceeding that could result in a "yes" answer to item 8 above?

**Part 6. Record Keeping**

Acadian will maintain the following records pertaining to the Code in a readily accessible place:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A copy of each Code that has been in effect at any time during the past five years;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A record of any violation of the Code and any action taken as a result of such violation for five years from the end of the fiscal year in which the violation occurred;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A record of all acknowledgements of receipt of the Code and amendments for each person who is currently, or within the past five years was, an Access Person (these records must be kept for five years after the individual ceases to be an Access Person of Acadian);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Holdings and transactions reports made pursuant to the Code for the prior five years;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A list of the names of persons who are currently, or within the past five years were, Access Persons;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A record of any decision and supporting reasons for approving the acquisition of covered securities by Access Persons including IPOs and limited offerings for at least five years after the end of the fiscal year in which approval was granted;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A record of persons responsible for reviewing Access Persons' reports currently or during the last five years; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•A copy of reports provided to the Board of Directors of any U.S. registered management investment company for which Acadian acts as adviser or sub-adviser regarding the Code for the past five years.

**Part 7. Form ADV Disclosure**

Acadian includes within our Form ADV, Part 2A a description of Acadian's Code and a description of conflicts identified with our investment process and operations. We will deliver a copy of Form ADV, Part 2A to each client annually and will provide a copy of our Code to any client or prospective client upon request.

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**Part 8. Administration and Enforcement of the Code**

**Responsibility to Know the Rules**

Access Persons are responsible for their actions under the law and are therefore required to be sufficiently familiar with applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations to avoid violating them. Claimed ignorance of any rule or regulation or of any requirement under this Code or any other Acadian policy or procedure is not a defense for misconduct.

**A.Excessive or Inappropriate Trading**

Acadian understands that it is appropriate for Access Persons to participate in the public securities markets as part of their overall personal investment programs. As in other areas, however, this should be done in a way that limits potential conflicts with the interests of any client account. Further, it is important to recognize that otherwise appropriate trading, if excessive (measured in terms of frequency, complexity of trading programs, numbers of trades, or other measures as deemed appropriate by the Compliance Team), may compromise the best interests of any client if such excessive trading is conducted during the workday or using Acadian resources. Accordingly, if personal trading rises to such dimension as to create an environment that is not consistent with the Code, such personal transactions may be brought to the attention of the Access Person's supervisor and may not be approved or may be limited by the Compliance Team.

**B.Training and Education**

<u>New Hires</u>

Employment at Acadian is contingent upon compliance with the Code. Each new hire receives a copy of the Code and must complete an affirmation of receipt and understanding. A member of the Compliance Team will meet with each new hire within their first week of employment to review the Code and to respond to any questions.

<u>Annual</u>

Mandatory annual ethics training is required for all employees and consultants designated as either/or Associated Persons with the NFA or Access Persons. The topics that will be included within the annual ethics training will be chosen by members of the Compliance Team who will provide the training through StarCompliance. The Compliance Team will monitor completion in StarCompliance and document any failure by an employee to complete the training in a timely manner as a Code violation. The ethics training will reinforce key sections of the Code as well as any other compliance related issues as determined by business changes or regulatory focus. Pursuant to NFA Compliance Rule 2-9 and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Statement of Acceptable Practices annual ethics training at a minimum will also include:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;1.An explanation of the applicable laws and regulations and rules of Acadian's business activities regulated by the NFA;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.Employees' obligation to the public to observe just and equitable principles of trading;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.How to act honestly and fairly and with due skill, care, and diligence in the best interest of customers and the integrity of the markets;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.How to establish effective supervisory systems and internal controls;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5.How to obtain and assess the financial situation and investment experience of customers;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;6.Disclosure of material information to customers; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7.Avoidance, proper disclosure, and handling of conflicts of interest.

Updated as of January 2026 31

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Compliance and Risk Committee Approval**

The Code will be submitted to Acadian's Compliance and Risk Committee annually for approval.

**D.Report to the Board(s) of Investment Company Clients**

At the frequency requested and in compliance with Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, Acadian will comply with any reporting requirements imposed by the Board of Directors of each of our U.S. registered investment company clients as well as any other reporting related to our Code requested by any client. A copy of our Code is provided to clients and prospects upon request. Reports typically provided to Fund Board's include a description of any issues arising under the Code since the last report, information about material violations of the Code, sanctions imposed in response to such violations, and any material changes made to the Code. Acadian will also provide reports when requested certifying that we have adopted procedures reasonably necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating the code.

**E.Report to Senior Management**

The Chief Compliance Officer will provide a report on a quarterly basis to Acadian's Compliance and Risk Committee noting any violations of the Code. Any material violations will be escalated promptly.

**F.Reporting Violations and Whistleblowing Protections**

Acadian is committed to fostering an environment of ethical and fair business conduct that requires all Access Persons to act honestly and with integrity at all times. Access Persons are required to report to the Chief Compliance Officer or a senior manager all potential instances of serious malpractice, material violations of company policies, and material violations of the Code. Access Persons are required to cooperate fully with any and all investigations into such matters. Failure to adhere to these policies will be considered a violation of the Code and will subject the Access Person to disciplinary action including the potential for termination.

Good faith reports of such potentially serious or material violations may be made without fear of retribution either directly to the Chief Compliance Officer or on a confidential basis via either a written statement in a sealed envelope or in any other way the Access Person feels is necessary to preserve his or her confidentiality. A report can also be made to the AAMI Fraud Hotline listed in the Fraud section below. These reports will be treated as confidential, and the source of the report protected to the extent permitted by law provided that the "whistleblower" (1) genuinely believes that the knowledge or suspicions disclosed are true and relate to serious malpractice; and (2) that the communication is clear from the outset that a confidential "whistleblowing" disclosure is being made. All such reports will be investigated promptly and thoroughly, and all legal requirements will be complied with.

**G.Fraud Policy**

Access Persons are expected to act legally, ethically, and with integrity at all times to safeguard our employees, resources, assets and reputation. The commission of a fraud of any kind is prohibited. Failure by any Access Person to comply with this policy could result in disciplinary action being taken against that individual.

For the purpose of the Code, fraud is defined as: "Any deliberate action or inaction involving dishonesty or deception, which may result in the diminution of client account or shareholder

Updated as of January 2026 32

value, either through financial loss or reputational damage, whether or not there is personal benefit to the fraudster."

**What Constitutes Fraud?**

The legal definition of fraud may vary depending on the legal statutes of the various jurisdictions in which Acadian operates and rules, regulations and other releases of the regulatory bodies that govern our activities including the SEC, NFA, and CFTC. For example, CFTC Regulation 180.01. In some jurisdictions, no precise legal definition of fraud exists, although many of the offenses referred to as fraud may be prohibited by local statute or be deemed criminal offenses by local statute. The term is generally used to describe acts such as: deception, bribery, forgery, extortion, corruption, theft, conspiracy, embezzlement, misappropriation, false representation, concealment of material facts and collusion. Some examples of fraud include, among others:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Dishonest or fraudulent activities, such as embezzlement, deceit, collusion, or conspiracy

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Bribery, corruption, or abuse of office

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Theft

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Abuse or misuse of company property

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliberate misapplication or misappropriation of company funds or assets

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliberate or suspicious unacceptable loss of assets in the care of any member of AAMI

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Forgery or alteration of documents

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Making use of or knowingly possessing forged or falsified documents

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Providing false or misleading information

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliberate theft, sale or misuse of sensitive documentation or information

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliberate false creation of records within or unauthorized amendments to databases, administration systems and accounting records

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Targeted attempts to use technology/electronic communications to hack or breach security controls

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Intentional destruction (excepted as allowed per our Record Management Policy) or suspicious disappearance of records

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Concealment of material facts

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliberate intentional misapplication of accounting principles

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Any improper act, which may damage the reputation of AAMI or any of its members

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Use or employ, or attempt to use or employ, any manipulative device, scheme, or artifice to defraud;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Make, or attempt to make, any untrue or misleading statement of a material fact or to omit to <u>state</u> a material fact necessary in <u>order</u> to make the statements made not untrue or misleading in any materials;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Engage, or attempt to engage, in any act, practice, or course of business, which operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit upon any <u>person</u>; or,

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Deliver or cause to be delivered, or attempt to deliver or cause to be delivered, for transmission through the mails or interstate commerce, by any means of communication whatsoever, a false or misleading or inaccurate report concerning crop or market information or conditions that affect or tend to affect the price of any <u>commodity</u> in interstate commerce, knowing, or acting in reckless disregard of the fact that such report is false, misleading or inaccurate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no violation of this subsection shall exist where the <u>person</u> mistakenly transmits, in good faith, false or misleading or inaccurate information to a price reporting service

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Any similar or related activity or irregularity

Fraud can be perpetrated internally by employees or contractors, externally by clients, intermediaries or other third parties.

Any individual who is unclear as to what may constitute an act of fraud should seek further guidance from his/her direct manager or from the Chief Compliance Officer as appropriate.

Updated as of January 2026 33

**What should I do if I suspect fraud has been committed?**

All staff is encouraged to immediately report any fraud that is suspected or discovered. Any such activity should be reported initially to their immediate manager and/or the Chief Compliance Officer, except where either of those individuals is suspected of involvement.

Immediate managers are responsible for reporting all instances of suspected or discovered fraud to the Chief Compliance Officer who is responsible for escalating as required under relevant firm policy.

The reporting of suspected or known fraud may be made and will be investigated in accordance with the Whistleblowing policies described within the Code and, if made in good faith, will be protected from retaliation.

Acadian encourages Access Persons to report compliance and any other business concerns to Acadian's Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel or via the confidential AAMI Fraud Hotline at the numbers or URL below.

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Scott Dias | 617-850-3519 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;sdias@acadian-asset.com |
| SVP, Chief Compliance Officer and |  |  |
| General Counsel |  |  |
| Acadian |  |  |
| Richard Hart | 617-369-7341 | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;rhart@acadian-inc.com |

---

Chief Legal Officer

AAMI

By Secure Ethics Reporting Hotline:

**US:**

1-866-921-6714

**Australia:**

0011-800-2002-0033

**United Kingdom:**

0-800-092-3586

**Singapore:**

001-800-2002-0033

Webform URL: <u>https://www.integritycounts.ca/org/acadian-inc</u> E-mail:

AAMI<u>@integritycounts.ca</u>

Fax:

1-604-926-5668

Mail:

PO Box 91880, West Vancouver,

British Columbia V7V 4S4 Canada

**None of the provisions of Acadian employee handbook, compliance manual (including its related policies and code of ethics), offer letter provided to you, or any agreement regarding your employment that you may have entered into with Acadian prohibits you from voluntarily communicating with enforcement or regulatory authorities regarding possible violations of law.**

Updated as of January 2026 34

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

![](gx5w9f1ely6c47kqu7jq4.jpg)

**H.Sanctions**

Any violation of the Code may result in disciplinary action including, but not limited to, a warning, fines, disgorgement, suspension, demotion, or termination of employment. In addition to sanctions, violations may result in referral to civil or criminal authorities where appropriate.

The following is a non-exclusive list of factors that will be considered when determining the appropriateness of any sanction related to a Code violation:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•What requirement was violated

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Client harm

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Frequency of occurences

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Evidence of willful or reckless disregard of the Code requirement

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Your honest and timely cooperation

I. Further Information about the Code and Supplements

Access Persons are encouraged to contact any member of the Compliance Team with any questions about permissible conduct under the Code.

AAMI's Anti-bribery and Corruption Risk Policy, Fraud Policy, Whistleblowing Arrangements and Sanctions Compliance policy are adopted as supplements to the Code.

**Persons Responsible for Code Enforcement**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Boston:** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Alison Peabody | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;apeabody@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Mary Bidgood | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;mbidgood@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Kelly Gately | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;kgately@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Lili McInnis | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Specialist | &nbsp;&nbsp;lmcinnis@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Scott Dias | &nbsp;&nbsp;Chief Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;sdias@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**London:** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Katy Tyler | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;ktyler@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Sydney:** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Nita Lo | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;nlo@acadian-asset.com |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Singapore:** |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Nicholas Lim | &nbsp;&nbsp;Compliance Officer | &nbsp;&nbsp;nlim@acadian-asset.com |

---

Do not hesitate to contact any member of the Compliance Team with questions about the Code by either emailing <u>Compliance-reporting@acadian-asset.com</u> or contacting directly one of the individuals noted above.

**<u>Training and Certification</u>**

Training on Code requirements will be provided by members of the Compliance Team. Additional training on firm policies may also be provided by members of the Human Resources Group.

Updated as of January 2026 35

![](gqxhmfkcm65lv6yigjqm1.jpg)

Acadian's Compliance and Risk Committee, Executive Management Team, Executive Committee, and our Board of Managers are also responsible for Code implementation and enforcement.

All Access Persons will be subject to annual Code of Ethics training. A copy the Code and any amendments will be provided to all Access Persons and supervised persons annually along with a request for a written acknowledgment of receipt and compliance.

**Appendices**

A. CFA Institute Asset Manager Code of Professional Conduct

Updated as of January 2026 36

## Ex-99

![](gl8fq8oqphffkm4f5drzg.jpg)

Exhibit (p)(4)

Compliance Policy & Procedures Code of Ethics

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Document classification: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nomura Asset Management International Policy & Procedures |
| Owner(s): | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;NIMBT Compliance |
| Date Approved: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;12/01/2025 |
| Rationale: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This global-level policy and related procedures (the "**CPP**") sets out standards of conduct |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;designed to address potential conflicts of interest that might arise between the fiduciary duty to |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the Firm's Clients and a Covered Person's personal activities. This CPP also addresses certain |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;requirements of other related CPPs governing the Firm and its affiliates. |
| Transition Period: | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Prior to the sale of Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust ("**MIMBT**") to Nomura |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Holdings Inc., this CPP shall apply exclusively to MIMBT. |

---

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](g6ytjrdo8o0w2hc51rqoo.jpg)

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures | Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures |  |
| **Table of Contents** | **Table of Contents** |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[I.](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) | **[INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................................](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca)** | **[3](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[A.](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) | [General Principles ............................................................................................................................................................](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) | [3](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[B.](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) | [Your Fiduciary Duty .........................................................................................................................................................](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) | [3](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[C.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [Compliance with Applicable Federal Securities Laws .......................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[D.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [Obligation to Report Violations of the Code ....................................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[II.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | **[YOUR OBLIGATIONS AS A COVERED PERSON............................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d)** | **[4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[A.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [Categories of Covered Persons ........................................................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[B.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [Immediate Family Member of an Employee ....................................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[C.](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [Your Obligations at Time of Hire ......................................................................................................................................](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) | [4](#div8ffe73d9-0ad8-4b0e-98e0-0924b654aa3d) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[D.](#div5072b1e9-a641-4d05-80c8-bda5b4324a82) | [Your Obligations on a Daily Basis .....................................................................................................................................](#div5072b1e9-a641-4d05-80c8-bda5b4324a82) | [5](#div5072b1e9-a641-4d05-80c8-bda5b4324a82) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[E.](#divd1b08c45-557b-43a3-8e61-cbd0f7be4f08) | [Your Obligations on a Quarterly Basis..............................................................................................................................](#divd1b08c45-557b-43a3-8e61-cbd0f7be4f08) | [9](#divd1b08c45-557b-43a3-8e61-cbd0f7be4f08) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[F.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [Your Obligations on an Annual Basis..............................................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[III.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | **[FUND PERSON RESPONSIBILITIES ...........................................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68)** | **[10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[A.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [Fiduciary Duty................................................................................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[B.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [Reporting and Certification Requirements.....................................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[IV.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | **[REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE CODE ............................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68)** | **[10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68)** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[A.](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [Administration of the Code............................................................................................................................................](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) | [10](#divb7ea79c7-af94-4562-b727-c26dcf14ed68) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[B.](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [Review of Employee Activity..........................................................................................................................................](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [11](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[C.](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [Sanctions for](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791)[Non-Compliance](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791)[with Code......................................................................................................................](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [11](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;[D.](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [Maintenance of Records................................................................................................................................................](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) | [11](#dive118fc58-6b71-495f-af0e-91efc020f791) |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**[Glossary to the Code of Ethics ............................................................................................................................................](#div7e37a7a9-cf45-4afc-90ea-a39139dda9c5)** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**[Glossary to the Code of Ethics ............................................................................................................................................](#div7e37a7a9-cf45-4afc-90ea-a39139dda9c5)** | **[12](#div7e37a7a9-cf45-4afc-90ea-a39139dda9c5)** |

---

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](gsrvdneizgkcbd51mfwyu.jpg)

Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**I.** INTRODUCTION

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.General Principles**

The Code of Ethics (the "Code") is based on the principle that Nomura Asset Management International Inc. ("Nomura Asset Management International" or the "Firm")[<sup>1</sup>](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca), its directors, officers, trustees, and employees (each, a "Covered Person" and collectively, "Covered Persons"), owe a fiduciary duty of undivided loyalty to the Nomura Funds, the Optimum Fund Trust, and the Nomura ETF Trust (collectively, the "Funds") and any other investment advisory client (each, a "Client" and collectively, our "Clients") that the Firm advises.[<sup>2</sup>](#div7103c76f-f941-4833-b169-56983937e2ca)In addition, the Code is based on the principle that the directors, trustees and fund- only personnel associated with the Funds (collectively, "Fund Persons") owe a fiduciary duty of undivided loyalty to their respective Funds. The Trustees of the Nomura Funds (the "Nomura Funds") and the Optimum Funds Trust (the "Optimum Funds"), who are not "interested persons," as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Independent Trustees") are subject to the Nomura Funds' and Optimum Funds' Code of Ethics for Independent Trustees. The Independent Trustees are not subject to the provisions of this Code.

This Code sets out standards of conduct designed to address potential conflicts of interest that might arise between this fiduciary duty to the Firm's Clients and a Covered Person's personal activities. Specifically, each Covered Person must avoid participating in transactions, activities, and relationships that might interfere (or appear to interfere) with making decisions in the best interests of those Clients.

As a Covered Person, you are responsible for reading the Code and understanding your obligations in order to comply with its provisions. Additionally, your duty to comply with this Code includes the requirement that your personal and business activities be conducted in compliance with all other CPPs governing the Firm and its affiliates. Examples of such CPPs include, but are not limited to, the NHA Compliance Policy Manual – Chapter 7: Gifts, Gratuities and Entertainment, Nomura Asset Management International Insider Trading CPP, and Nomura Asset Management International Political Dealings and Activities ("Pay-to-Play") CPP . If you have any questions regarding the Code and its related CPPs or your resultant obligations and duties, please contact the Compliance Department for assistance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.Your Fiduciary Duty**

The Firm is committed to fostering a culture that promotes honesty and high ethical standards. Consequently, all Covered Persons have an obligation to conduct themselves in accordance with the following general fiduciary principles:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•You have a duty to place the interests of our Clients ahead of your own interests at all times;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•You have a duty to attempt to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest between your personal activities and the activities of our Clients, as well as to avoid any activities that may give the appearance of creating a conflict of interest; 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;•You must not take inappropriate advantage of your position at the Firm.

1For the purposes of this Code, all references to "Nomura Asset Management International" or the "Firm" shall be taken to mean Nomura Asset Management International Inc. and its subsidiaries

2Definitions of certain capitalized terms can be found in the Glossary to the Code of Ethics. These definitions are an integral part of the Code and a proper understanding of them is necessary to comply with the Code. It is important that you review and understand all of the definitions contained in the Glossary and refer back to them as necessary to understand your responsibilities under the Code.

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

Covered Persons are reminded that violations of the Code and/or any associated CPPs may result in disciplinary action, including fines, disgorgement of profits, and possibly suspension and/or dismissal procedures may result in disciplinary action, including fines, disgorgement of profits, and possibly suspension and/or dismissal.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.Compliance with Applicable Federal Securities Laws**

As a Covered Person under this Code, it is your duty to conduct all personal and professional activities in a manner that is consistent with any and all Applicable Federal Securities Laws (as defined in the Glossary to this Code ("Glossary").

