As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 16, 2007

Securities Act File No. 33-20827

Investment Company Act File No. 811-5518


SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 


FORM N-1A

 

   REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933    x  
   Pre-Effective Amendment No.           ¨  
   Post-Effective Amendment No. 114    x  

and

 

   REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940    x  
   Amendment No. 116    x  

 


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 


Bellevue Park Corporate Center

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s Telephone Number: (302) 791-1112

 


Copies to:

 

JAMES SHAW

PFPC Inc.

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

 

MICHAEL P. MALLOY, ESQUIRE

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square

18th & Cherry Streets

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)  

 


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

 

  ¨ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

  ¨ on                      pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

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

 

  ¨ on                      pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 

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

 

  ¨ on                      pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

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

Title of Securities Being Registered                      Shares of Common Stock

 



 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

Institutional Class

Robeco Investment Funds

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Prospectus                     

                            , 2007

LOGO

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SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

The securities described in this prospectus have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC, however, has not judged these securities for their investment merit and has not determined the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a criminal offense.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A look at the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Funds.

Details about the Funds’ service providers.

Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in either of the Funds.

INTRODUCTION

  3

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FUNDS

 

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

  4

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

  8

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

  12

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

  13

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

Investment Adviser

  14

Portfolio Managers

  14

Other Service Providers

  16

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

 

Pricing of Fund Shares

  17

Market Timing

  17

Shareholder Service Fees

  18

Purchase of Fund Shares

  18

Redemption of Fund Shares

  20

Exchange Privilege

  22

Dividends and Distributions

  22

Taxes

  22

Multi-Class Structure

  24

FOR MORE INFORMATION

  Back Cover

 

2


 

INTRODUCTION


This Prospectus is intended to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in the Institutional Class of certain of the Robeco Investment Funds of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”).

The two Robeco Investment Funds offered by this prospectus represent interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund (“Sustainable Water Fund”) and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (“Sustainable Climate Fund”) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Funds. Other Robeco Investment Funds are offered by separate prospectuses.

This Prospectus has been organized so that each Fund has its own short section with important facts about the goal, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of the particular Fund. Once you read the sections about the Funds, read the “Purchase of Fund Shares” and “Redemption of Fund Shares” sections. These two sections apply to both of the Funds offered by this Prospectus.

 

3


DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FUNDS

SAM SUSTAINABLE WATER FUND

 

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

 

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser identifies as offering technologies, products or services related to the water value chain (“Water-Related Issuers”). Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this 80% policy.

Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies involved in water distribution and water management, water treatment and water purification, water monitoring and chemical analysis, water recycling, sanitary installations and metering, irrigation and bottled water. The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

 

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-related securities issued by non-Water-Related Issuers. The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

4


 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Water-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

 

  Ÿ  

Companies in the pollution control sector are particularly susceptible to changes in regulatory controls on, and international treaties with respect to, the production or containment of pollutants. Changes in market practices and regulatory conditions surrounding recycling and other waste management techniques may significantly affect the demand for products and services of companies in the pollution control sector. Scientific developments, such as breakthroughs in the remediation of global warming or changing sentiments about the deleterious effects of pollution, may also affect practices with respect to pollution control, which could in turn impact companies in the pollution control sector. Companies in the clean water sector are susceptible to changes in investment in water purification technology globally, and a slackening in the pace of new infrastructure projects in developing or developed countries may constrain such companies’ abilities to grow in global markets. Other reductions in demand for clean water, such as significant decreases in world population or increased availability of potable water in arid regions, may reduce demand for products and services provided by companies in the clean water sector.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large-cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large-cap companies, and the dividends paid mid-cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large-cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large-capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

5


 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market instrument owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

 

6


 

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund.

 

     Institutional Class  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

  

Management fees

   1.25 %

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   None  

Other expenses (1)

   0.49 %
      

Total annual Fund operating expenses (2)

   1.74 %
      

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Institutional Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (2) The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 1.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year    3 Years*

Institutional Class

     $ 278    $ 548

 


* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

7


SAM SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE FUND

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

 

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser has identified as offering technology, products or services designed to alleviate and delay climate change or help overcome the effects of climate change (“Climate-Related Issuers”). Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ notice of any change in this 80% policy.

Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies in industries such as: (1) carbon light power generation technologies, demand-side energy efficiency, carbon light transportation solutions and emission reduction from land use and sinks (“Climate Mitigation companies”); (2) water infrastructure, coastal infrastructure, knowledge and warning systems and building infrastructure (“Climate Adaptation companies”); and (3) disaster relief and reconstruction (“Climate Response companies”). The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-related securities issued by non-Climate-Related Issuers. The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

 

8


 

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

 

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in climate-related industries events or factors affecting companies in such industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Climate-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large-capitalizations. This is because mid cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid mid cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivate instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

9


 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market instrument owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

 

10


 

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Class shares of the Fund.

 

     Institutional Class  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

  

Management fees

   1.25 %

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   None  

Other expenses (1)

   0.49 %
      

Total annual Fund operating expenses (2)

   1.74 %
      

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Institutional Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (2) The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 1.75% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years*

Institutional Class

     $ 278      $ 548

 


* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

11


 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENTS


This section provides some additional information about the Funds’ investments and certain portfolio management techniques that the Funds may use. More information about the Funds’ investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

Equity and Equity-Related Securities. The equity and equity-related securities in which each Fund will invest include common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of investment companies (including exchange-traded funds (“ ETFs ”) and real estate investment trusts (“ REITs ”)), equity participations, and other equity-related interests and instruments. The number of issuers in the Funds’ portfolios will vary over time.

Portfolio Concentration. Under normal market conditions, each Fund will generally be comprised of a portfolio diversified by country and geographic region. The Sustainable Water Fund and Sustainable Climate Fund will concentrate their investments in equity and equity-related securities issued by Water-Related Issuers and Climate-Related Issuers, respectively.

Foreign Securities. Each Fund will normally invest a significant portion of its assets in the equity securities and equity-related instruments issued by non-U.S. companies and up to 20% of a Fund’s assets may be invested in issuers located in countries with emerging securities markets. A Fund will invest in securities denominated in the currencies of a variety of developed and emerging market countries. Each Fund may also invest in securities, instruments and derivatives denominated in multinational currencies such as the Euro. A Fund will value its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in the value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Although SAM generally does not intend to hedge foreign currency exposure in a Fund’s portfolio, it may from time to time do so. Further, the Fund may also from time to time enter into speculative currency positions independent of other positions in the Fund’s portfolio.

Each Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”).

Each Fund may also invest in participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as “P-notes”) are derivative instruments used by foreign funds and investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes are generally issued by the associates of foreign-based foreign brokerages and domestic institutional brokerages. P-notes represent interests in securities listed on certain foreign exchanges and, thus, present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments.

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Water-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Some Water-Related Issuers may be influenced by technological changes. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Water-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Water-Related Issuers bear higher research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Water-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have

 

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limited operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Water-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, industries with exposure to climate change, events or factors affecting companies in climate change industries (i.e., climate mitigation, climate adaptation and climate response) will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Climate-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Many Climate-Related Issuers are newly developing and are strongly influenced by technological changes. Climate-Related Issuers can be significantly affected by the level and volatility of technological change in industries focusing on pollution and environmental control. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Climate-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Climate-Related Issuers bear high research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Climate-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have limited operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Climate-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

Each Fund’s complete portfolio holdings are publicly available on the Adviser’s website at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 60 days following the quarter end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Company’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS


Investment Adviser

Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), located at 909 Third Avenue, 32 nd fl, New York, NY 10022, provides investment advisory services to the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund. SAM is an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., and a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (“Robeco Groep”). Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations.

The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to other institutional and proprietary accounts. As of May 31, 2007, Robeco Groep, through its investment management subsidiaries, had approximately $200 billion in assets under management.

Subject to the general supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Adviser manages the Funds’ portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ investment objectives and policies.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Company, the Adviser is entitled to an advisory fee at the annual rate of 1.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets, computed daily and payable monthly. A discussion regarding the Board of Directors’ basis for approving the investment advisory agreement with respect to the Funds will be available in the Funds’ semi-annual report for the period ending February 28, 2008.

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses of the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund to 1.75%, respectively, of each Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2008.

Portfolio Managers

The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Adviser’s general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Funds.

The persons responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio are listed below. The portfolio managers are supported by a team of analysts and an advisory board of experts.