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.Obligation to Report Violations of the Code**

You have a duty to report violations of the Code. If you become aware of a violation of the Firm's Code committed by another Covered Person, you have an ongoing obligation to report that violation to the Compliance Department. It is the Firm's policy to protect the confidentiality of any such report made in good faith and any Covered Person reporting such a violation will not be subject to retaliation.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**II.** YOUR OBLIGATIONS AS A COVERED PERSON

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.Categories of Covered Persons**

Upon becoming subject to the provisions of this Code, each Covered Person is assigned to one of the following three categories below based on their responsibilities and/or privileges at the Firm:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Access 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;•Investment 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;•Affiliated Person

You will be advised of the category to which you are assigned during your initial training on this Code. It is important to know the category to which you are assigned, as belonging to a certain category may cause you to be subject to additional obligations and/or limitations under the Code. A complete definition for each category is included in the Glossary. You are encouraged to review the definitions for each category carefully, as well as any sections of the Code that may pertain only to Covered Persons assigned to your category.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.Immediate Family Member of an Employee**

In accordance with federal securities laws, certain restrictions and limitations found within the Code are also applicable to the personal investment activities of any immediate family members that reside in your household ("Immediate Family Members"). As a Covered Person, it is your responsibility to alert your Immediate Family Members of any applicable restrictions or limitations that may impact their personal investment activities to ensure that both you and your Immediate Family Members conduct all personal investment activities in a manner consistent with the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.Your Obligations at Time of Hire**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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. Initial Holdings Report

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

All Access and Investment Persons must submit an initial holdings report within ten (10) calendar days of commencing employment with the Firm or otherwise becoming an Access or Investment Person to disclose the Required Holdings Information for both their own and their Immediate Family Members' personal securities holdings. The information included in the initial holdings report must be current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the commencement of employment with the Firm (or becoming subject to the Code).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2.**Use of Approved Brokers**

All Covered Persons, with limited exceptions, must maintain all personal brokerage accounts with approved brokerage firms ("Approved Brokers"). A list of the Approved Brokers from which the FIrm is currently able to receive such data feeds can be found via the Compliance Department.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Disclosure of Outside Business Activities**

Covered Persons may not engage in full-time or part-time service as an officer, director, partner, manager, consultant or employee of any business organization or non-profit organization other than the Firm without receiving prior written approval from the Compliance Department. Any such service is considered an "Outside Business Activity," even if performed on a volunteer basis. Any existing Outside Business Activities must be disclosed at the time that you become subject to this Code and are subject to review and approval. Similarly, you have an ongoing obligation to disclose any Outside Business Activities that you undertake during your employment with the Firm and receive written approval from the Compliance Department prior to participating in such activities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Disclosure of Political Contributions**

In addition to the Code, all Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members are subject to the NIMBT Political Dealings and Activities ("Pay-to-Play") CPP. Covered Persons are required to disclose all political contributions made during the two-year period prior to the date that they become subject to this Code. This disclosure must also include all political contributions made by your Immediate Family Members during the two-year period. The information provided may be shared in the aggregate in response to requests for proposals or client information requests but will otherwise remain strictly confidential.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Written Acknowledgement of Receipt of Code**

All Covered Persons are required to certify that they have received this Code within ten (10) calendar days of their hire date. You will also be required to certify your ongoing compliance with this Code on an annual basis and whenever the Code is updated.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.Your Obligations on a Daily Basis**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Pre-clearance** of Personal Securities Transactions

Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members must pre-clear each personal investment transaction and receive approval for the activity prior to executing the transaction, unless the transaction is subject to an exemption from the pre-clearance requirements of the

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

Code as outlined below.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**a)Duration of Approval**

Approval for a pre-clearance request is valid for the same day only and the trade must be executed on the same day that approval is granted. If a transaction is not executed (or is only partially completed) on the same day that you receive approval, you must repeat the pre- clearance process and receive approval on the day that you do execute (or complete) the transaction. Similarly, if the information in your pre-clearance request changes in any material way, you must resubmit your pre-clearance request prior to executing the transaction.

Note: Approvals for Covered Persons located in Australia and/or Asia only are valid for execution through the 24-hour period following approval.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Exceptions to the** Pre-clearance Requirement

You are not required to pre-clear and receive approval for the personal investment transaction types listed below prior to execution, although you are still responsible for complying with the reporting requirements of this Code for these transactions, as applicable.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Involuntary transactions**

The acquisition or disposition of a security as the result of a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, merger, consolidation, spin- off or other similar corporate distribution or reorganization applicable to all holders of a class of securities does not require pre-clearance under the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Affiliated Funds and Pooled Vehicles**

Purchases or sales of affiliated pooled vehicle such as open-end mutual funds, SICAVS, and other managed investment schemes to which the Firm provides advisory services, also referred to as "Affiliated Funds";

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Purchases or sales of** exchange-traded funds ("ETFs")

Unaffiliated ETFs, except for single stock ETFs, are exempt from the preapproval requirements, however they are subject to the reporting and holding period requirements of the Code. For Single security or issuer ETFs pre-clearance is required on the underlying security/issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Transactions in Managed Accounts**

Pre-clearance is not required for transactions made in an account over which neither you nor an Immediate Family Member (a) exercises investment discretion, (b) receives notice of transactions prior to execution, and/or (c) otherwise has direct or indirect influence or control ("Managed Account").

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

Note: Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members must receive approval from the Compliance Department in order to maintain a Managed Account.

**Additionally, you should be aware that Managed Accounts are still subject to the reporting requirements of the Code.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Donated Shares**

Pre-clearance and approval are not required for any securities that are donated to a charitable organization. However, such transactions are still subject to the reporting requirements of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**c)Transactions Excluded from BOTH the** Pre-clearance and Approval Requirement and the Reporting Requirement

All personal investment transactions by Covered Persons must be reported under the Code with a few limited exceptions. The following types of personal investment transactions are exempt from <u>both</u> the pre-clearance and the reporting requirements of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Purchases or sales of unaffiliated pooled vehicles such as** open-end mutual funds, SICAVs, UCITS and other managed investment schemes.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Purchases or sales of direct obligations of the U.S. Government or any other national government and futures and options with respect to such obligations;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Purchases or sales of bank certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, commercial paper and other high quality short- term debt instruments (having a maturity at issuance of less than 366 calendar days and rated in one of the two highest ratings categories by a nationally recognized statistical ratings organization, including repurchase agreements);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Purchases which are made by reinvesting cash dividends including reinvestments pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.Transactions in Section 529 plans.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Compliance with Trading Restrictions**

All Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members are subject to certain trading restrictions on their personal investment activities.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 Covered Persons – Restrictions on Trading in Nomura Securities**

Covered Persons who wish to trade Nomura Holdings, Inc. ("Nomura") securities directly through the EquatePlus by Computershare system or through a similar plan, must complete all trades during designated staff trading windows. Transactions in Nomura securities must comply with all applicable Nomura policies, including the Nomura Trading Policy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)All Covered Persons – Seven (7) Calendar Day Blackout Period**

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

All Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members are prohibited from trading a security in their personal brokerage accounts for seven (7) calendar days after the Firm executes a buy or sell transaction in that same security. Depending on the facts and circumstances and at the discretion of the CCO or their designee, personal trades involving covered securities that receive preapproval and are executed within 7 calendar days prior to the Firm executing a buy or sell transaction in that same security may be required to be unwound or subject to disgorgement of profits.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**De Minimus Exception

Covered Persons will be permitted a de minimis exception when requesting to trade of up to $10,000 USD per day of any security included in the Russell 3000 Index. Other highly capitalized and or widely held securities may also be considered by exception, i.e. ADRs or foreign securities. Please contact Compliance for all exception requests.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Holding Periods:**

All Covered Persons are prohibited from engaging in activities that could be considered "market timing" in violation of Rule 22c-1 of the 1940 Act and, therefore, subject to required holding periods.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Access and Affiliated Persons – 60 Calendar Day General Holding Period

If you are categorized as an Access Person or Affiliated Person under this Standard, you are subject to sixty (60) calendar days holding period for most personal securities transactions. Accordingly, Access and Affiliated Persons must hold all opening positions, including those in stock options, for a total period of sixty (60) calendar days before they can be closed at a profit.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Investment Persons – 60 Calendar Day General Holding Period

Investment Persons are prohibited from engaging in short term trading in their personal investment accounts that results in a profit. Accordingly, Investment Persons must hold all opening positions, including those in stock options, for a total period of sixty (60) calendar days before they can be closed at a profit

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**All Covered Persons – 60 Calendar Day Holding Period for Affiliated Mutual Funds

All Covered Persons must hold any newly opened positions in Affiliated Mutual Funds for sixty (60) calendar days before the position may be closed for a profit.

**Note: Investment Persons, Access and Affiliated Persons are permitted to close positions at any time at a loss of 20% or greater. The loss calculation will be based upon Last-In First-Out (LIFO).**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Restricted Securities**

The Firm maintains a list of certain restricted securities that may not be traded by

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

Covered Persons (the "Restricted List"). You are generally prohibited from purchasing or selling any security on the Restricted List, except that this prohibition shall not apply 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Involuntary and/or automatic transactions;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Transactions made in an approved Managed Account, provided that such transactions do not reflect a prohibited pattern of conduct; 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;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Transactions for which specific approval has been granted due to unusual or unforeseen circumstances.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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)Initial Public Offerings/Private Placements**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Investment Persons, Access and Affiliated Persons

Investment Persons, Access and Affiliated Persons are prohibited from participating in initial public offerings and may only participate in a private placement with prior written permission. Additionally, an employee who purchased privately placed securities prior to becoming subject to this Standard is required to disclose the purchases to the Compliance Department before they can participate in the consideration of an investment in the securities of that issuer or its affiliates for a Client account. In order to avoid a potential conflict of interest, any decision to invest in the issuer in question will be subject to an independent review by additional Investment Persons that do not have a personal interest in the issuer.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.**Registered Representatives

All Covered Persons holding valid Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) registrations are prohibited from participating in initial public offerings.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Pre-clearance** of Political Contributions

All Covered Persons and their Immediate Family Members must submit a pre- clearance request and receive approval prior to making a political contribution. Examples of political contributions that would require pre-clearance and approval include, but are not limited to, donations of cash, stock, service or anything of value to a candidate for public office, a sitting public official, political party or a political action committee, whether at the local, state, and/or federal level. Please review the NIMBT Pay-to-Play CPP for more information on applicable restrictions and reporting obligations for political contributions.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Obligation to Report Changes to Personal Information**

You have an ongoing obligation to report any changes in your personal information that may impact your obligations under this Code. Examples include changes to your personal brokerage accounts (e.g., opening or closing an account), disclosures of new outside business activities for review and approval, and changes to your address, Immediate Family Members, or other personal information.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.Your Obligations on a Quarterly Basis**

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

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Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

<u>Quarterly Report/Certification of Transactions</u>

Within thirty (30) calendar days after each quarter's end, all Covered Persons must report and certify their personal investment activity during the previous quarter. Please note that all Covered Persons are required to complete the quarterly certification each quarter, even if they did not complete any personal investment transactions during the quarter. Additionally, Covered Persons will be asked to review the list of brokerage accounts that they have previously disclosed and certify to its accuracy.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**F.Your Obligations on an Annual Basis**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Annual Certification of Holdings**

All Access and Investment Persons are required to submit an annual report of all personal investment holdings in their personal brokerage accounts and the personal brokerage accounts of their Immediate Family Members. The report must contain information that is current as of a date no more than forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the date the report is submitted and must be submitted no later than forty-five (45) calendar days after year end.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Annual Code of Ethics Certification**

At least annually, all Covered Persons must review this Code in its entirety and certify to their understanding and ongoing compliance with the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**III.FUND PERSON RESPONSIBILITIES**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.Fiduciary Duty**

All Fund Persons have an obligation to conduct themselves in accordance with the general fiduciary principles outlined above. Specifically, you have a duty to place the interests of the applicable Fund ahead of your own interests at all times; you have a duty to attempt to avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest between your personal activities and the activities of the applicable Fund, as well as to avoid any activities that may give the appearance of creating a conflict of interest; and you must not take inappropriate advantage of your position.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.Reporting and Certification Requirements**

Fund Persons are not subject to the holding's disclosure requirements outlined above nor are they required to pre-clear all personal investment transactions prior to executing a transaction. Similarly, Fund Persons are only required to submit and certify quarterly transaction reports for any personal investment transactions where, at the time of the transaction, they knew, or in the ordinary course of fulfilling their official duties should have known, that during the fifteen (15) calendar day period immediately before or after the date of the transaction, such Security was purchased or sold by an applicable Fund or the Firm on behalf of the applicable Fund or was being considered for purchase or sale by an applicable Fund or the Firm on behalf of the applicable Fund.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**IV.** REVIEW AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE CODE

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.Administration of the Code**

The Code shall be administered by the Compliance Department and/or an appropriate management committee that shall include a majority of Compliance and/or Legal Department representatives. Where exceptions are

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](gagkdomvt8ks146y1k6c4.jpg)

Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

granted to any provision of this Code, the rationale for such exceptions shall be documented.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**B.Review of Employee Activity**

Trading activity may be reviewed for patterns of trading that are inconsistent with the tenets of this Code. Excessive or inappropriate trading that interferes with job performance or compromises the duty that the Firm owes to our Clients is not permitted. Patterns of excessive trading or other trading activity that is deemed to be inappropriate may lead to sanctions, including restrictions on future trading and/or other disciplinary action under the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**C.Sanctions for** Non-Compliance with Code

Appropriate sanctions for a violation will include the nature and severity of the violation, the presence of any mitigating circumstances, and any previous violations that may have been committed by the Covered Person. Examples of possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, written warnings or reprimands, monetary penalties, trading freezes, suspension, and/or termination of employment.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**D.Maintenance of Records**

The Firm will maintain all necessary books and records required to remain compliant with applicable laws and regulations. More information on specific record-keeping requirements and processes may be found in the Firm's record-keeping policies and procedures.

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](gtmf76lkojaw2kdu861l5.jpg)

Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

**Glossary to the Code of Ethics**

**Access Person**

The term "Access Person" means an officer or director, or employee of a registered investment adviser, or any other person identified as a "control person" on the Form ADV or the Form BD filed by the adviser with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as any employee, (1) who, in connection with his or her regular functions or duties, generates, participates in, has access to or obtains information regarding that adviser's purchase or sale of a security by or on behalf of an advisory client;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(2)whose regular functions or duties relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchases or sales or has access to such recommendations that are non-public; (3) who obtains or has access to information or exercises influence concerning investment recommendations made to an advisory client of that adviser; (4) who has line oversight or management responsibilities over employees described in (1), (2) or (3) above; or (5) who has access to non-public information regarding any advisory clients' purchase or sale of securities, or non-public information regarding the portfolio holdings of any fund for which an adviser serves as investment adviser or any fund whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with the Firm.

**Affiliated Fund**

The term "Affiliated Fund" refers to open-end (non-money market) mutual funds and ETFs to which the Firm provides advisory services are considered to be "Affiliated Funds." A list of the Firm's Affiliated Funds can be found on <u>nomuraassetmanagement.com</u>.

**Affiliated Person**

The term "Affiliated Person" means any officer, director, partner, or employee of a Nomura Asset Management International Fund or any subsidiary of the Firm and any other person so designated by the Compliance Department.

**Applicable Federal Securities Laws**

For the purposes of the Code, the term "Applicable Federal Securities Laws" refers to any and all federal securities laws or regulations that may be applicable, including, but not limited to, the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), Title V of Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, any rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under any of these statutes, and the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to funds and investment advisers and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or Department of the Treasury.

**Approved Broker**

The term "Approved Broker" refers to a broker-dealer that is included on the Firm's "Approved Broker List." Effective September 1, 2013, all new brokerage accounts opened by a Covered Person, or their Immediate Family Member must be opened with a broker-dealer that can provide the Firm with trade confirmations and other information about employee personal trading activity electronically. This list will be updated from time-to-time to reflect changing business relationships.

**Client**

The term "Client" refers to the Firm's investment advisory clients, including the registered investment companies, institutional investment clients, personal trusts and estates, guardianships, employee benefit trusts, and other clients that the Firm serves.

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](gz8iem7y7b7rzfkan0d73.jpg)

Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

**Compliance Department**

The term "Compliance Department" refers to the Firm's Compliance Department.

**Covered Person**

The term "Covered Person" means a person subject to the provisions of this Code. This includes the Firm's employees and their Immediate Family Members, such as spouses and minor children, as well as other persons designated as Covered Persons by the Compliance Department or the Code of Ethics Committee. Such persons may include some or all of the directors, officers, trustees, and employees under the control of the Firm or its affiliated entities.

**Fund Person**

Any directors, trustees and fund-only personnel associated with the Nomura Funds and/or the Optimum Fund Trust. Fund- only personnel are considered to be those who are not employed by the Firm or otherwise considered a Covered Person but provide services to the Funds.

**Immediate Family Member of an Employee**

Immediate Family Member of an Employee – means: (1) any of the following persons sharing the same household with the

Employee (which does not include temporary house guests): a person's child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son- in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, legal guardian, adoptive relative, or domestic partner; (2) any person sharing the same household with the Employee (which does not include temporary house guests)that holds an account in which the Employee is a joint owner or listed as a beneficiary; or (3) any person sharing the same household with the Employee in which the Employee contributes to the maintenance of the household and material financial support of such person.

**Investment Person**

The term "Investment Person" means a portfolio manager who, in connection with his/her regular functions or duties, makes, or participates in the making of, investment decisions affecting an investment company, and any control person who obtains information concerning the recommendation of securities for purchase or sale by a fund or an account. Any staff working in a support role to a portfolio manager, including, but not limited to, analysts and administrative assistants, are also considered to be Investment Persons. All Investment Persons are also considered Access Persons by definition.

**Managed Account**

The term "Managed Account" refers to an account over which neither you nor an Immediate Family Member (a) exercises investment discretion, (b) receives notice of transactions prior to execution, and/or (c) otherwise has direct or indirect influence or control. All Covered Persons must request and received approval from the Compliance Department in order to maintain a Managed Account.

**Outside Business Activity**

The term "Outside Business Activity" means any full-time or part-time service as an officer, director, partner, manager, consultant or employee of any business organization or non-profit organization other than the Firm. A Covered Person who engages in such service, whether or not s/he receives compensation for doing so, will be considered to be participating in an Outside Business Activity and must disclose such service to the Compliance Department and receive approval for same.

**Required Holdings Information**

Certain information regarding your personal securities holdings is required to be reported. Such reports must include the date and nature of the transaction, identify the security transacted, the price at which the transaction was effected, the

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

![](g16axnpgrcqujk75k40ky.jpg)

Code of Ethics Policy and Procedures

broker through which the transaction was effected and the date in which the Access or Investment Person submitted the report.

**RedOak ID: 5001850**

The Firm reserves the right to modify, replace, or terminate this CPP at any time and without notice to authorized recipients. This CPP supersedes any prior versions and is not for distribution outside the Firm except as specified herein. This CPP is confidential and distribution to third parties by authorized recipients is strictly prohibited.

## Ex-99

![](g4fu2ttgrsftbelnlrsgz.jpg)

**VIRTUS CODE OF ETHICS**

**Amended and Restated February 1, 2026**

**A message from George Aylward, President and Chief Executive Officer**

At Virtus Investment Partners, our goal is to be a distinctive and trusted provider of asset management products and services that is profitable, growing and consistently delivers value for our clients and shareholders. In this highly competitive industry, we need to distinguish Virtus through our products, our service approach, and our values in managing our company.

Foremost among those values is the expectation I have that each member of the Virtus team adhere to the highest standards of legal and ethical conduct in all of our business dealings.

By demonstrating Virtus is a company that our clients can trust with their assets, a company that our distribution partners respect, and a company that all of our stakeholders think of with admiration, we can accomplish our business goals.

**George Aylward**

**President and Chief Executive Officer**

**Virtus Investment Partners, Inc.**

![](gu74ahc8o0zjgn4dzg08r.jpg)

**Introduction**

In accordance with Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), registered investment advisers are required to adopt and enforce a written Code of Ethics. The Codes of Ethics must set forth standards of conduct expected of advisory personnel and address conflicts that may arise from personal trading by advisory personnel. Among other things, the rule requires advisers' supervised persons to report their personal securities transactions, including transactions in any mutual fund managed by the adviser. Additionally, Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Investment Company Act"), requires that all investment companies and their investment advisers and certain principal underwriters adopt a Code of Ethics and procedures designed to detect and prevent fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative acts in connection with securities transactions held or to be acquired by the fund.

Each registered investment adviser and the broker-dealer of Virtus Investment Partners, Inc. ("Virtus") listed in Schedule A (each referred to individually as a "Firm" and collectively as the "Firms") has adopted this Code of Ethics (the "Code") in accordance with the Advisers Act and the Investment Company Act. From time to time, a Firm may attach an Appendix to this Code describing any unique provisions the Firm has made to provide additional requirements or modify requirements set forth by this Code. Modifications for one Firm will not be considered an amendment to any other Firm's Code.

Employees subject to this Code (as described below) are required to adhere to both the letter and spirit of the Code. Failure to adhere to this Code may result in disciplinary actions including fines, disgorgement of profits (or losses avoided), unwinding of securities transactions, curtailment of personal trading privileges, and/or termination of employment. In addition, certain violations of this Code may be considered violations of securities laws and regulations that could result in civil and/or criminal penalties.

1. Standards of Conduct

In providing investment services to registered investment companies, institutional accounts and other clients, the Firms are governed by legal and fiduciary duties that mandate adherence to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity. Because an employee may have knowledge of present or future portfolio transactions in client accounts and, in some cases, the power to influence those portfolio transactions, it is possible that an employee's personal interests could

–or could appear to – conflict with those of the Firms' clients if the employee engages in personal transactions in securities that are eligible for investment by the Firms' clients.

The procedures set forth in this Code are designed to address potential conflicts of interest with respect to the personal investing activities of the Firms' Supervised Persons, including those further designated as Access or Advisory Persons (all as defined below). When persons covered by the terms of this Code engage in personal securities transactions, they must adhere to the following general principles as well as to the Code's specific provisions:

****At all times, the interests of the Firms' clients must be paramount;

![](garg32qcinq8644iwajkg.jpg)

****Personal transactions must be conducted consistent with this Code in a manner that avoids or mitigates any actual or potential conflict of interest;

****No inappropriate advantage should be taken of any position of trust or responsibility;

****Non-public information regarding security holdings in client accounts must remain confidential; and

****Compliance with all applicable federal securities laws must be maintained.

In addition to the provisions of this Code, employees are responsible for compliance with other Virtus policies and procedures concerning personal conduct and conflicts of interest including, but not limited to: the Code of Conduct; Insider Trading Policy and related Guidelines; Social Media Policy; Acceptable Technology Use Policy; Political and PAC Contribution Policy and Procedures; and Gifts, Entertainment and Inducements Policy.

Irrespective of any investment transactions permitted under this Code and/or investment transactions approved by Compliance, this Code is subject to, and superseded by, federal securities laws, which prohibit trading, whether for personal or client accounts, while in possession of material non-public information. Likewise, material non-public information regarding Virtus or a Firm may not be shared with other employees, other than Legal or Compliance personnel. <u>Under no circumstances may employees use material</u> <u>non-public</u> <u>information about client recommendations and transactions in their own personal trading.</u>

2. Persons Subject to the Code

All employees of Virtus and its subsidiaries are subject to this Code and are deemed to be **Supervised Persons** of a particular investment adviser and/or broker-dealer subsidiary within the meaning of the Advisers Act and the Investment Company Act. This includes persons working at Virtus entities that are not investment advisers or broker-dealers, such as Virtus Fund Services, LLC and Virtus Shared Services, LLC, as well as employees of Virtus Partners, Inc. in departments such as Human Resources, Finance, Sales, Marketing, and Product Management. Certain Supervised Persons are further classified as **Access Persons** or **Advisory Persons**, depending upon their access to client portfolio information and their role in managing client accounts.

Supervised Persons are further designated as **Access Persons** if:

****In connection with their job functions or duties they have access to timely, non-public information regarding a Firm's investment management activities, client portfolio holdings and/or client trading activity or they are a director or officer of a Firm. In general, employees with duties or responsibilities within Operations (e.g., Information Technology, Investment Operations, Investment Risk and Performance, Business Solutions, and Product Management), Fund Administration, Legal and Compliance, Internal Audit or other areas determined by Compliance are designated as Access Persons.

![](gksrswcna7n4qkpp2r18r.jpg)

Supervised Persons are further designated as **Advisory Persons** if:

****In connection with their job functions or duties, they make, recommend or implement investment decisions on behalf of client accounts managed by a Firm. In general, portfolio managers, investment research analysts, traders and certain of their support personnel are designated as Advisory Persons.

Employees who perform certain services for multiple Firms (i.e., shared services) or share office space with another Firm, may be designated by Compliance as Supervised, Access and/or Advisory Persons of multiple Firms.[<sup>1</sup>](#div46ec9017-d8f0-4a87-a786-72a737e685c4)The above are general rules and Compliance may designate persons as Supervised, Access or Advisory for reasons other than indicated above, if determined to be consistent with the purpose of this Code.

The chart below provides a summary of requirements under this Code depending upon the employee's designation as a Supervised Person, or additional designation as an Access or Advisory Person and references the Section of this Code providing additional explanations of each requirement:

**Summary of Code of Ethics Requirements by Employee Classification**

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**REQUIREMENT / CODE SECTION** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**SUPERVISED** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**ACCESS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**ADVISORY** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**REQUIREMENT / CODE SECTION** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 1. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 2. PERSONS SUBJECT TO THE CODE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.1. ATTESTATION OF RECEIPT, UNDERSTANDING AND | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;COMPLIANCE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;COMPLIANCE |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.2. REPORTABLE SECURITIES AND REPORTABLE ACCOUNTS: | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** DEFINITION OF REPORTABLE SECURITIES AND REPORTABLE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** DEFINITION OF REPORTABLE SECURITIES AND REPORTABLE |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ACCOUNTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** NOTIFYING COMPLIANCE OF EXISTING REPORTABLE ACCOUNTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** NOTIFYING COMPLIANCE OF EXISTING REPORTABLE ACCOUNTS |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;AND APPROVAL FOR NEW REPORTABLE ACCOUNTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** MANAGED ACCOUNTS (DEFINED) | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** MANAGED ACCOUNTS (DEFINED) |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.3. NOTIFYING COMPLIANCE OF EXISTING REPORTABLE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;ACCOUNTS AND USE OF APPROVED BROKERS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;ACCOUNTS AND USE OF APPROVED BROKERS |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.4. INITIAL AND ANNUAL HOLDINGS REPORTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.5. QUARTERLY TRANSACTIONS REPORTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 3.6. DUPLICATE INVESTMENT ACCOUNT STATEMENTS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
|  | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 4.1. TRADE PRECLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-VIRTUS |  | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;SECURITIES |  | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;SECURITIES |  |  |  |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 4.2. PRECLEARANCE, TRANSACTION AND ACCOUNT | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;REQUIREMENTS FOR VIRTUS SECURITIES | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;REQUIREMENTS FOR VIRTUS SECURITIES |  |  |  |

---

1Reference: Rule 204A-1(a)(3) Section 202(a)(25) of the Advisers Act, defines "supervised person" as an adviser's partners, officers, directors (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions) and employees, as well as any other persons who provide advice on behalf of the adviser and are subject to the adviser's supervision and control.

![](g0q0aqccjmhpxgs6hzn7q.jpg)

---

| | | | |
|:---|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**REQUIREMENT / CODE SECTION** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**SUPERVISED** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**ACCESS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**ADVISORY** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**REQUIREMENT / CODE SECTION** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** |
|  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**PERSONS** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 5. TRADE BLACKOUT RULE |  |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 6. OTHER TRADING RESTRICTIONS |  | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 7. HOLDING PERIOD RULE |  | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 8. DUTY TO REPORT VIOLATIONS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 9. SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;Section 10. WAIVERS, TEMPORARY EXEMPTION FROM CODE | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;APPLICATION, AND EXTENSIONS | **** | **** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**** |

---

**3. Reporting Requirements for Supervised, Access and Advisory Persons**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.1Attestation of Receipt, Understanding and Compliance**

All employees receive a copy of the Code upon hire and must certify their receipt, reading, understanding of, and compliance with, the Code within ten (10) days of becoming subject to the Code and at least annually thereafter. Employees are also required to certify the same with respect to amendments of the Code.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.2 Reportable Securities and Reportable Accounts

Supervised Persons, including those further designated as Access or Advisory Persons, must disclose to Compliance all Reportable Securities positions as well as all Reportable Accounts (both brokerage and other investment accounts), as further defined and discussed below.

**Reportable Securities** are broadly defined and include transactions (both long and short) in the following:

****Shares of stocks, ADRs, and other equity securities (including any security convertible into equity securities);

****Warrants;

****Bonds and notes;

****Shares of exchange traded funds ("ETFs") and exchange traded notes ("ETNs");

****Shares of closed-end funds, interval funds, tender offer funds (including Virtus managed funds) and similar securities;

****Private placement securities[<sup>2</sup>](#div615a6904-3d8c-4f87-b3d0-351b9d8bd82a);

****Shares of open-end funds managed by a Firm or managed by a non-affiliate as a

2A private placement is an offering of securities that are exempt from registration under various laws and rules, such as the Securities Act of 1933 in the U.S. and the Listing Rules in the U.K. Private placements can include limited partnerships, certain cooperative investments in real estate, co-mingled investment vehicles such as hedge funds, and investments in privately held and family-owned businesses. For the purpose of this Code, time-shares and cooperative investments in real estate used as a primary or secondary residence are not considered to be private placements.

![](g22azlimeef59btfurh1k.jpg)

subadviser to a Firm[<sup>3</sup>](#div1c554c3d-0519-4be2-923c-8b7d8aad5b41);

****Securities acquired in an initial public offering ("IPO") or a limited offering, or crowdfunding initiatives to raise capital;

****Initial or limited coin offerings;

****"Cryptocurrency" or "digital assets" unless specifically exempted by Compliance (as indicated in Schedule B); and

****Any options, futures and other derivatives on a Reportable Security or an index of Reportable Securities.

The following are **not** considered Reportable Securities:

****Direct obligations of the U.S. Government;

****Money market instruments and funds;

****Bankers' acceptances, certificates of deposit, commercial paper and other high quality short-term debt instruments;

****Currencies and commodities;

****Shares of open-end funds that are not managed by a Firm; and

****Holdings in 529 Plans (unless such holdings are a mutual fund managed by a Firm or managed by a non-affiliate as a subadviser to a Firm).

**Reportable Accounts** are all investment accounts (brokerage and other investment accounts) that a Supervised Person or members of their family who share their household have direct or indirect investment discretion over and that hold, or can hold, Reportable Securities. Reportable Accounts include investment accounts of certain related persons including a Supervised Person's spouse, domestic partner, children and stepchildren, and certain other persons[<sup>4</sup>](#div1c554c3d-0519-4be2-923c-8b7d8aad5b41)residing in the same household as the Supervised Person. Investment accounts meeting the above definition must be reported even if Reportable Securities are not currently held in the account.

**Managed Accounts** are Reportable Accounts from which a Supervised Person or a member of their household benefits financially, but over which neither the Supervised Person nor a member of their household exercise direct or indirect investment discretion. A Managed Account is one where a third-party money manager or financial advisor is engaged to make all investment decisions for the account and the Supervised Person does not discuss any specific transactions for the account with the manager. Designation of a Managed Account must be properly documented and approved in accordance with Compliance procedures. Once designated as such by Compliance, Managed Accounts are not subject to the requirements of Section 4.1. - Trade Preclearance Requirements for Non-Virtus Securities, Section 4.2. - Preclearance requirement for Virtus Securities (subject to the limitations for Restricted Insiders discussed below), Section

3A list of open-end funds managed by a Firm or managed by a non-affiliate as a subadviser to a Firm is available on VirtusNet.

4Compliance may determine certain persons (other than those specifically listed above) who reside at the same address are <u>not</u> part of the same household if they do not otherwise have any of the following: direct or indirect investment discretion over the person's brokerage account(s) or investment(s); transparency, influence or control over the person's financial affairs; nor provide or receive recommendations or advice from the person concerning investments. Employees are encouraged to be forthcoming and discuss such matters with Compliance promptly at the time of hire and/or upon the development of such situation.

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

![](gz4nqy7asj733thoyf1o8.jpg)

5.- Blackout Rule for Advisory Persons, or Section 7. - Holding Period Rule for Access and Advisory Persons. <u>However, brokerage statements must be provided (see Section 3.6); purchasing IPOs is restricted (see Section 6); and private placement and limited offerings must be precleared, including those opportunities recommended by an outside financial advisor (see Section 4.1).</u>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.3Notifying Compliance of Existing Reportable Accounts (including Managed Accounts) and Use of Approved Brokers**

****Supervised Persons must notify Compliance of all existing Reportable Accounts within ten (10) days of hire.

****After hire, Supervised Persons may only hold Reportable Accounts at an Approved Broker (this requirement does not apply to employees outside of the US). A listing of Approved Brokers is available on VirtusNet. In rare circumstances, Compliance may grant exemptions to this rule, such as Managed Accounts (as described above) when approved by Compliance. New Supervised Persons must promptly close any account not held at an Approved Broker.

****Prompt reporting to Compliance is required when a new account is opened or an existing account becomes reportable (such as marriage, inheritance or power of attorney).

****Any Virtus 401(k) Plan Fidelity Account and activity will automatically be reported to Compliance; however, Supervised Persons must specifically notify Compliance of any new or existing Fidelity "BrokerageLink" account, Virtus/Fidelity Health Savings Account ("HSA") or Employee Stock Purchase Plan accounts.

****Non-Virtus 401(k) or 403(b) plan accounts maintained by the Supervised Person or members of their household are Reportable Accounts only if such accounts have brokerage capabilities or otherwise hold Reportable Securities.

****Fidelity accounts that hold unvested Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") are not considered Reportable Accounts. The shares of Virtus common stock issued upon vesting of the RSUs become Reportable Securities.

****Supervised Persons are required to promptly inform Compliance when Fidelity automatically opens a brokerage account when they become vested in Virtus RSUs, Virtus options or similar instruments.

Compliance reserves the right to require Supervised Persons to close any Reportable Accounts with broker-dealers who do not provide required information on a reliable, timely or efficient basis.

Supervised Persons must promptly notify Compliance upon closing any Reportable Account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.4 Initial and Annual Holdings Reports

Supervised Persons, including those further designated as Access or Advisory Persons, must submit or confirm a report listing all personal holdings of Reportable Securities within ten (10) days of hire and annually thereafter. Information contained in the initial report must be current

![](gpy46bfmmcbqilnqyek0d.jpg)

as of a date not more than forty-five (45) days prior to a Supervised Person's hire date. Annual reports must be current as of December 31<sup>st</sup> of each year, submitted by the following January 30<sup>th</sup>, and shall include such information required by Compliance including a certification by the Supervised Person that they have read, understand and complied with the requirements of the Code. Reporting is normally initiated by Compliance and completed through the StarCompliance System or other formats designated by Compliance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.5 Quarterly Transactions Reports

Supervised Persons, including those further designated as Access or Advisory Persons, must complete a quarterly report of transactions in Reportable Securities within 30 days after quarter- end. Reporting is generally completed through the StarCompliance System or other formats designated by Compliance.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3.6 Duplicate Trade Confirmations and Personal Brokerage Account Statements

Broker-dealers or Supervised Persons must promptly provide Compliance with account statements for each Reportable account at least quarterly.

The above requirement may be satisfied by arrangements Supervised Persons make through Compliance for broker-dealers to provide electronic feeds to the StarCompliance System or other designated location. In the event broker-dealers cannot provide electronic feeds, Supervised Persons will be responsible to promptly upload necessary information into the StarCompliance System or other designated location.

4. Trade Preclearance Requirements

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.1 Preclearance Requirements for non-Virtus Securities for Access and Advisory Persons

Generally, subject to other provisions of this Code, Access and Advisory Persons may not purchase or sell a Reportable Security for their own account at times during which any client account has a buy or sell order pending for a security of the same issuer or when trading in the Reportable Security is otherwise restricted. Advisory Persons are subject to additional restrictions as described in Section 5. – Blackout Rule for Advisory Persons.

<u>****<u>Access and Advisory Persons must obtain approval from Compliance prior to buying or selling Reportable Securities ("preclearance") (unless the security type is indicated as not requiring preclearance further below).</u></u>

Preclearance requests are generally initiated by submitting a request to Compliance through the StarCompliance System and awaiting a response for approval before placing an order for a Reportable Security.

When submitting requests for multiple transactions at one time, Access and Advisory Persons should carefully review the responses from Compliance, which will be provided separately for each request, as some may be approved but others may be denied.

A preclearance request is required for transaction activity in **each** brokerage

![](g7uu7c2ft4hfqstu1zgei.jpg)

account (even if it is for the same security).

****Preclearance is also required for all investments in IPOs or private placements, as defined in Section 3.2. Compliance shall review the terms of such offering to ensure no conflicts exist with Virtus or Firm client accounts.

****<u>Unless otherwise indicated, preclearance approvals are valid until 5 pm (ET) of the next business day</u> regardless of an Access or Advisory Person's specific geographic location (with the exception of private placement transactions and limited offerings, which are determined on a case-by-case basis). An order, including limit orders, not executed within that time must be re-submitted for preclearance approval.

Preclearance will be denied in the following circumstances:

****When the Firm(s) of which an employee is an Access or Advisory Person has a pending buy or sell order for any security of the same issuer for a client account;

****When a security is restricted by any Firm(s) for which an employee is an Access or Advisory Person;

****When the trade would violate another provision of the Code (such as holding period or blackout period rules); or

****Other circumstances as may be determined by Compliance on a case-by-case basis consistent with the purposes of the Code.

Where no other conflict is deemed present[<sup>5</sup>](#div27756fc0-7321-4263-aab0-3088553e60d4), Compliance, in its discretion, may approve preclearance requests for Access Persons (but <u>not</u> Advisory Persons) up to the following "de minimis" transaction amounts[<sup>6</sup>](#div27756fc0-7321-4263-aab0-3088553e60d4), irrespective of the Firm's pending buy or sell order for the security for a client account:

****Up to (but not exceeding) 1,000 shares during a <u>rolling</u> 30-days (in the aggregate for all of an Access Person's Reportable Accounts) in issuers with a market cap equivalent of $10 billion (USD) or more at the time of the transaction.

Access and Advisory Persons are <u>not</u> required to preclear transactions in the following types of securities:

****Direct obligations of the Government of the United States;

****Money market instruments such as shares of money market funds, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bankers' acceptances and bank certificates of deposit, and other high quality short-term debt instruments;

****Currencies and commodities;

****"Cryptocurrency" or "digital assets" that are not otherwise considered initial or limited coin offerings;

****ETFs not managed by Virtus or any Firm (single stock ETFs are prohibited and options on

5Trade preclearance requests in conflict with the Holding Period Rule (Section 7) and issuers listed on applicable restricted lists will generally be denied.

6"Transaction amounts" means the number of shares sold <u>plus</u> the number of shares bought, i.e., sells <u>do not</u> offset buys.

![](glof7hkh6qqjv0a1v3xu9.jpg)

ETFs must still be precleared);

****Other Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), such as Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), that are not managed by Virtus or any Firm;

****Open-end funds and unit investment trusts invested in open-end funds;

****Purchases pursuant to an automatic investment or dividend reinvestment plan;

****Purchases upon the exercise of rights issued by an issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent the rights were acquired from the issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired;

****Participation in an employee stock purchase plan ("ESPP"), unless otherwise restricted under the Virtus Insider Trading Policy and related guidelines (however all sales of stock accumulated through an ESPP must be pre-cleared);

****Non-volitional transactions (such as stock splits, dividends, corporate actions, etc.); or

****Transactions in Managed Accounts, with the exception of IPOs and private placement transactions, provided that prior to the transaction Compliance has approved the classification of the account as a Managed Account.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4.2 Preclearance, transaction and account requirements for Virtus Securities

Supervised Persons, including those also designated as Access and Advisory Persons, must preclear transactions in Virtus common shares (ticker: VRTS) and any other type of security Virtus may issue, including, but not limited to, preferred stock, convertible debentures, and warrants (collectively, with Virtus common shares, "Virtus Securities").

****Employees must comply with the **Insider Trading Policy** and employees designated as Restricted Insiders must also comply with the related **Trading Restrictions and Pre- Clearance Guidelines Applicable to Restricted Insiders** ("Trading Guidelines"), both of which are available on VirtusNet.

****Unless otherwise indicated, preclearance approvals for Virtus Securities are valid until 5 pm (ET) of the next business day, regardless of the employee's specific geographic location. An order (including limit orders) not executed within that time must be re- submitted for preclearance approval. Once designated as an approved Managed Account by Compliance, transactions in Virtus Securities within such Managed Accounts are not subject to preclearance requirements; provided, however, employees who are deemed Restricted Insiders pursuant to the Virtus Insider Trading Policy and related Trading Guidelines must take reasonable action to have VRTS restricted in a Managed Account.

****Employees may not engage in short sales of Virtus Securities or transact in any derivatives (such as puts, calls or futures) of Virtus Securities. Additionally, employees may not engage in hedging or monetization strategies of Virtus Securities.

****Employees who are designated Restricted Insiders may not hold Virtus Securities in a brokerage account with margin capabilities or pledge Virtus Securities as collateral for a loan without Legal and Compliance pre-approval.

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

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**5. Blackout Rule for Advisory Persons**

In addition to the preclearance requirements of Section 4. - Trade Preclearance Requirements, Advisory Persons may not transact in any Reportable Security on the same day as, or seven (7) calendar days before or after, a trade in securities of the same issuer that is also traded in any client account(s) advised or traded by the Advisory Person.

The Blackout Rule does <u>not</u> apply:

****When the transaction is in a Reportable Security that is exempt from the preclearance requirements of Section 4;

****When the client account transaction is a result of unforeseen portfolio changes resulting from a quantitative investment process, portfolio cash flows, liquidations or account openings or closings; or

****When the rule would be contrary to the Advisory Person's fiduciary duty to always act in the client's best interest. However, this exception is not automatic. The Advisory Person must promptly contact Compliance when trading or recommending trading for a client account within seven days of their personal trade. Compliance will then review the facts and provide instructions consistent with the purpose of the rule.

Advisory Persons are encouraged to avoid transacting in securities held or likely to be held in a client account of the Firm to prevent potential conflicts. Advisory Persons will be required to surrender undue profits from any related violation.

**6. Other Restrictions for Access and Advisory Persons**

Access and Advisory Persons are at all times prohibited from engaging in any of the following:

****Purchasing or selling ETFs based upon the performance of a single stock or issuer ("single- stock ETFs");

****Purchasing or selling single-stock futures;

****Purchasing or selling options on (referencing) a single name/issuer;

****Taking short positions on a single stock or issuer other than on approved ETFs. A list of approved ETFs, tracking broad-based indices, is available on VirtusNet and additions may be approved by Compliance;

****Purchasing or otherwise acquiring securities in an IPO, the substantial equivalent of an IPO, or in so-called initial coin (cryptocurrency) offerings, unless otherwise approved by Compliance;

****Participating in an Investment Club or similar entity, absent an exception from Compliance; or

****Using a derivative or synthetic instrument or using any other means to circumvent a restriction in the Code.

In addition to the above, Advisory Persons are further prohibited from engaging in the following:

****Taking a short position on any Reportable Security, including ETFs, that is held long in a client account of a Firm the employee is an Advisory Person of;

![](gk83exjphrzx2m5it5jbh.jpg)

****Serving on the board of directors of any publicly traded company, absent the prior approval of the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Legal Officer of Virtus, based on a determination that such service will not conflict with the interests of any Firms or their clients; or

****Purchasing a private placement or limited offering in client accounts where there exists a personal interest in the same issuer without preapproval from Compliance.

**7. Holding Period Rule for Access and Advisory Persons**

Unless an exception applies, Access and Advisory Persons must hold all Reportable Securities for no less than thirty (30) days (the "Holding Period Rule"). The Holding Period Rule prohibits the purchase or sale of options with an expiration date that is within thirty (30) days of the transaction date, as well as the sale of covered calls on securities held for less than thirty (30) days.

Compliance with the Holding Period Rule will be determined using a last in, first out methodology applied across all Reportable Accounts unless otherwise exempted by Compliance, and Access and Advisory Persons may not sell any share(s) of a Reportable Security until a minimum of thirty

(30)days have passed since the last purchase of the same security in any of their Reportable Accounts.

Exceptions: The Holding Period Rule does <u>not</u> apply to transactions in:

****Reportable Securities not subject to preclearance;

****Open-end funds that are managed by any Firm (although "market timing" restrictions imposed by such funds must be observed);

****Shares of VRTS received upon the vesting of RSU grants;

****VRTS options through exercising and selling the shares, where such options have been provided as grants;

****Approved Managed Accounts; and

****Digital assets.

**8. Duty to Report Violations**

Employees must promptly report any known violations of this Code to Compliance and should contact Compliance if they have reason to believe that a violation may have occurred or is reasonably likely to occur. Failure to report such matters is itself a violation of this Code. If the matter involves a member of Compliance, the report should be made directly to Virtus' Global Chief Compliance Officer. In the event the reported event involves the Global Chief Compliance Officer, the report should be made directly to the Virtus' Chief Legal Officer. Employees may also report such matters using the Virtus Whistleblower Hotline.[<sup>7</sup>](#div5aa844c9-d104-42d7-824a-ab7d8273e9ae)

7Instructions for using the Virtus Whistleblower Hotline are available on VirtusNet.

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

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**9. Sanctions for Violations of the Code**

In the event of a violation of the Code by any Supervised Person, including those further designated as Access or Advisory Persons, Compliance may impose appropriate sanctions considering the following:

****The seriousness of the violation;

****Whether the violation was willful or inadvertent;

****Whether the violation was self-reported;

****The employee's job function and classification as a Supervised, Access or Advisory Person;

****Prior violations of the Code; and/or

****Any other factor(s) that Compliance may consider important under the specific circumstances.

Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

****Verbal and/or written admonishment;

****Re-training on the requirements of the Code;

****Notice to the person's manager and/or members of Firm management;

****Fines and/or reversal of trades, with the fines and disgorgement of profits (or losses avoided) donated to a charity designated by Compliance;

****Partial or full restriction of personal trading for a period of time (which may be the remainder of the Person's employment); and/or

****Suspension or termination of employment.

**10. Waivers, Temporary Exemption from Code Application, and Extensions**

Compliance may, from time to time, grant waivers to provisions of this Code for equitable or other reasons. Compliance will maintain reasonable documentation of any such waivers. The waivers may be granted to individuals or classes of individuals with respect to particular transactions or classes of transactions and may apply to past as well as future transactions. No waiver will be granted if Compliance is aware or reasonably believes that doing so will result in a violation of applicable federal securities laws or the principles of this Code.

Employees on approved leaves of absence (e.g., leaves for medical, active military service, bereavement, FMLA, etc.) may be temporarily exempt from the preclearance and reporting provisions of the Code, provided that the following requirements are met:

****They do not participate in, obtain information with respect to, or make recommendations as to, the purchase or sale of securities on behalf of any client;

****They do not have access to information regarding the day-to-day investment activities of the Firm including but not limited to IT systems and Firm email; and

****They do not devote significant time to the activities of the Firm.

![](ga81trwb0zzdvc8xvu1na.jpg)

Employees must complete quarterly transaction reports promptly upon their return to work after an approved leave of absence.

In addition to the above, Compliance may grant extensions to quarterly reporting deadlines in cases of hardship, illness, system unavailability or other circumstances. Any such circumstances that could result in submission of reports beyond thirty (30) days after quarter end must be discussed with the Chief Compliance Officer. Any such extension shall not be deemed a waiver of the Code's provisions.

11. Responsibilities of Compliance

In addition to those responsibilities described in the foregoing, Compliance is responsible for the following:

****Determining which employees are classified as Supervised, Access or Advisory Persons and notifying employees of their classification. In doing so, Compliance may determine whether any temporary employees, consultants, interns or the equivalent should be treated as Supervised, Access or Advisory Persons under this Code.

****Maintaining records regarding the Code and its administration as required by Rule 204-2 of the Advisers Act and Rule 31a-2 of the Investment Company Act. Such records will be maintained in a readily accessible place for at least five (5) years, with the first two (2) years in a Firm office. Required records include the following for the past five (5) years:

A copy of each Code in effect;

Records of any violations of the Code and action taken in response thereto;

Records of Supervised Persons' written acknowledgements of the Code;

A list of all Supervised Persons who have been required to make reports pursuant to the Code;

Records of decisions to approve transactions in private placements and the basis for such approvals; and

Copies of all reports made by the Chief Compliance Officer of each Firm and by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Virtus Funds regarding the administration of the Code as required by the Advisers Act or the Investment Company Act.

![](gt6y9jhujgr42ly6lnk9v.jpg)

**<u>Schedule A</u>**

The following regulated entities have adopted this Code of Ethics:

****AlphaSimplex Group, LLC

****Ceredex Value Advisors LLC

****Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.

****Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC

****NFJ Investment Group, LLC

****Seix CLO Management LLC

****Silvant Capital Management LLC

****Sustainable Growth Advisors, LP

****Virtus Advisers, LLC

****Virtus Alternative Investment Advisers, LLC

****Virtus Capital Advisers, LLC

****Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, LLC divisions:

Newfleet Asset Management

Seix Investment Advisors

Stone Harbor Investment Partners

****Virtus International Management, LLP

****Virtus Investment Advisers, LLC

****VP Distributors, LLC

****Westchester Capital Management, LLC

****Westchester Capital Partners, LLC

This Schedule will be updated from time to time without being considered an amendment to the Code of Ethics.

![](gbqjj5k3z4twngnj3asa9.jpg)

**<u>Schedule B</u>**

This Schedule last updated: April 1, 2023

**Digital Assets Exempted from the Code of Ethics Reporting Requirements**

The following digital assets are specifically exempted from Code reporting requirements:

****Bitcoin currency code "BTC" <u>and</u> "XBT"

This Schedule will be updated from time to time without being considered an amendment to the Code of Ethics.

![](g1rj8va9e1c8assz3nf4y.jpg)

**<u>Appendix – Individual Firm Modifications</u>**

Certain Firms may, from time to time, attach to this Code an Appendix describing any unique provisions the Firm has made to provide additional requirements or modify requirements set forth by this Code. Modifications appended will not be considered an amendment to any other Firm's Code, other than the one to which the Appendix specifically applies.

**Duff & Phelps Investment Management Company**

**Section 4.1 Preclearance Requirements for non-Virtus Securities (applies to Access and Advisory Persons) is supplemented with the additional requirements that Access and Advisory Persons:**

o May not purchase securities on the Duff & Phelps Investable Universe List; and o May only sell securities on the Duff & Phelps Investable Universe List upon

approval from the applicable Duff & Phelps Investment Group Head.

**Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment Management, LLC**

**Section 4.1 Preclearance Requirements for non-Virtus Securities (applies to Access and Advisory Persons) is supplemented with the additional requirement that Access and Advisory Persons:**

o May not purchase or sell a Reportable Security for their own account at times in which any investment team is considering initiating a buy or sell program for a security of the same issuer.

**Sustainable Growth Advisers, LP**

**Section 4.1 Preclearance Requirements for non-Virtus Securities (applies to Access and Advisory Persons) is supplemented with the additional requirement that Access and Advisory Persons:**

o May not purchase any single name equities or derivatives thereof (i.e. options or convertible bonds);

o Must pre-clear purchases or sales of mutual funds sub-advised by SGA;

o Are not required to pre-clear purchases or sales of fixed income securities; and o Are not required to pre-clear transactions in futures that are permitted under

the Code.

**Virtus International Management, LLP**

The UK Supplement includes FCA rules on personal account dealings and clarifies which securities apply to them under **Section 3.2: Reportable Securities and Reportable Accounts** and Section **4.1: Preclearance Requirements for non-Virtus Securities for Access and Advisory Persons**.

## Ex-99

![](g3ifyve44j47obxqxv0id.jpg)

**Exhibit (p)(6)**

**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC**

**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and**

**WestEnd Advisors, LLC**

**Effective April 1, 2025**

![](ghvl8o2m04uf43dbkmjii.jpg)

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |
|  |  | **Previously updated: July 1, 2023** |
| 1. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Introduction....................................................................................................................................** | **1** |
| 2. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Definitions ......................................................................................................................................** | **2** |
| 3. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Culture of Compliance ..................................................................................................................** | **4** |
| 4. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Policy Statement on Insider Trading ...........................................................................................** | **5** |
|  | A. Introduction........................................................................................................................................... | **5** |
|  | B. Scope of the Policy Statement ............................................................................................................. | **5** |
|  | C. What is Material Information?............................................................................................................... | **5** |
|  | D. What is Non-Public Information? .......................................................................................................... | **6** |
|  | E. Identifying Inside Information............................................................................................................... | **7** |
|  | F. Contact with Public Companies........................................................................................................... | **7** |
|  | G. Tender Offers ..................................................................................................................................... | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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** |
|  | H. Protecting Sensitive Information .......................................................................................................... | **7** |
|  | I. Trading in Securities Listed on Exchanges in Other Countries .......................................................... | **8** |
|  | J. Public Company Confidential Records ................................................................................................ | **8** |
| 5. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Conflicts of Interest ......................................................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**8** |
|  | A. Gifts and Entertainment ....................................................................................................................... | **9** |
|  | B. Political Contributions ........................................................................................................................ | **10** |
|  | C. Outside Business Activities................................................................................................................ | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**11** |
|  | D. Other Prohibitions on Conduct .......................................................................................................... | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**12** |
|  | E. Review of Employee Communications ............................................................................................... | **13** |
| 6. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Standards of Business Conduct ...............................................................................................** | **13** |
| 7. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Personal Trading, Code of Ethics Reporting and Certifications .............................................** | **13** |
|  | A. Employee Investment Accounts ........................................................................................................ | **13** |
|  | B. Employee Investment Account Reporting ......................................................................................... | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**14** |
|  | C. Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions .............................................................................. | **15** |
|  | D. Representation and Warranties.......................................................................................................... | **18** |
|  | E. Quarterly and Annual Certifications of Compliance ............................................................................ | **18** |

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|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |
| F. Review Procedures .......................................................................................................................... | F. Review Procedures .......................................................................................................................... | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**19** |
| G. Recordkeeping ................................................................................................................................. | G. Recordkeeping ................................................................................................................................. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**19** |
| H. Whistleblower Provisions.................................................................................................................. | H. Whistleblower Provisions.................................................................................................................. | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**19** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I. | **Confidentiality ...................................................................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**19** |
| J. Reporting to the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds .................................................................... | J. Reporting to the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds .................................................................... | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**19** |
| 8. | **Code of Ethics Violation Guidelines .........................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**20** |
| **Appendix 1 – Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Products & Reportable Funds .................................................** | **Appendix 1 – Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Products & Reportable Funds .................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**i** |
| **Appendix 2 – Approved Brokers List ..........................................................................................................** | **Appendix 2 – Approved Brokers List ..........................................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**ii** |
| **Appendix 3 – Investment Account Disclosure ............................................................................................** | **Appendix 3 – Investment Account Disclosure ............................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**iii** |
| **Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type....................................................................** | **Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type....................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**iv** |
| **Appendix 5 – ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption..........................................................** | **Appendix 5 – ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption..........................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**vi** |
| **Supplement 1 - RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. ("RSIMS") Code of Ethics Supplement** | **Supplement 1 - RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. ("RSIMS") Code of Ethics Supplement** | **Supplement 1 - RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. ("RSIMS") Code of Ethics Supplement** |
| **("Singapore Supplement")..........................................................................................................................** | **("Singapore Supplement")..........................................................................................................................** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**vii** |

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

**1. INTRODUCTION**

**Rule 204A-1 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 ("Advisers Act") requires all investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to adopt codes of ethics that set forth standards of conduct and require compliance with federal securities laws. Victory Capital Management Inc. ("VCM") and WestEnd Advisors, LLC ("WestEnd") are both registered investment advisers under the Advisers Act and also both wholly owned subsidiaries of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. ("VCH"). WestEnd and VCM, together with VCM's subsidiaries, RS Investments (UK) Limited, RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited, and RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. (collectively the "Affiliated Advisers"), have adopted this Code of Ethics ("Code"), which sets forth the standards of business conduct that are required of Access Persons. As an adviser to regulated investment companies, VCM also adopts this Code in adherence to Rule 17j-1<sup>1</sup> under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"). Officers and employees of RS Investments (Hong Kong) Limited and RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. should also review the related Code supplements.**

**VCH is a Delaware corporation with its Class A common stock listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, under the ticker symbol "VCTR." As a public company, compliance policies were adopted that apply to VCH and the Affiliated Advisers (collectively "Victory Capital'). The VCH policies are in addition to the compliance program of the Affiliated Advisers. In particular, the policies that apply to Victory Capital include: (1) Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, (2) Corporate Communications Policy and (3) Insider Trading Policy. Affiliated Advisers make these policies readily available to their Access Persons.**

**Victory Capital Services, Inc. ("VCS"), is a Victory Capital affiliated broker-dealer that (i) provides marketing and distribution support for the Victory Funds and the 529 Plan; (ii) introduces retail customers to the Victory Funds and the 529 Plan on a direct-application basis; and (iii) introduces retail customers to a clearing broker-dealer pursuant to a fully-disclosed clearing arrangement.**

**Access Persons have a responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical principles. Thus, the Code imposes obligations in addition to those required under applicable laws and regulations. The Code is a minimum standard of conduct. Additionally, Access Persons must act in accordance with their fiduciary duty owed to Affiliated Adviser clients. Therefore, literal compliance with the Code will not protect an Access Persons if their behavior otherwise violates their fiduciary duty. If an Access Person is uncertain as to the intent or purpose of any provision of the Code, or whether a proposed action is compatible with their fiduciary duty, they should consult the appropriate Affiliated Adviser Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO") or a member of the Compliance team.**

**The Affiliated Advisers recognize the importance of an Access Person's ability to manage and develop their own and their dependents' financial resources through long-term investments and strategies. However, because of the potential conflicts of interest inherent in our business and our industry, the Affiliated Advisers have implemented certain standards and limitations designed to minimize these conflicts.**

**Victory Capital's reputation is of paramount importance; therefore, the Affiliated Advisers will not tolerate blemishes due to careless personal trading or other conduct prohibited by the Code. Consequently, Material Violations (as defined herein) of the Code may be subject to harsh**

**1Rule 17j-1 requires that fund advisers adopt written codes of ethics and have procedures in place to prevent their personnel from abusing their access to information about the fund's securities trading and requires "access persons" to submit reports periodically containing information about their personal securities holdings and transactions.**

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**sanctions. Frequent violations of the Code may result in limitations on personal securities trading or other disciplinary actions, which can include termination of employment.**

**2. DEFINITIONS**

**<u>"Access Person"</u> means any employee of VCM. It also includes anyone deemed an Access Person by a CCO. As a matter of practice, the Board of Directors of the Victory Portfolios, Victory Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory Variable Insurance Funds, Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, and the Pioneer Closed-End Funds (collectively the "Victory Funds") generally consists of members who are not employees or officers of Victory Capital, or their affiliates. Unless designated by the COO, a non-employee director is not treated as an "access person" within the meaning of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and is not treated as either an "access person" or an "advisory person" of VCM.**

**<u>"Affiliated Funds"</u> means any individual series portfolio of the Victory Funds, as well as other sub- advised affiliates listed in Appendix 1, each an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act.**

**"<u>Automatic or Periodic Investment Plan"</u> is a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An Automatic Investment Plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.**

**<u>"Beneficial Interest"</u> means the opportunity, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, to profit, or share in any profit derived from, a transaction in the subject Securities. An Access Person is deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in securities owned by members of his or her Immediate Family. Common examples of Beneficial Interest include joint accounts, spousal accounts (including Non-Victory Capital Employee Compensation Programs, Non-Victory Capital Employee Stock Participation Program, and Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plan Accounts), Uniform Transfers to Minors Act accounts, partnerships, trusts and controlling interests in corporations. Any uncertainty as to whether an Access Person has a Beneficial Interest in a Security should be brought to the attention of the Compliance Department. Such questions will be resolved in accordance with, and this definition shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with, the definition of "beneficial owner" set forth in Rules 16a-1(a)(2) and (5) promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.**

**<u>"Blackout Period"</u> means seven (7) calendar days before through seven (7) calendar days after the date a client trade is executed for VCM or the month in which a security is added to the Securities Under Consideration list for WestEnd.**

**<u>"Business Entertainment"</u> includes any social event, hospitality event, charitable event, sporting event, entertainment event, meal, leisure activity or event of like nature or purpose, and any transportation or lodging accompanying or related to such activity or event, including any entertainment activity offered in connection with an educational event or business conference, irrespective of whether any business is conducted during, or is attendant to, such activity.**

**<u>"Covered Government Official</u>" means a 1) state or local governmental official; 2) candidate for state or local office; or 3) federal candidate currently holding state or local office. A governmental "official" includes an incumbent, candidate, or successful candidate for elective office of a state or**

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**local government entity, if the office is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser, or has authority to appoint any person who is directly or indirectly responsible for, or can influence the outcome of, the hiring of an investment adviser, by a state or a political subdivision of a state.**

**"De Minimis Security" means an ETF listed in Appendix 5 of this Code of Ethics. In certain situations, a client trade in a De Minimis Security may not trigger a Blackout Period (see Section 7.C. Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions for more detailed information). Personal Trades in De Minimis Securities in Personal Accounts always require pre-clearance and are subject to all other provisions of the Code.**

**<u>"De Minimis Trade"</u> means a Personal Trade Request that at the time is request is either 1) for an equity security with a market capitalization between $3 billion and $50 billion and the market value for the request is less than $10,000 or 2) for an equity security with a market capitalization above $50 billion and the market value for the request is less than $50,000. In certain situations, a De Minimis Trade may not trigger a Blackout Period (see Section 7.C. Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions for more detailed information). Personal Trades in De Minimis Securities in Personal Accounts always require pre-clearance and are subject to all other provisions of the Code.**

**<u>"Exempt Securities"</u> means 1) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; 2) bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and commercial paper; 3) investment grade, short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; 4) shares held in money market funds; 5) variable insurance products that invest in funds for which an Affiliated Adviser does not act as adviser or sub-adviser; 6) open-end mutual funds for which an Affiliated Advisers does not act as adviser or sub-adviser; and 7) investments in qualified tuition programs ("529 Plans"). Exempt Securities do not need to be pre-cleared.**

**<u>"Franchise"</u> means a group of employees who report directly or indirectly to the same Chief Investment Officer that oversees a brand-named strategy**

**"<u>Immediate Family</u>" means all family members who share the same household, including but not limited to, a spouse, domestic partner, fiancée, parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings, step-siblings, step-children, step-parents, or in-laws. Immediate Family includes adoptive relationships and any other relationships (whether or not recognized by law) that a CCO determines could lead to conflicts of interest, diversions of corporate opportunity, or create the appearance of impropriety.**

**"<u>Initial Holdings Report</u>" is a report that discloses all securities holdings of every Access Person, which must be submitted to the Compliance Department within ten (10) calendar days of becoming an Access Person.**

**"<u>Initial Public Offering" or "IPO"</u> means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before such registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Sections 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act.**

**<u>"Managed Accounts"</u> means investment advisory or brokerage accounts over which an Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control in the investment decisions or activities.**

**"<u>Material</u> <u>Non-Public</u> <u>Information" or "MNPI" means information that is both material and</u> <u>non-public</u> that might have an effect on the market for a security. Access Persons who possess MNPI must not act or cause others to act on such information.**

**<u>"Material Violation"</u> means any violation of this Code or other misconduct deemed material by a CCO, in conjunction with the Compliance Committee or the VCM Board of Directors.**

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**"<u>Maximum Allowable Trades</u>" means Access Persons are limited to 15 trades in individual securities per calendar quarter across their Personal Accounts. A trade in the same security in multiple accounts on the same day will count as one trade towards the Maximum Allowable Trades in a quarter. Individual securities transactions that do not require pre-clearance (i.e. open-end mutual funds, dividend reinvestments) will not count towards the Maximum Allowable Trades.**

**<u>"MCO"</u> means MyComplianceOffice, which is a web-based compliance system used to track and approve employee personal trading, gifts and entertainment, political contributions, and outside business activities, store policies, and facilitate employee certifications and manage other compliance objectives.**

**<u>"Personal Account"</u> means an investment account in which an employee retains investment discretion.**

**"<u>Personal Trading" or "Personal Trades</u>" means trades or transactions by Access Persons in their Personal Accounts.**

**<u>"Proprietary Product"</u> is a fund or product in which Victory Capital or its employees have an aggregate of 25% or more Beneficial Interest. See Appendix 1 – Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Products & Reportable Funds for more information.**

**<u>"Reportable Fund"</u> means any investment company registered under the Investment Company Act for which an Affiliated Adviser is an investment adviser or a sub-adviser, or any registered investment company whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls Victory Capital, is controlled by Victory Capital, or is under common control with Victory Capital. See Appendix 1 – Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Products & Reportable Funds for more information.**

**<u>"Reportable Security"</u> means any security that is not an Exempt Security, for which Access persons must submit holdings and transaction reports. See the list of Exempt Securities under Appendix 4, as defined by rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.**

**<u>"RIC"</u> means a Regulated Investment Company.**

**<u>"Short-Sell"</u> <u>or</u> <u>"Short-Selling"</u> means the sale of a security that is not owned by the seller. Access Persons may not take a short position in a security. However, mutual funds or ETFs that correspond to the inverse performance of a broad-based index are not considered to be Short- Sales. For example, buying (long) the ProShares Short S&P500 ETF is permitted. Employees may also trade in funds that track a volatility index.**

**<u>"Solutions Team"</u> means any employee who is a member of the Solutions Platform group, generally involved in passive investments.**

**"<u>Victory Capital Stock</u>" means securities offered by VCH or any subsidiary through a registration statement that has been declared effective by the SEC (e.g. "VCTR").**

**3. CULTURE OF COMPLIANCE**

**The Affiliated Advisers' primary objective is to provide value through investment advisory, sub- advisory and other financial services to a wide range of clients, including governments, corporations, financial institutions, high net worth individuals, pension funds, and retail clients.**

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**The Affiliated Advisers require that all dealings on behalf of existing and prospective clients be handled with honesty, integrity and high ethical standards, and that such dealings adhere to the letter and the spirit of applicable laws, regulations and contractual guidelines. As a general matter, the Affiliated Advisers are fiduciaries that owe their clients a duty of undivided loyalty, and you have a responsibility to act in a manner consistent with this duty. You must actively work to avoid the possibility that the advice or services provided to clients is, or gives the appearance of being, based on your self-interest or the interests of the Affiliated Advisers and not in the clients' best interests. Violations of the Code must be reported promptly to the appropriate CCO or his/her designee.**

**You must act solely in the best interests of our clients. Statutory and regulatory requirements impose specific responsibilities governing the behavior of personnel in carrying out their responsibilities to clients and you must comply fully with these rules and regulations. Your respective Compliance Department professionals are available to assist you in meeting these requirements.**

**Since no set of rules can anticipate every possible situation, it is essential that you obtain guidance from the appropriate CCO, Chief Legal Officer ("CLO"), or their designees when you are unsure how to follow these rules in letter and in spirit. It is your responsibility to fully understand and comply with the Code and other applicable policies or seek guidance from a CCO. Technical compliance with the Code and its procedures will not necessarily validate an action. Any activity that compromises the Affiliated Advisers integrity, even if it does not expressly violate a rule, may result in further action from a CCO. In some instances, a CCO holds discretionary authority to apply exceptions under the Code. In a CCO's absence, the CLO may act in his or her place.**

**The Affiliated Advisers' fiduciary responsibilities apply to a broad range of investment and related activities, including sales and marketing, portfolio management, securities trading, allocation of investment opportunities, client service, operations support, performance measurement and reporting, new product development as well as personal investing activities. These obligations include the duty to avoid material conflicts of interest (and, if this is not possible, to provide full and fair disclosure to clients in communications), to keep accurate books and records, and to supervise personnel appropriately. These concepts are further described in the sections that follow.**

**4. POLICY STATEMENT ON INSIDER TRADING**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**A.Introduction**

**The Affiliated Advisers seek to foster a culture of compliance, a reputation for integrity, professionalism and values, and endeavors to protect the confidence and trust placed in us by our clients. To further that goal, this Policy Statement implements procedures to deter the misuse of MNPI in securities transactions.**

**The term "insider trading" is not defined in the federal securities laws but refers generally to the situation when a person trades while aware of MNPI or communicates MNPI to others in breach of a duty of trust or confidence.**

**While the law concerning insider trading is not static, it is generally understood that the law prohibits any of the following:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Trading by an insider, while aware of MNPI;**

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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;**•Trading by a** non-insider, while aware of MNPI, where the information was disclosed to the non-insider in violation of an insider's duty to keep it confidential; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Communicating MNPI to others in breach of a duty of trust or confidence.**

**Trading securities while in possession of MNPI or improperly communicating that information to others may result in stringent penalties. Criminal sanctions may include fines of up to $5,000,000, twenty years' imprisonment, or both. The civil penalty for a violator may be an amount up to three times the profit (or loss avoided) as a result of the insider trading violation, and a permanent bar from working in the securities industry. Investors may sue and seek to recover damages for insider trading violations.**

**Regardless of whether a regulatory inquiry occurs, the Affiliated Advisers take seriously any violation of this Policy Statement. Such violations constitute grounds for disciplinary sanctions, up to and including dismissal.**

B. Scope of the Policy Statement

**This Policy Statement is drafted broadly and will be applied and interpreted in a similar manner. It applies to all Access Persons and to transactions in any security participated in by Immediate Family members of Access Persons or trusts or corporations controlled by Access Persons.**

**Any questions relating to this Policy Statement should be directed to a CCO or his/her designee. You must notify compliance immediately if you have any reason to believe that a violation of this Policy Statement has occurred or is about to occur.**

C. What is Material Information?

**Trading on inside information is not a basis for liability unless the information relied upon is deemed to be material. "Material" information is defined generally as information for which there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor would consider it important in making his or her investment decisions, or information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial effect on the price of a company's securities. If the disclosure of that information would be expected to alter the total mix of information that is publicly available about that company, then the information is considered material. Any questions about whether information is material should be directed to a member of compliance.**

**Material information often relates to a company's financial results and operations, including, for example, dividend changes, earning results, changes in previously released earnings estimates, significant merger or acquisition proposals or agreements, major litigation, liquidation problems, and extraordinary management developments. Information about a company could be material because of its expected effect on a particular class of the company's securities, all of the company's securities, the securities of another company, or the securities of several companies. Material information does not have to relate to a company's business. For example, in Carpenter v. U.S., the Supreme Court considered as material certain information about the contents of a forthcoming newspaper column that was expected to affect the market price of a security. In that case, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal was found criminally liable for disclosing to others the dates that reports on various companies would appear in the Journal and whether those reports would be favorable or not.**

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

**D.What is** Non-Public Information?

**For issues concerning insider trading to arise, information must not only be material, it must also be**

**"non-public". Non-public information is information that has not been made available to investors generally. Information received in circumstances indicating that it is not yet in general circulation or where the recipient knows or should know that the information could only have been provided by an "insider" is also deemed non-public information. For non- public information to become public information, it must be disseminated through recognized channels of distribution designed to broadly reach the securities marketplace.**

**Facts verifying that the information is public (and therefore has become generally available) may include, for example, and without limitation, disclosure in:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•National business and financial wire service, such as Dow Jones or Reuters;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•National news service or newspaper, such as AP or The Wall Street Journal; or**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Publicly disseminated disclosure document, such as a proxy statement or prospectus.**

**The circulation of rumors or "talk on the street", even if accurate, widespread and reported in the media, does not constitute the requisite public disclosure. In addition, the information must not only be publicly disclosed, there must also be adequate time for the market to digest the information. Material non-public information is not made public by selective dissemination. Material information improperly disclosed only to institutional investors or to a fund analyst or a favored group of analysts retains its status as "non-public" information that must not be disclosed or otherwise misused.**

**Partial disclosure does not constitute public dissemination. So long as any material component of the "inside" information has yet to be publicly disclosed, the information is deemed non-public and may not be misused.**

**E.Identifying Inside Information**

**Before executing any Personal Trades or trades for client accounts, Access Persons must determine whether they have access to MNPI. If you believe that you might have access to MNPI, you should take the following steps:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Report the information and proposed trade immediately to a CCO or a member of compliance;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Do not purchase or sell the securities as Personal Trades or for clients without written clearance to do so from a CCO or a member of compliance; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Do not communicate the inside information other than to compliance and, if necessary, your direct manager.**

**A member of the Compliance Department will determine whether the information is material and nonpublic.**

F. Contact with Public Companies

**The Affiliated Advisers contact with public companies may help form the basis of investment decisions. Legal issues may arise if, in the course of these contacts, you become aware of MNPI. This could happen, for example, if a company's chief financial officer were to**

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**prematurely disclose quarterly results, or an investor relations representative selectively discloses adverse news to a handful of investors.**

**G.Tender Offers**

**Tender offers represent a particular concern in the law of insider trading for two reasons. First, tender offer activity often produces extraordinary gyrations in the price of the target company's securities. Trading during this time is more likely to attract regulatory attention (and produces a disproportionate percentage of insider trading cases). Second, the SEC forbids trading and "tipping" while in possession of MNPI regarding the receipt of a tender offer, the tender offeror, the target company or anyone acting on behalf of either of these parties. You should exercise caution any time you become aware of non-public information relating to a tender offer.**

H. Protecting Sensitive Information

**You are responsible for safeguarding all confidential information relating to investment research, fund and client holdings, including analyst research reports, investment meeting discussions or notes, and current fund or client transaction information, regardless whether such information is deemed MNPI. Other types of information (for example, marketing plans, employment issues and shareholder identities) may also be confidential and should not be shared with individuals outside the company unless approved by a CCO or an executive officer.**

**You are expressly prohibited from knowingly spreading any false rumor concerning any company, or any purported market development, that is designed to impact trading in or the price of that company's or any other company's securities, and from engaging in any other type of activity that constitutes illegal market manipulation.**

**I.Trading in Securities Listed on Exchanges in Other Countries**

**Trading in securities listed on exchanges in other countries is governed by the laws of that country. When trading in such securities, you must ensure compliance with applicable law, which in all relevant cases prohibits trading on the basis of MNPI or price-sensitive information, as those terms are defined in the relevant jurisdiction.**

J. Public Company Confidential Records

**VCH's and Affiliated Adviser records must always be treated as confidential and must not be disclosed or used for any purpose at any time other than for the normal course of business. Information learned about other entities in a special relationship with VCH, such as acquisition, joint venture and partnership negotiations, is confidential and must not be disclosed without proper authorization.**

**At all times, you are prohibited from making any recommendation or expressing any opinion as to trading in Victory Capital Stock**

**See VCH's Corporate Communications Policy and Insider Trading Policy for more information.**

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

**5. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST**

**A "conflict of interest" exists when your interests may be contrary to our clients' and shareholders' interests. A conflict may arise if you take action or have business, financial or other interests that may make it difficult to perform your work objectively and effectively.**

**Conflicts of interest may arise, for example, if you or your Immediate Family member receives improper personal benefits (for example, personal loans, services, or payment for services) as a result of your position at an Affiliated Adviser or you gain personal enrichment or benefits through access to confidential information. Conflicts may also arise if you or an Immediate Family member holds a financial interest in a company that does business with an Affiliated Adviser or has outside business interests that may result in divided loyalties or compromised independent judgment. Conflicts may also arise when making securities investments for Proprietary Products or Personal Accounts or when determining how to allocate trading opportunities.**

**Conflicts of interest can arise in many common situations, despite best efforts to avoid them. This Code does not attempt to identify all possible conflicts of interest. Literal compliance with each of the specific procedures will not shield you from liability for Personal Trading or other conduct that violates your fiduciary duties to clients. You are encouraged to seek clarification of, and discuss questions about, potential conflicts of interest. Any questions regarding a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest should be directed to a manager, a CCO or a representative of compliance.**

**The following areas represent many common types of conflicts of interests and the procedures to be followed; however, the list is not intended to be all-inclusive. A summary is provided for each case, but further details can be found in the related policies and procedures for your specific Affiliated Adviser. To the extent there is a conflict between an Affiliated Adviser's related policies and procedures and the requirements of the Code, the Code shall prevail. For questions related to conflicts of interest, please contact a member of your Affiliated Adviser's compliance department.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A. Gifts and Entertainment

**<u>Gifts</u>**

**Giving or receiving gifts or other items of value to or from persons doing business or seeking to do business with an Affiliated Adviser could call into question the independence of its judgment as a fiduciary of its clients. Accordingly, such conduct is only permitted in accordance with the limitations stated herein.**

**Affiliated Adviser policies on gifts and entertainment are derived from industry practices. You should be aware that there are various laws and regulations that prohibit you from giving anything of value to employees of various financial institutions in connection with attempts to obtain any business transaction with the institution, which is viewed as a form of bribery. If there is any question about the appropriateness of any particular gift, you should consult a member of compliance.**

**Under no circumstances may a gift be received as any form of compensation for services provided by an Affiliated Adviser or an Access Person. Gifts of nominal value may be given to or accepted from present or prospective customers, brokers, service providers, suppliers or vendors with whom there is an actual or potential business relationship. You are required to pre-clear all gifts given and received in MCO, and promptly report all gifts given in the Affiliated Adviser's expense reporting system. Any gifts received must promptly be**

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**disclosed in MCO. Gifts from an individual or entity may not exceed $100 in aggregate value in any calendar year unless pre-approval is obtained from your direct manager and compliance.**

**Gifts of up to $100 per person per year may be provided to present or prospective customers, brokers, service providers, suppliers or vendors with whom there is an actual or potential business relationship.**

**Additional policies concerning gifts may be applicable depending on the type of customer (e.g., ERISA, foreign, union, government officials, or Covered Government Officials).**

**Please refer to the Gifts and Entertainment Policy (F-3) for more information.**

**<u>Entertainment</u>**

**You may sponsor and participate in Reasonable and Customary Business Entertainment. Any Business Entertainment that is not Reasonable and Customary must be pre-approved by a CCO and your manager. You must accompany the persons being entertained for an entertainment activity to qualify as permissible Business Entertainment. All Business Entertainment expenses must be reported promptly in the applicable expense reporting system, listing each attendee at the entertainment event. The receipt of Business Entertainment must be disclosed promptly after each occurrence in MCO, with the exception of infrequent business meals that cost no more than $25 per person. If the client, broker, service provider, vendor or supplier is not present, the entertainment is considered a gift. Items that are normally associated with entertainment that are given or received during a virtual event can be considered entertainment as long as the appropriate parties are in attendance at the virtual event.**

**Additional policies concerning gifts and entertainment may be applicable depending on the type of customer (e.g., ERISA, foreign, union, government officials, or Covered Government Officials).**

**Please refer to the Gifts and Entertainment Policy (F-3) for more information.**

**B.Political Contributions**

**SEC regulations limit political contributions to Covered Government Officials by employees of investment advisory firms and certain affiliated companies. The SEC's "Pay-to-Play" Rule 206(4)-5 (the "Rule") prohibits advisers from receiving any compensation for providing investment advice to a government entity within two years after a contribution has been made by the adviser or one of its covered associates. The two-year time out is triggered by a political contribution to an official of a government entity. The date of the contribution starts the time out.**

**The Rule permits contributions of up to $350 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is entitled to vote, and up to $150 per person for any election to an elected official or candidate for whom the individual is not entitled to vote. Many U.S. cities, states and other government entities have also adopted regulations restricting political contributions by associates of investment management firms seeking to provide services to a governmental entity. While contributions to candidates in federal elections would generally not raise any issues under state or local laws, contributions to state and local officials are generally not approved. Prior to the commencement of employment, you must disclose all political contributions in the past 2 years to Human Resources. During**

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**employment, you must receive approval from compliance through MCO before making personal political contributions at all levels. Political contributions which require pre-approval include, but are not limited to, the following:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Covered Government Officials;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Federal candidate campaigns and affiliated committees;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Political Action Committees (PACs) and Super PACs; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Non-profit** organizations that may engage in political activities, such as 501(c)(4), 501(c)(6) organizations, and 527 organizations

**Note: U.S. national political party donations (e.g. Democratic or Republican) do not require preclearance, provided the donation is not earmarked for a specific candidate. Contributions include:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Monetary contributions, gifts or loans;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•"In kind" contributions (e.g. donations of goods or services or underwriting or hosting fundraisers);**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Contributions to help pay a debt incurred in connection with an election (including transition or inaugural expenses, purchasing tickets to inaugural events);**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Contributions to joint** fund-raising committees; or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Contributions made by a PAC that is controlled by an Access Person.**

**See the Political Contributions Policy (F-2) for more information.**

**C.Outside Business Activities**

**Prior to commencement of employment with VCM, all Outside Business Activities ("OBAs") must be disclosed to Human Resources. During employment and prior to commencement of any new OBA, you must fill out and submit an OBA request form in MCO. You are responsible for notifying compliance of any material OBA changes and must review, update and certify quarterly to your OBA activities.**

**<u>Holding Political Office/Appointments</u>**

**You must avoid any political appointment that may conflict with the performance of your duties on behalf of the Affiliated Advisers and their clients. Prior written approval must be obtained from a CCO before holding political office and, if approved, must be confirmed annually through the compliance certification process. You must expressly remove yourself from any discussions and decisions regarding products or services offered by the Affiliated Advisers.**

**<u>Outside Employment or Business Activities</u>**

**You may pursue other interests on your own time as long as the activity doesn't conflict, interfere, or reflect negatively on the Affiliated Advisers or their clients. However, full-time employees should consider their position to be their primary employment.**

**All outside business activities must be reported to and pre-approved by both your manager and a CCO (or CCO designee). Outside employment or business activities may be considered any activity conducted by you for another organization or business purpose that is outside the scope of your job function with the Affiliated Advisers. This includes, but is not limited to, being an employee, independent contractor, consultant, sole proprietor, officer, director or partner of another organization, or being compensated by, or having the reasonable expectation of compensation from, any other**

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**person or organization as a result of any business activity outside the scope of the relationship with the Affiliated Advisers. Certain activities are <u>not</u> considered reportable OBAs, including any non- investment related activity that is exclusively charitable, civic, religious or fraternal, and is recognized as tax exempt.**

**Passive investments requirements are governed by the Limited Offerings and Private Placement sections of this Code. If you are unsure if a specific activity is an OBA or passive investment, you should consults with a member of compliance.**

**Absent prior approval of a CCO and the Chief Executive Officer, you or your Immediate Family member may not serve on the board of directors of any publicly traded company or investment company. You or your Immediate Family member's service on a for-profit private company's board of directors must also be pre-approved by your direct manager and a CCO or CLO, and reported on the your annual Code certification.**

**All outside employment or business activities must be reported to and pre-approved by both your direct manager and a CCO and reported on your quarterly certification. You are prohibited from the commencement of any outside employment or business activities until a CCO's approval within MCO has occurred.**

**In addition to these outside employment or business activity procedures, if you are a registered representatives of VCS, you must also adhere to related requirements as set forth in VCS's Written Supervisory Procedures Manual.**

**See the Outside Business Activity Policy (F-4) for more information.**

**<u>Bequests</u>**

**A bequest is the act of leaving or giving something of value in a will. The acceptance of a bequest from a client, vendor or business partner may raise questions about the propriety of that relationship. Any potential or actual bequest in excess of $100 made to you by a client, vendor, or business partner under a will or trust agreement must be reported to compliance, unless the grantor is a member of your immediate family. Such bequests shall be subject to the approval of your direct manage and a CCO.**

D. Other Prohibitions on Conduct

**In addition to the specific prohibitions detailed elsewhere in the Code, you are subject to a general requirement not to engage or participate in any act or practice that would defraud Affiliated Adviser clients. This general prohibition includes, among other things:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Making any untrue statement of a material fact or employing any device, scheme or artifice to defraud a client;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Omitting to state a material fact, or failing to provide any information necessary to properly clarify any statements made, in light of the circumstances, thereby creating a materially misleading impression;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Misuse of client confidential information;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Making investment decisions, changing internal research ratings and trading decisions other than exclusively for the benefit and in the best interest of our clients;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Using information about investment or trading decisions or changes in research ratings (whether considered, proposed or made) to benefit or avoid economic injury to an Access Person or anyone other than our clients.**

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Taking, delaying or failing to take any action with respect to any research recommendation, report or rating or any investment or trading decision for a client in order to avoid economic injury to an Access Person or anyone other than a client;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Purchasing or selling a security on the basis of knowledge of a possible trade by or for a client with the intent of personally profiting from personal holdings in the same or related securities** ("front-running" or "scalping");

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Revealing to any other person (except in the normal course of your duties on behalf of a client) any information regarding securities transactions by any client or the consideration by any client of any such securities transactions; or**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Engaging in any act, practice or course of business that operates or would operate as a fraud or deceit on a client or engaging in any manipulative practice with respect to any client.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**E.Review of Employee Communications**

**All correspondence related to the Affiliated Advisers' business and any client correspondence is subject to review by compliance. The Affiliated Advisers are required to maintain original records of employee correspondence that is communicated on approved devices (such as through email). In addition, the Affiliated Advisers are required to monitor employee communications and compliance with conflicts of interest and insider trading policies and procedures. Consequently, all employee communications, including emails and other forms of electronic communication are archived and subject to review for compliance purposes. You are advised that you should have no expectation of privacy regarding personal communications that are sent or received on company-provided or connected electronic devices or communication platforms, such as instant messages or emails.**

**Additionally, you are prohibited from sending client communications via any personal email account, instant messaging, text or other method that is not captured in our archiving system. You may only use an Affiliated Adviser's e-mail system, instant messaging system, Bloomberg and other explicitly approved methods for business-related communications. You are permitted to communicate on an Affiliated Adviser's e-mail system connected through personal mobile devices such as smartphones. See the appropriate technology policy for more information.**

**6. STANDARDS OF BUSINESS CONDUCT**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You have a duty to place the interests of client accounts first and not take advantage of your position at the expense of clients**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You must not mislead or defraud any clients by any statement, act or manipulative practice.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•All personal securities transactions must be conducted in a manner to avoid any actual, potential, or appearance of, a conflict of interest, or any abuse of your position of trust and responsibility.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You may not induce or cause a client to take action, or not to take action, for personal benefit.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You may not share portfolio holdings information except as permitted by the applicable portfolio holdings disclosure policy. See the policy for more information.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You must notify a CCO or CLO, as soon as reasonably practical, if you are arrested, arraigned, indicted or plead no contest or guilty to any criminal offense (other than minor traffic violations) or if named as a defendant in any** investment-related civil proceeding or any administrative or disciplinary action.

**7. PERSONAL TRADING, CODE OF ETHICS REPORTING AND CERTIFICATIONS**

**Personal Trading is a privilege granted by the Affiliated Advisers that may be withdrawn at any time. All personal investment activities must be conducted in accordance with your fiduciary duty and the**

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**requirements of the Code at all times. The CCOs have complete discretion over all Personal Trading activity and have no obligation to explain any denial or restriction relating thereto. You may be required to disgorge any gains generated (or losses avoided) from Personal Trading violations. Access Persons must maintain adequate records of all Personal Trading transactions and be prepared to disclose those transactions to compliance.**

**A.Employee Investment Accounts**

**Subject to disclosure and pre-clearance requirements, Access Persons may open and maintain Managed Accounts and Personal Accounts with select brokers supported by MCO through direct electronic feeds ("Approved Brokers"). Any accounts held with a broker that is not on the Approved Broker List must be transferred to an Approved Broker within 90 days of the commencement of employment.**

**On a case-by-case basis, compliance may approve certain accounts held with brokers that are not on the Approved Brokers List. Compliance must still receive statements for each of these types of accounts, regardless of whether they are Managed or Personal Accounts.**

**For a list of Approved Brokers see Appendix 2 – Approved Brokers List. For a summary of account disclosure requirements see Appendix 3 – Investment Account Disclosure. For a summary of preclearance requirements see Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type.**

**<u>Managed Accounts</u>**

**Access Persons may open and maintain Managed Accounts with Approved Brokers. With the exception of IPOs and Limited Offerings, the requirements listed below under Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions do not apply to Managed Accounts. Participation in an IPO or a private placement in a Managed Account still requires prior approval of a CCO or his/her designee.**

**Managed Accounts require the following:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•They must be approved by compliance prior to trading or on the next quarterly certification, whichever is sooner;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•At the end of each quarter, <u>all employees</u>** must certify that all Managed Accounts have been disclosed and verify all transactions are correctly reflected in MCO;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•The employee must certify and compliance must be able to independently verify that the account is truly discretionary; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Access Persons must certify quarterly that they had no direct or indirect influence or control over any transactions that occurred in their Managed Accounts.**

**Failure to adhere to these requirements could lead to disciplinary actions and penalties up to and including termination.**

**<u>Personal Accounts</u>**

**Access Persons may open and maintain Personal Accounts at Victory Capital Services and with brokers on the Approved Brokers List (see Appendix 2). All requirements listed below under Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions apply to Personal Accounts.**

**Personal Accounts require the following:**

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•They must be approved by compliance prior to trading or on the next quarterly certification, whichever is sooner;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•At the end of each quarter, <u>all employees</u>** must certify that all Personal Accounts have been disclosed and verify all Personal Trades or transactions are correctly reflected in MCO.

**Access Persons acknowledge and agree that the Affiliated Advisers may request and obtain information regarding Personal Accounts from broker-dealers. Affiliated Advisers may use personal information, including name, address and social security numbers, to identify and verify employee accounts.**

**B.Employee Investment Account Reporting**

**<u>Investment Account Disclosure</u>**

**All Personal Accounts and Managed Accounts must be disclosed to and approved by compliance prior to trading or on the next quarterly certification, whichever is sooner. New Hires may not trade in their existing accounts until they have been disclosed and approved by compliance. By regulation, such disclosure must take place within 10 days of hire. Failure to comply may result in sanctions imposed by the VCM Compliance Committee and/or Board of Directors.**

**<u>Initial Holdings Report/Annual Holdings Report</u>**

**No Personal Trading will be authorized before compliance has received a completed Initial Holdings Report as part of the new hire on-boarding process. Any exceptions must be approved by a CCO. The Initial Holdings Report must be submitted to compliance within ten (10) calendar days of becoming an Access Person. All Access Persons must submit a similar report annually to compliance. These reports must include the following information:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•The date when the individual became an Access Person (Initial Holdings Report only);**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•The name of each Personal Account in which any securities are or could be held in the Beneficial Interest of the Access Person, and the name of the** broker-dealer or financial institution holding these accounts;

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Current holdings in private placements (or** non-public offering), including private equity, hedge funds or partnerships; and

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Each Reportable Security or Reportable Fund in which the Access Person has a Beneficial Interest, including title, number of shares, and principal amount. Holdings information must be current as of 45 calendar days before the report is submitted.**

**<u>Quarterly Securities Transaction Report</u>**

**At the end of each quarter, every Access Person must verify his or her Personal Trades or transactions in Personal Accounts through MCO by submitting a Securities Transaction Report ("STR") no later than 30 calendar days following the end of each calendar quarter (whether or not trades were made). The STR must include:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•A description of any transaction in a Reportable Security or Reportable Fund effected during the preceding quarter, such as the date, number of shares, principal amount of securities involved, nature of the transaction (i.e., a buy or a sell), price, and the name of the broker/dealer or financial institution that effected the transaction; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•The name and number for any account established in the preceding quarter**

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**Certain transactions are exempt from the quarterly reporting requirement. See "Summary of Preclearance Requirements" in Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type for more information.**

C. Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions

**<u>Prohibited Securities and Transactions</u>**

**Commodities, currencies, futures, options, and selling securities short are prohibited in Personal Accounts.**

**Investments in companies under common control of VCH are also prohibited in Personal Accounts.**

**<u>Pre-clearance Requirement</u>**

**You must obtain compliance approval prior to executing a transaction that requires pre-clearance (see Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type). Approval may only be requested by submitting a Personal Trade Pre-Clearance Request ("PTR") in MCO. Compliance approval expires at the end of the trading day approval was provided (see exception granted to Covered Persons, as defined in VCH's Insider Trading Policy). In certain circumstances, an approved and executed Personal Trade may need to be broken or profits disgorged (e.g. a Blackout Period triggered by subsequent client trading).**

**Cryptocurrencies – Trading in cryptocurrencies must be pre-cleared using the appropriate section of the Trade Pre-Clearance form within MCO. Such trades must be executed either in an account at a firm that is on our approved broker list (see Appendix 2) or in an account that does not offer any security trading capability. Accounts established to trade cryptocurrencies that do not have security trading capabilities must be reported in MCO. Receiving pre-clearance approval does not relieve you of your fiduciary duty and the responsibility to follow the spirit of the Code.**

**Compliance will review cryptocurrency trade requests for perceived or actual conflicts. As a general rule, compliance expects that cryptocurrencies traded on common crypto exchanges (e.g. Coinbase) will not pose a conflict and would be approved. Trades in cryptocurrencies will not be subject to the Short-Term Trading Period or count towards your Maximum Allowable Trades, however compliance may deny trades if it determines an actual or perceived conflict exists or an employee is trading too frequently. Decisions for approval and denial are the sole responsibility of compliance and are final.**

**You should be aware that the regulatory environment continues to evolve with respect to cryptocurrencies. In the future, you may be required to divest crypto holdings or hold them only at approved account providers if deemed necessary to meet regulatory requirements.**

**<u>Prohibition on Personal Trades Ahead of Client Pending Orders</u>**

**You are prohibited from executing Personal Trades in securities where you are aware of any pending orders in such securities by any Franchise that, if executed, would trigger a Blackout Period, create a conflict, or disadvantage a client. Adherence to the above Pre-Clearance Requirement does not provide relief from this prohibition.**

**<u>Franchise Blackout Period</u>**

**The Franchise Blackout Period is triggered by all client trades within an employee's specific Franchise. De Minimis Trades and ETFs listed in Appendix 5 are not subject to the blackout period.**

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**Employees may not make De Minimis Trades in the same security on consecutive trading days. The LCR Department does not provide exceptions to the Franchise Blackout Period beyond De Minimis Trades and ETFs.**

**<u>Standard Blackout Period</u>**

**For all other employees (e.g. support staff) and the Victory Solutions Team the Standard Blackout Period is triggered by all client trades. Therefore, a Personal Trade by an employee during a Blackout Period in the same name as any client is generally prohibited. De Minimis Trades and ETFs listed in Appendix 5 are not subject to the Standard Blackout Period. Employees may not make De Minimis Trades in the same security on consecutive trading days. The appropriate CCO, or his/her designee, may determine that a nonvolitional client trade (e.g. cash flow trading) did not trigger a Blackout Period. In such cases, Compliance will confirm that there are no other potential conflicts before approving or reviewing a Personal Trade. Additionally, in certain situations (e.g. shared office spaces), the CCO, or his/her designee, may apply the Standard Blackout Period to Franchises.**

**<u>Private Equity Prohibitions</u>**

**Employees who are part of a franchise that invests in private equity on behalf of clients are prohibited from investing in any publicly-listed portfolio companies held by such franchise. Publicly-listed companies that are not portfolio companies but are in similar sectors and industries as those that are held will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for potential conflicts.**

**<u>Short-Term Holding Period</u>**

**Personal Trading must be for investment purposes rather than for speculation. You may not purchase and sell or sell and purchase the same security within sixty (60) calendar days, calculated on a LIFO basis. This means each purchase will require you to hold your entire position in that security for 60 days. Similarly, this means each sale will require you not to purchase that name for 60 days. Excess profits (or losses avoided) as a result of violating this restriction may be subject to disgorgement. You should carefully consider whether you have the conviction to hold an entire position or refrain from adding to a position for at least 60 days before engaging in buy or sell transactions. See exceptions related to trading in Victory Capital stock. The Short-Term Holding Period only applies to transactions that require pre-clearance.**

**The appropriate CCO, in his/her sole discretion, may approve exceptions to this requirement.**

**<u>Maximum Allowable Trades</u>**

**You are limited to 15 Personal Trades in individual securities per calendar quarter across your Personal Accounts. A trade in the same security in multiple accounts on the same day will count as one trade. Transactions listed in the "Reportable ONLY (Preclearance NOT Required)" section of Appendix 4 do not count toward the 15 allowable trades. A CCO, in his/her sole discretion, may approve exceptions to this requirement.**

**<u>Prohibition on Small Market Capitalization Securities</u>**

**Personal Trade purchases in smaller market capitalization stocks of $3 billion market capitalization or less are prohibited. Due to potential conflicts associated with such names, Victory reserves this universe for client use. New hires who hold names in such securities or existing employees who hold names that have since gone below $3 billion should speak to the LCR Department prior to submitting a request to sell.**

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**<u>IPO Rule</u>**

**You may <u>not</u> directly or indirectly acquire a Beneficial Interest in any securities offered in an IPO or in an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), in a Personal Account or Managed Account, without prior approval of a CCO or his/her designee.**

**<u>Limited Offerings (Private Placements)</u>**

**You may <u>not</u> acquire a Beneficial Interest in a private placement without the prior approval of a CCO or his/her designee. Prior approval is required whether investing directly or through a Personal Account or Managed Account. Private placements, such as investment in a private company, investments in a hedge fund or other private investment fund are reportable through the preclearance process. Subsequent capital contributions and full or partial redemptions must be precleared through MCO.**

**<u>Market Timing Mutual Fund Transactions</u>**

**You shall not participate in any activity that may be construed as market timing of mutual funds. Specifically, you shall <u>not</u> engage in excessive trading or market timing activities as described in each prospectus of a Proprietary Product or Reportable Fund.**

**<u>Trading in Victory Capital Stock</u>**

**Victory Capital Stock (VCTR) is a Reportable Security under the Code and any transaction in VCTR in a Personal Account must be precleared. You may be eligible for certain benefits related to VCTR, such as participation in the ESPP and grants of stock options or restricted stock. Certain transactions related to these benefits will require pre-clearance. For a summary of pre-clearance requirements for VCTR see Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock under Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type. If you are uncertain whether a transaction requires pre-clearance, you should consult with compliance prior to trading.**

**VCTR transactions related to the above employee benefits will not trigger the Short-Term Holding Period in a Personal Account. Likewise, VCTR transactions in a Personal Account will not affect an employee's ability to exercise such employee benefits.**

**Covered Persons, as defined in VCH's Insider Trading Policy, will have 3 business days upon receipt of approval to effect transactions in VCTR.**

D. Representations and Warranties

**Each time you submit a PTR, you shall be deemed to make the following representations and warranties:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You are not in possession of any MNPI for the requested security;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You are not aware of any client trading in the same security during any Blackout Period to which you are subject**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•You have not traded the same position in the opposite direction, in the past 60 days (Mandatory** Short-Term Holding Period);

**E.Quarterly and Annual Certifications of Compliance**

**You are required to certify quarterly that you have disclosed all reportable:**

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| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.Gifts and entertainment;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.Outside Business Activities;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.Political activity and contributions;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.All Personal Trading Accounts, including Managed Accounts; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**5.Personal Trades.**

**You are required to certify annually to the following:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.You have read, understand and complied with this Code and other related policies;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.You have read, understand and complied with Victory Capital's Corporate Information Protection and Technology Use Policy** (A-8);

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**3.You have provided and verified all reportable holdings data; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**4.You have answered all additional questions and disclosures within the Annual Code of Ethics Certification in an accurate and truthful manner.**

**F.Review Procedures**

**Compliance will maintain review procedures consistent with this Code.**

**G.Recordkeeping**

**All Code of Ethics records will be maintained pursuant to the provisions of Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act.**

H. Whistleblower Provisions

**If you believe that there has been a violation of this Code, any federal law, or regulation of any governmental agency or entity, you must promptly notify VCM and WestEnd via: 1) a Chief Legal Officer, 2) a Chief Compliance Officer, or 3) the anonymous VCM Hotline at 800-854-9055.**

**Nothing in this Code shall prohibit you from: 1) making any disclosure of relevant and necessary information to any law enforcement agency, regulatory authority, or self-regulatory organization, or as required by law; 2) participating, cooperating, or testifying in any action, investigation, or proceeding with any law enforcement agency, regulatory authority, or self-regulatory organization; or 3) accepting any U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission awards.**

**You are protected from retaliation for reporting violations of this Code. Retaliation or the threat of retaliation against you for reporting a violation constitutes a further violation of this Code and may lead to immediate suspension and further sanctions.**

**VCM is also responsible for communicating the Victory Funds whistleblower procedures to applicable employees. The Victory Funds have implemented procedures for receiving anonymous reports of suspected or actual violations of the Victory Funds' policies and questionable accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters.**

**Call 866-844-3863 to initiate a report regarding Victory Portfolios, Victory Portfolios II, or the Victory Variable Insurance Funds trusts.**

**Call 877-711-3336 to initiate a report regarding Victory Portfolios III trust.**

**Call 866-992-3741 to initiate a reporting regarding Victory Portfolios IV, Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, or Pioneer Closed-End Funds.**

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| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**I.Confidentiality**

**All information obtained from any employee shall be kept in strict confidence, except when requested by the SEC or any other regulatory or self-regulatory organization, and may otherwise be disclosed to the extent required by law or regulation. Additionally, certain information may be provided to a broker-dealer, service provider or vendor, such as employee name, social security number and home address, in order to ascertain Personal Trading activity that is required to be disclosed by an Access Person.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;J. Reporting to the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds

**At least annually, the appropriate Affiliated Advisers will provide the Board of Directors of Affiliated Funds with information regarding: 1) any Material Violations under this Code and any sanctions imposed as a response to such Material Violation; and 2) certification that it has adopted procedures necessary to prevent Access Persons from violating this Code.**

**8. CODE OF ETHICS VIOLATION GUIDELINES**

**You are responsible for conducting your activities in accordance with this Code. Violations of the Code may result in applicable sanctions.**

**Sanctions may correlate to the severity of the violation and may take into consideration, among other things, such factors as the frequency and severity of any prior violations. A CCO may recommend escalation to the VCM Board of Directors and Compliance Committee. When necessary, the VCM Board of Directors may obtain input from the Compliance Committee and a CCO when determining whether such violation is a Material Violation.**

**The CCOs hold discretionary authority to revoke Personal Trading privileges for any length of time and also reserve the right to lift Personal Trading sanctions in response to market conditions. Additionally, a CCO or Compliance Committee may impose a monetary penalty for any violation. A CCO will report all warnings, violations, exceptions granted and sanctions to the Compliance Committee.**

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| **Minor Violations** | **Potential Actions** |

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| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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

**•Provided incorrect or incomplete account or trading information**

**•Engaging in a pattern of discouraged or excessive trading**

**•Trading without** pre-clearance approval when trade would have normally been approved and additional violations did not occur

**•Failure to submit a complete or timely initial or annual holdings or securities transactions report**

**•Failure to provide the Compliance Department a duplicate confirmation in a timely manner after request or notice by the Compliance Department**

**•Failure to** pre-clear properly an OBA or political contribution that would have been approved

**•Failure to complete a quarterly or annual certification by due date**

**•Failure to** pre-clear an investment in a private placement that would have been approved

**Technical Violations**

**•Any pattern of a Minor Violation within a** 12-month period may qualify as a Technical Violation

**•Failure to report a Personal Account in which trades requiring** pre-clearance have occurred

**•Trading without** pre-clearance approval when trade would **<u>not</u>** have been approved

**•Trading without** pre-clearance or supplied incorrect information, which may have resulted in additional violations

**•Failure to** pre-clear any activity that would have been denied by the Compliance Department

**•Any willful violations of the Code, as determined by a CCO, to be more severe than a Minor Violation**

**Repeat Technical Violations**

**•Any Technical Violation that is repeated at least two**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**(2)times during a** 12-month period

**Material Violations / Fraudulent Actions**

**•Any Material Violation**

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

**•Compliance may question you and document response**

**•1**<sup>st</sup> violation within a 12-month period may result in a warning letter

**•CCO and Compliance Committee may be notified of all warnings and citations given to employees**

**•You may be required to break a trade or disgorge profits from the trade**

**•Any additional actions a CCO or Compliance deem appropriate under the circumstances**

**Potential Actions**

**•Compliance may question you and document response**

**•Compliance may issue a warning letter**

**•Compliance Committee may be notified**

**•Human Resources may be notified**

**•You may be required to break a trade or disgorge profits from the trade – any such profits will be donated to charity**

**•Temporary ban from Personal Trading for no less than 30 calendar days**

**•A fine may be imposed, as determined by a CCO on a** case-by-case basis

**•Any other actions deemed appropriate by a CCO or compliance**

**Potential Actions**

**•A CCO may meet with your direct manager to discuss violation**

**•Human Resources may be notified**

**•You may be required to break a trade or disgorge profits from the trade – any such profits will be donated to charity**

**•Three (3) or more technical violations within a 12month period may receive a citation letter, monetary fine and loss of Personal Trading privileges for no less than 90 calendar days**

**•Any other actions deemed appropriate by a CCO or compliance**

**Potential Actions**

**•Compliance Committee will review and recommend sanctions and penalties up to and including termination of employment**

**•The Board of Directors and, when applicable, clients may be notified**

**•Possible criminal sanctions imposed by regulatory**

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| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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**authorities**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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 fine of $10,000 may be imposed by the Board of Directors

**Any other actions deemed appropriate by a CCO, Compliance Committee or the Board of Directors**

**The Code of Ethics Violation Guidelines provides examples of potential Code violations and the actions that Victory Capital might take if you violate the Code; it is not intended to serve as an exhaustive list of potential Code violations or actions relating thereto. All findings of Code violations and any actions relating thereto will be made on a case-by-case basis. The CCOs have discretion to interpret violations and impose various sanctions in response to such violations as deemed necessary.**

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| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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**Reconsideration**

**If you wish to dispute a violation notice, you may submit a written explanation of the circumstances of the violation to a CCO. The CCOs (and the CLO if escalation is deemed necessary) will review submissions on a case-by-case basis. The CCOs and CLO are under no obligation to change any sanction that has been imposed.**

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**Appendix 1 – Affiliated Funds, Proprietary Products & Reportable Funds**

**As described in this Code, certain restrictions apply to trading in an Affiliated Fund, a Proprietary Product and any fund sub-advised by an Affiliated Adviser. Please refer to the company's intranet site "Under the wing" for a complete list or follow one of the links below.**

**Affiliated Funds**

**For the most up-to-date list of Affiliated Victory Funds, please visit <u>www.vcm.com.</u>**

**Proprietary Products**

**Proprietary Products, are funds or products in which Victory Capital or its employees have an aggregate of 25% or more Beneficial Interest. Employees are required to pre-clear trades in any Proprietary Products.**

**On a quarterly basis Victory's compliance and fund administration department will review fund ownership levels to determine if any funds meet the criteria to be deemed a Proprietary Product. A list of current Proprietary Products will be maintained on the Compliance page of Victory's intranet site.**

**Sub-Advised Funds**

**VCM acts as sub-adviser to a number of unaffiliated registered investment companies (mutual funds). Please refer to VCM's ADV filed with the SEC by searching for the firm name on <u>https://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov</u>. ADV Part 1 contains SECTION 5.G.(3), which lists "Advisers to Registered Investment Companies and Business Development Companies". The name of the fund complex can be obtained by searching for the SEC File Number (under More Options) using EDGAR: <u>https://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/companysearch.html</u>. A complete list is also available on the company's intranet site "Under the wing" under the compliance tab.**

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**Page**

**Appendix 2 – Approved Brokers List**

**In addition to accounts on Victory Capital's retail brokerage platform, you are allowed to open new or maintain existing personal or managed accounts at any of the external brokers listed below. However, you may NOT begin trading in a brokerage account (in-house or external) until it is reported in MCO and set up on our broker data feed. The approved external brokers have been divided into tiers based on how responsive they typically are to our requests to add new accounts to the broker data feed.**

**Tier 1 Approved Brokers**

**These brokers provide enhanced broker data feed functionality and typically add new accounts to our broker data feed within 1 – 3 business days.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Charles Schwab (acquired TD Ameritrade)**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Fidelity Investments**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Interactive Brokers**

**Tier 2 Approved Brokers**

**These brokers may take longer than Tier 1 Approved Brokers, but they generally add new accounts to our broker data feed within 5 business days.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Ameriprise Financial Services**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Edward Jones**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Merrill Lynch**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.UBS**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Vanguard**

**Tier 3 Approved Brokers**

**These brokers may require you to sign a form before they will add a new account to our broker data feed, and/or typically take longer to update the feed once all their requirements are met – your ability to trade in a new account at these firms may be significantly delayed.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.JP Morgan Chase**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Morgan Stanley (acquired E\*TRADE)**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Northern Trust**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Raymond James**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.RBC**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Wells Fargo**

**Approved Non-Brokers**

**The following types of accounts are typically not held through a traditional brokerage firm but are still allowed under the Code of Ethics – you may be required to manually report transactions effected in reportable securities within these types of accounts.**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Employer Sponsored Retirement Plans**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.ESOP/ESPP**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&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.Direct Registration Service (DRS – i.e. Computershare, American Stock Transfer Company, etc.)**

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**Page**

**Appendix 3 – Investment Account Disclosure**

**New Hires may not trade in their existing accounts until they have been disclosed and approved by compliance. By regulation, such disclosure must take place within 10 days of hire. All new Personal Accounts and Managed Accounts must be reported to compliance prior to trading or on the next quarterly certification, whichever is sooner. Failure to comply may result in sanctions imposed by the VCM Compliance Committee and/or Board of Directors.**

**The below chart summarizes certain account types and their disclosure requirements. If you have a beneficial interest in any account identified below, you must follow the disclosure requirements. If you are uncertain whether an account should be disclosed or if you have a beneficial interest in an account not listed below, you should consult with a CCO or a member of the Compliance team.**

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| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Account Type** | **Initial Disclosure** | **Periodic Verification** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**All Personal Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**All Managed Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Affiliated Fund Direct Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**401(k) if able to hold Reportable Securities** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Security Lending Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Margin Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Investment Club Accounts** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Private Placements** | **Yes** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Unaffiliated Open-end Mutual Fund Direct Accounts** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Retirement accounts if unable to hold Reportable Securities** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**529 Plans** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Bank accounts if unable to hold Reportable Securities** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Donor Advised Fund (only pre-clear gift of stock to account)** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**HSA Investments (if unable to hold Reportable Securities)** | **No** | **No** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;**Accounts that facilitate trading cryptocurrencies** | **Yes** | **Yes** |
| **Also see the Account Reporting Job Aid for more details.** |  |  |

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**Appendix 4 – Preclearance and Reporting By Security Type**

**Most transactions in Personal Accounts require you to submit a PTR through MCO. See Section VI: Personal Trading Requirements and Restrictions for more information.**

**Summary of Pre-clearance and Reporting Requirements**

**The below chart summarizes the pre-clearance and reporting requirements of certain security types. Additional details can be found in the Pre-Clearance Job Aid. If you are uncertain whether a transaction requires pre-clearance, you should consult with a CCO or a member of the Compliance team. For Victory Capital Stock, please refer to the Summary of Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock provided in this Appendix.**

**Prohibited in Personal Accounts**

**Commodity Futures**

**Futures**

**Options Currency Futures Selling Securities Short**

**Single Stock ETFs (and similar instruments that provide exposure to a single stock) Companies under common control with VCH**

**Pre-clear in Managed Accounts and Personal Accounts**

**Initial Public Offerings (IPO)**

**Initial Coin Offerings (ICO)**

**Private placements**

**Pre-clear in Personal Accounts**

**Equities**

**Corporate, High-Yield, Convertible, International, and Municipal Bonds Exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including affiliated ETFs Exchange-traded notes (ETNs)**

**Closed-end funds Mortgage-Backed Securities**

**Agency Securities (e.g. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac etc.) Trust preferred & traditional preferred securities**

**Any pre-clearance securities that are gifted or donated by an Access Person (e.g. direct to charity or to donor advised fund)**

**Unit investment trusts**

**Victory Proprietary Products (currently there are none)**

**VCM 401(k) transactions greater than $100,000 in a Proprietary Product Cryptocurrencies (e.g. Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc.)**

**Reportable ONLY (pre-clearance NOT required)**

**Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs)**

**Victory Mutual Funds, unless it's a Proprietary Product**

**Variable insurance products only where an Affiliated Adviser serves as adviser or sub-adviser Exempt Transactions (only the effect of these transactions will be captured as an update on the annual holdings certification)**

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**Approved automatic or periodic investment plans Dividend reinvestment transactions**

**Corporate action transactions (e.g., stock splits, rights offerings, mergers and acquisitions) Security lending transactions**

**Exempt Securities not subject to the Code Direct obligations of the U.S. government**

**Bankers' acceptances, bank certificates of deposit and commercial paper ![](godpabuhpgspgly6msudf.jpg) Investment grade, short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements**

**Money market funds**

**Variable insurance products unless an Affiliated Adviser acts as adviser or sub-adviser Unaffiliated open-end mutual funds**

**Investments in qualified tuition programs ("529 Plans"), including the USAA College Savings Plan Physical Commodities (i.e. precious metals)**

**![](gsfabvgtczjpdrd0mz0ep.jpg) Foreign Currencies held in order to use as currency (not for investment/speculation purposes)**

**Summary of Pre-Clearance Requirements for Victory Capital Stock (ticker "VCTR")**

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **VCTR Transaction Description** | **Pre-Clear** |
| **Common Stock (Class A Shares)** |  |
| **Employee purchase or sale in any Personal Account (e.g. a brokerage account for the benefit** | **Yes** |
| **of the employee or for the benefit of the employee's Immediate Family)** | **Yes** |
| **of the employee or for the benefit of the employee's Immediate Family)** |  |
| **Employee purchase or sale in a Managed Account approved by Compliance.** | **No** |
| **Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)** |  |
| **Purchases made pursuant to Employee Stock Purchase Plan** | **No** |
| **Sales of shares acquired through the Employee Stock Purchase Plan** | **Yes** |
| **Options** |  |
| **Sale of shares in the open market acquired through the exercise of any options** | **Yes** |
| **Cash Exercise - Employee pays the entire cost of the exercise.** | **No** |
| **Withhold Shares - Victory Capital withholds shares equal to the cost of the exercise.** | **No** |
| **Restricted Stock (Class B Shares)** |  |
| **Selling restricted stock in the open market** | **Yes** |
| **Cash - Cash payment to cover vested shares tax liability** | **No** |
| **Net - Surrender shares to Victory Capital to cover vested shares tax liability** | **No** |
| **10b5-1 Trading Plan** |  |
| **Officers of VCH required to make filings under Section 16 of the Securities and Exchange** |  |
| **Act of 1934, as amended, conducting trades in accordance with an approved 10b5-1 Trading** | **No** |
| **Plan.** |  |

---

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|:---|:---|
| **Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | **Page v of ix** |

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| | |
|:---|:---|
| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

---

**Appendix 5 – ETFs Eligible for De Minimis Transaction Exemption**

**Firm trades in the following ETFs will not trigger any Blackout Period due to their use as highly liquid cash management vehicles in various client accounts.**

---

| | | |
|:---|:---|:---|
| **Name** | **Symbol** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**CUSIP** |
| **iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF** | **IEF** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287440** |
| **iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF** | **TLT** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287432** |
| **iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF** | **IEFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**46432F842** |
| **iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF** | **IEMG** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**46434G103** |
| **iShares Core S&P 500 ETF** | **IVV** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287200** |
| **iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF** | **AGG** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287226** |
| **iShares FTSE China 25 Index** | **FXI** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287184** |
| **iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond** | **HYG** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464288513** |
| **iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF** | **LQD** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287242** |
| **iShares MSCI ACWI Index Fund** | **ACWI** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464288257** |
| **iShares MSCI China Index Fund** | **MCHI** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**46429B671** |
| **iShares MSCI Emerging Index Fund ETF** | **EEM** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287234** |
| **iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund ETF** | **EFA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287465** |
| **iShares MSCI Japan Index Fund ETF** | **EWJ** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464286848** |
| **iShares MSCI India** | **INDA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**46429B598** |
| **iShares Russell 1000** | **IWF** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287614** |
| **iShares Russell 2000 ETF** | **IWM** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287655** |
| **iShares Russell 2000 Value** | **IWN** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287630** |
| **iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value** | **IWS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**464287473** |
| **SPDR Bloomberg Barclays High Yield Bond ETF** | **JNK** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**78468R622** |
| **SPDR S&P 500 ETF** | **SPY** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**78462F103** |
| **SPDR S&P MidCap 400 ETF** | **MDY** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**78467Y107** |
| **Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US ETF** | **VEU** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922042775** |
| **Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF** | **VEA** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**921943858** |
| **Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF** | **VWO** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922042858** |
| **Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF** | **VGK** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922042874** |
| **Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF** | **VMBS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**92206C771** |
| **Vanguard Real Estate ETF** | **VNQ** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922908553** |
| **Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF** | **BSV** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**921937827** |
| **Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF** | **VCSH** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**92206C409** |
| **Vanguard S&P 500 ETF** | **VOO** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922908363** |
| **Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF** | **BND** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**921937835** |
| **Vanguard Total International Stock ETF** | **VXUS** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**921909768** |
| **Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF** | **VTI** | &nbsp;&nbsp;**922908769** |
| &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**Page vi of ix** |

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|:---|:---|
| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

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|:---|:---|
| **Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | **Page vii of ix** |

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|:---|:---|
| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

---

**Supplement 1**

**RS Investment Management (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. ("RSIMS") Code**

**of Ethics Supplement ("Singapore Supplement")**

**The policies and procedures in this Singapore Supplement to the Code apply to Access Persons of RSIMS and are in addition to, and supplement, the policies and procedures detailed in the Code.**

**Matters set out in the relevant sections of this Singapore Supplement shall be read in conjunction, and as one, with the Code. To the extent there is any inconsistency between the Code and this Singapore Supplement, this Singapore Supplement shall prevail.**

**Short-Selling of Securities**

**All Victory Capital employees, including employees of RSIMS, are prohibited from Short-Selling any security.**

**Trading on Inside Information**

**In addition to the requirements set out in the Code, all employees of RSIMS and all members of their Immediate Family are required to comply with all applicable laws in Singapore in relation to any Securities Transactions. Such laws include but are not limited to Part XII (Market Conduct) of the Securities and Futures Act (Chapter 289 of Singapore) ("SFA") which set out prohibitions against the following conduct:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•False trading and market rigging transactions;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Securities market manipulation and manipulation of prices of futures contracts and cornering;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•The making of false or misleading statements or the dissemination of information that is false or misleading;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Fraudulently inducing persons to deal in securities or trade in futures contracts;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Employment of fraudulent or deceptive devices, or manipulative and deceptive devices;**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Bucketing; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**•Insider trading and tipping off.**

**Reporting Requirements**

**In addition to the Personal Account and Personal Trading requirements and restrictions set out in the Code, each employee of RSIMS who acts as a representative of RSIMS in RSIMS' capacity as the holder of a capital markets services license issued pursuant to the SFA for fund management (each a "Relevant Access Person") is required to maintain a register of his or her interests in securities (as such term is defined in section 2(1) of the SFA, the relevant extract of which is set out in the Appendix) that are listed for quotation, or quoted, on a securities exchange or recognized market operator in the prescribed Form 15 to the Securities and Futures (Licensing and Conduct of Business) Regulations (Rg 10).**

**Within 7 days after the date he or she acquires the interest in the relevant securities, each Relevant Access Person shall be required to enter into his or her register:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.Particulars of securities in which such Relevant Access Person has any interest; and**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.Particulars of such interests.**

**Where there is any change in any interest in the securities of such Relevant Access Person, he or she shall enter particulars of the change (including the date of the change and the circumstances by reason of which the change has occurred), within 7 days after the date of the change.**

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| **Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | **Page viii of ix** |

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|:---|:---|
| **Code of Ethics for Victory Capital Management Inc. and WestEnd Advisors, LLC** | **April 1, 2025** |

---

**All entries in the register must be kept in an easily accessible form for a period of not less than 5 years after the date on which such entry was first made. The register shall:**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**1.If in physical form, be kept at RSIMS's principal place of business in Singapore; or**

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;**2.If in electronic form, be kept in such manner so as to ensure that full access to the register may be gained by the Monetary Authority of Singapore ("MAS") at RSIMS's principal place of business in Singapore.**

**RSIMS is required to maintain records of the place at which the Relevant Access Persons keep their respective registers and the places at which copies of those registers are kept in Singapore. As a separate matter, RSIMS is also required to maintain a Form 15 in relation to RSIMS' own interests in the relevant Securities.**

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|:---|:---|
| **Copyright© 2025, Victory Capital Management Inc.** | **Page ix of ix** |

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## Ex-99

![](gggwbxaatv9lcfjdauzgj.jpg)

Exhibit (p)(7)

Code of Ethics

Personal investing Gifts and entertainment Outside activities Client confidentiality

2 February 2026

![](go1h0fbijfs499kf5iodm.jpg)

**Jean M. Hynes**

Chief Executive Officer

The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.

– Ancient proverb

A message from our CEO

Our ability to thrive as an organization is driven by our shared values, and integrity is at the top of the list. This is reflected in our commitment to the "Client, Firm, Self" framework, through which all of our decisions should be viewed if we are to earn and maintain the trust of our clients.

Each and every one of us has a role to play in sustaining our clients' trust. We must test every decision we make, no matter how small, against our fiduciary obligations and our high ethical standards. If there is the slightest doubt about whether a decision is in the best interests of our clients, then bring it to someone's attention — your manager, the Legal and Compliance team, or any of my direct reports. But don't just let it go. This is what it means to be a fiduciary: complete dedication to conscientious stewardship of client assets.

To support this mandate, our Code of Ethics sets out standards for our personal conduct, including personal investing, acceptance of gifts and entertainment, outside activities, and client confidentiality. Please take the time to read the Code, familiarize yourself with the rules, and determine what you need to do to comply with them. Remember, too, that while our Code of Ethics is reviewed and updated regularly, no set of rules can address every possible circumstance. And so I ask you to remain vigilant, exercise good judgment, ask for help when you need it, consider

not just the letter but the spirit of the laws that govern our industry, and do your part to safeguard our clients' trust.

Sincerely,

Jean M. Hynes

Chief Executive Officer

---

| | |
|:---|:---|
| Contents |  |
| **[Standards of conduct](#div418d5320-57dd-4f2b-bdc6-3bad4f681706)....................................................** | 1 |
| **[Who is subject to the Code of Ethics?](#div418d5320-57dd-4f2b-bdc6-3bad4f681706).............................** | 1 |
| **[Personal investing](#dive43565ab-18fd-4c82-bbd8-3e0917f6e517)........................................................** | 2 |
| [Which types of investments and related activities](#dive43565ab-18fd-4c82-bbd8-3e0917f6e517) |  |
| [are prohibited?](#dive43565ab-18fd-4c82-bbd8-3e0917f6e517)............................................................................................... | 2 |
| [Which investment accounts must be reported?](#divd293375b-6d49-4457-9bb4-ed96e1929e7f)......................................... | 3 |
| [What are the reporting responsibilities for all personnel?](#diva71ce204-6045-4297-b340-088eb3829bc5)........................ | 4 |
| [What are the preclearance responsibilities for all personnel?](#div265c7e90-0190-493f-a958-cfa835cefda6)................... | 5 |
| [What are the additional requirements for investment professionals?](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f)..... | 6 |
| **[Gifts and entertainment](#div45958682-7d0f-44d3-8824-6d0172187b91)................................................** | 7 |
| **[Outside activities ...............................................................](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f)** | [8](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f) |
| **[Client confidentiality ....................................................](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f)** | [8](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f) |
| **[How we enforce our Code of Ethics...............................](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f)** | [8](#div3e4ac6af-712c-4fb3-9e62-9e5a6dd63a3f) |
| **[Exceptions from the Code of Ethics ..............................](#div45958682-7d0f-44d3-8824-6d0172187b91)** | [9](#div45958682-7d0f-44d3-8824-6d0172187b91) |
| **[Closing..........................................................................](#div45958682-7d0f-44d3-8824-6d0172187b91)** | [9](#div45958682-7d0f-44d3-8824-6d0172187b91) |

---

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 1

Standards of conduct

Our standards of conduct are straightforward and essential. Any transaction or activity that violates either of the standards of conduct below is prohibited, regardless of whether it meets the technical rules found elsewhere in the Code of Ethics.

1. We act as fiduciaries to our clients. Each of us must put our clients' interests above our own and must not take advantage of our management of clients' assets for our own benefit. Our firm's policies and procedures implement these principles with respect to our conduct of the firm's business. This Code of Ethics implements the same principles with respect to our personal conduct. The procedures set forth in the Code govern specific transactions, but each of us must be mindful at all times that our behavior, including our personal investing activity, must meet our fiduciary obligations to our clients.

2. We act with integrity and in accordance with both the letter and the spirit of the law**.**

Ourbusinessishighlyregulated,andwearecommittedasafirmtocompliancewiththoseregulations.Each of us must also recognize our obligations as individuals to understand and obey the laws that apply to us in theconductofourduties.Theyincludelaws andregulationsthatapplyspecifically toinvestmentadvisors, as well asmorebroadly applicablelawsrangingfromtheprohibitionagainsttrading onmaterial nonpublic information and other forms of market abuse to anticorruption statutes such as the US Foreign Corrupt PracticesActandtheUKBriberyAct.Thefirmprovidestrainingontheirrequirements.Eachofusmusttake advantage of these resources to ensure that our own conduct complies with the law.

Who is subject to the Code of Ethics?

Our Code of Ethics applies to all employees of Wellington Management and its affiliates around the world. Its restrictions on personal investing also apply to temporary personnel (including co-ops and interns) and consultants whose tenure with Wellington Management exceeds 90 days and who are deemed by the Chief Compliance Officer to have access to nonpublic investment research, client holdings, or trade information.

All Wellington Management personnel receive a copy of the Code of Ethics (and any amendments) and must certify, upon joining the firm and annually thereafter, that they have read and understood it and have complied with its requirements.

**Adherence to the Code of Ethics is a basic condition of employment. Failure to adhere to our Code of Ethics may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment.**

If you have any doubt as to the appropriateness of any activity, believe that you have violated the Code, or become aware of a violation of the Code by another individual, you should consult the manager of the Code of Ethics Team, Chief Compliance Officer, or General Counsel. You also have the right to report violations of law or regulation directly to relevant governmental agencies. You do not need the firm's prior authorization to make any such report or disclosures and are not required to notify the firm that you have done so.

For additional information regarding our **Code of Ethics Policy** refer to the **Guide to Our Policy** document available on the firm's Intranet.

![](gvkfs4obptndizdqfzwwm.jpg)

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 2

Personal investing

As fiduciaries, each of us must avoid taking personal advantage of our knowledge of investment activity in client accounts. Although our Code of Ethics sets out a number of specific restrictions on personal investing designed to reflect this principle, no set of rules can anticipate every situation. Each of us must adhere to the spirit, and not just the letter, of our Code in meeting this fiduciary obligation to our clients.

Which types of investments and related activities are prohibited?

Our Code of Ethics prohibits the following personal investments and investment-related activities:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Purchasing or selling the prohibited investments and activities listed in [**<u>Appendix A</u>**](#divecb25382-5842-4d8d-80b8-1a31decf4f3e)

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•Purchasing an equity security if your aggregate ownership of the equity security exceeds 0.05% of the total shares outstanding of the issuer

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

• Taking a profit from any trading activity within a 60-calendar day window

• Using a derivative instrument to circumventa restriction in the Code of Ethics

**Short-term trading**

You are prohibited from taking a profit from any trading activity within a 60-calendar day window on any security that requires preclearance. For example, if you buy shares of stock

(or options on such shares) and then sell those shares within 60 days at a profit, an exception will be identified and any gain from the transactions must be surrendered. Gains are calculated based on a last in, first out (LIFO) method for purposes of this restriction. This short-term trading rule does not apply to securities exempt from the Code's preclearance requirements.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 3

**WHICH INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS MUST BE REPORTED?**

You are required to report any investment account over which you exercise investment discretion or from which any of the following individuals enjoy economic benefits: (i) your spouse, domestic partner, or minor children, and (ii) any other dependents living in your household,

**AND**

that holds or is capable of holding any of the covered investments detailed in [**<u>Appendix A</u>**](#divecb25382-5842-4d8d-80b8-1a31decf4f3e) under "Reporting of Securities Transactions".

For purposes of the Code of Ethics, these investment accounts are referred to as reportable accounts. Examples of common account types include brokerage accounts, retirement accounts, employee stock compensation plans, and transfer agent accounts. Reportable accounts also include those from which you or an immediate family member may benefit indirectly, such as a family trust or family partnership, and accounts in which you have a joint ownership interest, such as a joint brokerage account.

**Accounts not requiring reporting**

You do not need to report the following accounts via the Code of Ethics System since the administrator will provide the Code of Ethics Team with access to relevant holdings and transaction information:

• Accounts maintained within the Wellington Retirement and Pension Plan or similar firm-sponsored retirement or benefit plans identified by the Ethics Committee

• Accounts maintained directly with Wellington Trust Company or other Wellington Management Sponsored Products

Although these accounts do not need to be reported, your investment activities in these accounts must comply with the standards of conduct embodied in our Code of Ethics.

![](gsrd24c2u48s5lun3movr.jpg)

**Non-volitional transactions include:**

reinvestment or rebalancing plans and stock purchase plan acquisitions

Transactions that result from corporate actions applicable to all similar security holders (such as

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 4

**Managed account exemptions**

An account from which you or immediate family members could benefit financially, but over which neither you nor they have any investment discretion or influence (a managed account), may be exempted from the Code of Ethics' personal investing requirements upon written request and approval. An example of a managed account would be a professionally advised account about which you will not be consulted or have any input on specific transactions placed by the investment manager prior to their execution.

**Designated Brokers for US Reportable Accounts**

US-based reportable accounts must be held at one or more of the brokers on the Designated Brokers List. This requirement does not apply to managed accounts that are exempt from certain provisions of the Code of Ethics, employee stock purchase and stock option plans and other accounts (including pension, retirement and compensation accounts) required to be held at a specific broker.

New employees must transfer all reportable accounts to a Designated Broker within 45 days from the start of their employment.

**WHAT ARE THE REPORTING RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL PERSONNEL?**

**Initial and annual holdings reports**

You must disclose all reportable accounts and all covered investments you hold within 10 calendar days after you begin employment at or association with Wellington Management. You will be required to review and update your holdings and securities account

information annually thereafter.

For initial holdings reports, holdings

information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date you

became covered by the Code of Ethics. Please note that you cannot make personal trades until you have filed an initial holdings report via the Code of Ethics System on the Intranet.

For subsequent annual reports, holdings information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date the report is submitted. Please note that your annual holdings report must account for both volitional and non-volitional transactions.

At the time you file your initial and annual reports, you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understood the Code of Ethics and any amendments.

**Quarterly transactions reports**

You must submit a quarterly transaction report no later than 30 calendar days after quarter-end via the Code of Ethics System on the Intranet, even if you did not make any personal trades during that quarter. In the reports, you must either confirm that you did not make any personal trades (except for those resulting from non-volitional events) or provide information regarding all volitional transactions in covered investments.

**Duplicate statements and trade confirmations**

For each of your reportable accounts, you are required to provide duplicate statements and duplicate trade confirmations to Wellington Management.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 5

**WHAT ARE THE PRECLEARANCE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR ALL PERSONNEL?**

**Preclearance of publicly traded securities**

You must receive clearance before buying or selling stocks, bonds, options, and most other publicly traded securities in any reportable account. A full list of the categories of publicly traded securities requiring preclearance, and of certain exceptions to this requirement, is included in [**<u>Appendix A</u>**](#divecb25382-5842-4d8d-80b8-1a31decf4f3e)[.](#divecb25382-5842-4d8d-80b8-1a31decf4f3e)Transactions in accounts that are not reportable accounts do not require preclearance or reporting.

Preclearance requests must be submitted online via the Code of Ethics System, which is accessible through the Intranet. If clearance is granted, the approval will be effective for a period of 24 hours. If you preclear a transaction and then place a limit order with your broker, that limit order must either be executed or expire

at the end of the 24-hour period. If you want to execute the order after the 24-hour period expires, you must resubmit your preclearance request.

**Please note that preclearance approval does not alter your responsibility to ensure that each personal securities transaction complies with the general standards of conduct, the reporting requirements, the restrictionson short-termtrading,or the specialrules forinvestmentprofessionalssetoutin ourCodeof Ethics.**

**Caution on short sales, margin transactions, and options**

You may engage in short sales and margin transactions and may purchase or sell options (excluding options on ETFs) provided you receive preclearance and meet all other applicable requirements under our Code of Ethics (including the additional rules for investment professionals described on page 7). Please note, however, that these types of transactions can have unintended consequences. For example, any sale by your broker to cover a margin call or to buy in a short position will be in violation of the Code unless precleared. Likewise, any volitional sale of securities acquired at the expiration of a long call option will be in violation of the Code unless precleared. You are responsible for ensuring any subsequent volitional actions relating to these types of transactions meet the requirements of the Code.

**Preclearance of private placement securities**

You cannot invest in securities offered to potential investors in a private placement without first obtaining prior approval. Approval may be granted after a review of the facts and circumstances, including whether:

• an investment in the securities is likely to result in future conflicts with client accounts (e.g., upon a future public offering), and

• you are being offered the opportunity due to your employment at or association with Wellington Management.

Investments in our own privately offered investment vehicles (our Sponsored Products), including collective investment funds and common trust funds maintained by Wellington Trust Company, **na**, our hedge funds, and our non-US domiciled funds, have been approved under the Code and therefore do not require the submission of a Private Placement Approval Form.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 6

**WHAT ARE THE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS?**

If you are a portfolio manager, research analyst, or other investment professional who has portfolio management responsibilities for a client account (e.g., designated portfolio manager, backup portfolio manager, investment team member), or who otherwise has direct authority to make decisions to buy or sell securities in a client account (referred to here as an investment professional), you are required to adhere to additional rules and restrictions on your personal securities transactions. However, as no set of rules can anticipate every situation, you must remember to place our clients' interests first whenever you transact in securities that are also held in client accounts you manage.

The following provisions of the code are intended to allow investment professionals to make long-term investments in securities. However, you may not be able to sell personal investments for extended periods of time and therefore should consider the liquidity, tax planning, market, and similar risks associated with making personal investments in securities of an issuer that are or may be held in client accounts.

• **INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL BLACKOUT PERIODS** — You cannot buy or sell a security (excluding

shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs)) for a period of **14 calendar days before or after** any transaction in the same issuer by a client account for which you serve as an investment professional. In addition, you may not sell personal holdings in a security of the same issuer that is held by a client account for which you serve as an investment professional until the **later of**the following periods: (i) **one calendar year** from the

date of your last purchase and (ii) **90 calendar days** after all of your client accounts liquidate all holdings of the same issuer.

If you anticipate receiving a cash flow or redemption request in a client portfolio that will result in the purchase or sale of securities that you also hold in your personal account, you should take care to avoid transactions in those securities in your personal account in the days leading up to the client transactions. However, unanticipated cash flows and redemptions in client accounts and unexpected market events do occur from time to time, and a personal trade made in the prior 14 days should never prevent you from buying or selling a security in a client account if the trade would be in the client's best interest. If you find yourself in that situation and need to buy or sell a security in a client account within the 14 calendar days following your personal transaction in a security of the same issuer, you should attempt to notify the Code of Ethics Team or your local Compliance Officer in advance of placing the trade. If you are unable to reach any of those individuals and the trade is time sensitive, you should proceed with the client trade and notify the Code of Ethics Team promptly after submitting it.

• **SHORT SALES BY AN INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL**— An investment professional may not personally take a short position in a security of an issuer in which he or she holds a long position in a client account.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 7

Gifts and entertainment

Our guiding principle of "client, firm, self" also governs the receipt of gifts and entertainment from clients, consultants, brokers/dealers, research providers, vendors, companies in which we may invest, and others with whom the firm does business. As fiduciaries to our clients, we must always place our clients' interests first and cannot allow gifts or entertainment opportunities to influence the actions we take on behalf of our clients. In keeping with this standard, you must follow several specific requirements:

**ACCEPTING GIFTS** — You may only accept gifts of nominal value, which include logoed items, flower arrangements, gift baskets, and food, as well as other gifts with an approximate value of less than US$100 or the local equivalent per year from a single source. You may not accept a gift of cash, including a cash equivalent such as a gift card, regardless of the amount. If you receive a gift that violates the Code, you must return the gift or consult with the Chief Compliance Officer to determine appropriate action under the circumstances.

**ACCEPTING BUSINESS MEALS** — Business meals are permitted provided that neither the cost nor the frequency is excessive and there is a legitimate business purpose. If the host is a broker/dealer or research provider, the host must be reimbursed for the full amount of your proportionate share of the total cost of the meal if the approximate value of the meal is more than US$250 or the local equivalent.

**ACCEPTING ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES** — The firm recognizes that participation in entertainment opportunities with representatives from organizations with which the firm does business, such as consultants, broker/dealers, research providers, vendors, and companies in which we may invest, can help to further legitimate business interests. However, participation in such entertainment opportunities should be infrequent and is subject to the following conditions:

1. A representative of the hosting organization must be present;

2. The primary purpose of the event must be to discuss business or to build a business relationship;

3. You must receive prior approval from your line manager or designee ;

4. If the host is a broker/dealer or research provider, the host must be reimbursed for the full amount of the entertainment opportunity; and

5. For all other entertainment opportunities, the host must be reimbursed for the full face value of any entertainment ticket(s) if:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•the entertainment opportunity requires a ticket with a face value of more than US$450 or the local equivalent, or is a high-profile event (e.g., a major sporting event),

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•you wish to accept more than one ticket, or

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•the host has invited numerous Wellington Management representatives.

Please note that even if you pay for the full face value of a ticket, you may attend the event only if the host is present.

**LODGING AND AIR TRAVEL** — You may not accept a gift of lodging or air travel in connection with any entertainment opportunity. If you participate in an entertainment opportunity for which lodging or air travel is paid for by the host,you must reimburse the host for the equivalent cost, as determined by Wellington Management's travel manager.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 8

**SOLICITING GIFTS, ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES, OR CONTRIBUTIONS** — In your capacity as an employee of the firm, you may not solicit gifts, entertainment opportunities, or charitable or political contributions for yourself, or on behalf of clients, prospects, or others, from brokers, vendors, clients, or consultants with whom the firm conducts business or from companies in which the firm mayinvest.

**SOURCING ENTERTAINMENT OPPORTUNITIES** — You may not request tickets to entertainment events from the firm's Trading department or any other Wellington Management department, or employee, nor from any broker, vendor, company in which we may invest, or other organization with which the firm conducts business.

Outside activities

While the firm recognizes that you may engage in business or charitable activities in your personal time, you must take steps to avoid conflicts of interest between your private interests and our clients' interests. As a result, all significant outside business or charitable activities (e.g., additional employment, consulting work, directorships or officerships) must be approved by your manager and by the Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel, or Chair of the Ethics Committee prior to the acceptance of such a position (or if you are new, upon joining the firm). Approval will be granted only if it is determined that the activity does not present a significant conflict of interest. Directorships in public companies (or companies reasonably expected to become public companies) will generally not be authorized, while service with charitable organizations generally will be permitted.

Client confidentiality

Any nonpublic information concerning our clients that you acquire in connection with your employment at the firm is confidential. This includes information regarding actual or contemplated investment decisions, portfolio composition, research recommendations, and client interests. You should not discuss client business, including the existence of a client relationship, with outsiders unless it is a necessary part of your job responsibilities.

How we enforce our Code of Ethics

Legal and Compliance is responsible for monitoring compliance with the Code of Ethics. Members of Legal and Compliance will periodically request certifications and review holdings and transaction reports for potential violations. They may also request additional information or reports.

It is our collective responsibility to uphold the Code of Ethics. In addition to the formal reportingrequirements described in this Code of Ethics, you have a responsibility to report any violations of the Code. If you have any doubt as to the appropriateness of any activity, believe that you have violated the Code, or become aware of a violation of the Code by another individual, you should consult the manager of the Code of Ethics Team, Chief Compliance Officer, or General Counsel.

Wellington Management Code ofEthics 9

Potential violations of the Code of Ethics will be investigated and considered by representatives of Legal and Compliance and/or the Ethics Committee. All violations of the Code of Ethics will be reported to the Chief Compliance Officer. Violations are taken seriously and may result in sanctions or other consequences, including:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•a warning

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•referral to your manager and/or senior management

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•reversal of a trade or the return of a gift

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•disgorgement of profits or of the value of a gift

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•a limitation or restriction on personalinvesting

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•termination of employment

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;•referral to civil or criminal authorities

If you become aware of any potential conflicts of interest that you believe are not addressed by our Code of Ethics or other policies, please contact the Chief Compliance Officer, the General Counsel, or the manager of the Code of Ethics Team.

Exceptions from the Code of Ethics

The Chief Compliance Officer may grant an exception from the Code, including preclearance, other trading restrictions, and certain reporting requirements on a case-by-case basis if it is determined that the proposed conduct involves no opportunity for abuse and does not conflict with client interests. Exceptions are expected to be rare.

Closing

As a firm, we seek excellence in the people we employ, the products and services we offer, the way we meet our ethical and fiduciary responsibilities, and the working environment we create for ourselves. Our Code of Ethics embodies that commitment. Accordingly, each of us must take care that our actions fully meet the high standards of conduct and professional behavior we have adopted. Most importantly, we must all remember "client, firm, self" is our most fundamental guiding principle.

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Wellington Management Code ofEthics 10

APPENDIX A

**No Preclearance or Reporting Required:**

Open-end investment funds not managed by Wellington Management1 , except for ETFs which require reporting and all closed-end funds that require both preclearance and reporting.

Interests in a variable annuity product in which the underlying assets are held in a fund not managed by Wellington Management

Direct obligations of the US government (including debt issued by US Gov Agencies), the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, Singapore (SSBs and SG T-Bills) as well as Hong Kong and Australian government bonds issued only to retail investors.

Cash

Money market instruments or other short-term debt instruments rated P-1 or P-2, A-1 or A-2, or their equivalents2

Bankers' acceptances, CDs, commercial paper

Wellington Trust Company Pools, Wellington Sponsored Private Funds (e.g. Wellington Hedge and Private Equity Funds) that are held in WRPP and/or MD Savings Plan

Securities futures and options on direct obligations of the US government or the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and associated derivatives

Options, forwards, and futures on commodities and foreign exchange, and associated derivatives

Transactions in approved managed accounts

**Reporting of Securities Transactions Required (no need to preclear and not subject to the 60-day holding period):**

Open-end investment funds managed by Wellington

Management, including WMF funds and subadvised funds<sup>1</sup> (other than money market funds)

Interests in a variable annuity or insurance product in which the underlying assets are held in a fund managed by Wellington Management

Futures and options on securities indices

Shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) 3, excluding closed- end ETFs managed by Wellington and listed closed-end ETFs, which require preclearance and reporting.

Gifts of securities to you or a reportable account

Gifts of securities from you or a reportable account

Non-volitional transactions (splits, tender offers, mergers, stock dividends, dividend reinvestments, etc.)

**Preclearance and Reporting of Securities Transactions Required:**

Bonds and notes (including municipal bonds) other than those listed in the no preclearance or reporting section

Stock (common and preferred) or other equity securities, including any security convertible into equity securities

All closed-end funds (including closed-end funds managed by Wellington and listed closed-end funds)

Interest in private placement securities (other than Wellington Management sponsored products)4

Unit investment trusts

American Depositary Receipts

Options on securities (but not their non-volitional exercise or expiration), excluding options on ETFs and securities indices

Warrants

Rights

**Prohibited Investments and Activities:**

Initial public offerings (IPOs) of any securities

Single-stock futures

Single-Stock ETFs (including Leveraged Single-Stock ETFs, Inverse Single-Stock ETFs, and Hedged Single-Stock ETFs)

Tokenized Single Stock Instruments

Securities or financial instruments whose performance is derived from the performance of a security covered by our Code of Ethics (e.g. single stock ETFs and single stock futures)

Options with an expiration date that is within 60 calendar days of the transaction date (excluding shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs))

Securities being bought or sold on behalf of clients until one trading day after such buying or selling is completed or canceled

Securities of an issuer that is the subject of a new, changed, or reissued but unchanged action recommendation from a global industry research or fixed income credit analyst until two business days following issuance or reissuance of the recommendation

Securities of an issuer that is mentioned at the Morning Meeting or the Early Morning Meeting until two business days following the meeting

Securities on the firmwide restricted list

Taking a profit from any trading activity within a 60- calendar day window

Securities of broker/dealers or their affiliates with which the firm conducts business

Securities of any securities market or exchange on which the firm trades

Using a derivative, digital asset, or other instrument to circumvent the requirements of the Code of Ethics

Purchasing an equity security if your aggregate ownership of the equity security exceeds 0.05% of the total shares outstanding of the issuer,

Initial Coin offerings (ICOs)

This appendix is current as of 2 February 2026 and may be amended at the discretion of the Ethics Committee.

<sup>1</sup>A list of funds advised or subadvised by Wellington Management ("Wellington-Managed Funds") is available online via the Code of Ethics System. However, you remain responsible for confirming whether any particular

investment represents a Wellington-Managed Fund; <sup>2</sup>If the instrument is unrated, it must be of equivalent duration and comparable quality; <sup>3</sup>Excluding Single-Stock ETFs as these are a prohibited investment; <sup>4</sup> Interest in private placement securities (other than Wellington Mgmt sponsored products) require prior approval. A Private Placement Approval Form must be submitted and approved prior to transacting.

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