Dieter Küffer, CFA — Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Küffer serves as the senior portfolio manager for the Sustainable Water Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company ( “SAM AG” ), since 2001. Prior to that Mr. Küffer led an institutional asset management team at UBS Asset Management in Zurich that was in charge of client equity mandates in Switzerland from 1994-2001. Mr. Küffer started his career at UBS in the Private Banking Division. Mr. Küffer holds a federal diploma as a Swiss-Certified Banking Expert. Mr. Küffer has a total of 19 years experience.

Rainer Baumann, CFA — Deputy Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Baumann serves as deputy senior portfolio manager for each Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company ( “SAM AG” ), since 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Baumann was a portfolio manager for UBS AG where he was responsible for the management of private mandates and was a member of the investment committee in Europe. He started his career as an assistant in the bank audit department at PricewaterhouseCoopers and has a total of 9 years experience. Mr. Baumann is a chartered financial analyst and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Zurich.

Dr. Thiemo Lang, Senior Portfolio Manager

Thiemo Lang serves as senior portfolio manager of the Sustainable Climate Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“SAM AG”), since 2007. From 2005-2007, Dr. Lang was Portfolio Manager of the Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch et Cie. (LODH) technology fund called

 

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“Infology,” where he focused on companies in the fields of energy technologies and new materials. From 1999-2005, he was technology analyst and then portfolio manager at Activest (HypoVereinsbank/Unicredit) in Munich. Alongside the (co-)management of various mutual and institutional funds, he was responsible for the conception and the launch of the “Activest Lux NanoTech.” He has a total of 8 years experience. Dr. Lang earned a PhD in Electronics/Photonics from the Polytechnic Institute of Technology (INPG), Grenoble/France, and a Diploma degree (MSc) of Electronics from the University of Stuttgart/Germany.

Marketing Arrangements

The Adviser may pay compensation, out of its own funds and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain brokerage firms, investment advisers or financial institutions in connection with the sale or retention of shares of the Funds and/or shareholder servicing. The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about these revenue sharing arrangements.

 

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Other Service Providers

The following chart shows the Funds’ service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.

LOGO

 

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SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION


Pricing of Fund Shares

Institutional Class shares of the Funds (“Shares”) are priced at their net asset value (“NAV”). The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated as follows:

 

  Value of Assets Attributable to the Institutional Class

NAV =

  Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Institutional Class
   
  Number of Outstanding Shares of the Institutional Class

Each Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Fund will effect purchases of Fund shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of your order or request in proper form. The Fund will effect redemptions of Fund shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt of your order in proper form.

A Fund’s equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”). Equity securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of greater than 60 days are valued using an independent pricing service. When prices are not available from such services or are deemed to be unreliable, securities may be valued by dealers who make markets in such securities. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Fund’s NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund’s portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).

Market Timing

In accordance with the policy adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, the Company discourages market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests from any investor. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise their right if, in the Company’s (or the Adviser’s) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Company or the Adviser, has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

To deter excessive shareholder trading, each Fund generally limits the number of exchanges to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the sections titled “Shareholder Information — Redemption of Fund Shares” and “Shareholder Information — Exchange Privilege.”

 

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Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in a Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor’s account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in the Adviser’s judgment, will be uniform. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.

Shareholder Service Fees

The Board of Directors of the Company has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan (the “Plan”) for the Fund’s Institutional Class shares authorizing the Fund to pay securities dealers, plan administrators or other service organizations (“Service Organizations”) who agree to provide certain shareholder and administrative services to plans or plan participants holding Institutional Class shares of the Fund a service fee at an annual rate of up to 0.10% of the average daily net asset value of Institutional Class Shares beneficially owned by such plan participants. The services provided under the Plan include acting as a shareholder of record, processing purchase and redemption orders, maintaining participant account records and answering participant questions regarding the Funds. Please find more information on Service Organizations under the section entitled “Purchase of Fund Shares — Purchases through Intermediaries” in this Prospectus.

Purchase of Fund Shares

Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”).

Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may also be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, “Service Organizations”). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company or its agent and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company’s pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, PFPC Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”) will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the appropriate Fund’s NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.

The Company relies upon the integrity of Service Organizations to ensure that orders are timely and properly submitted. Each Fund cannot assure you that a Service Organization properly submitted to it all purchase and redemption orders received from the Service Organization’s customers before the time for determination of the Fund’s NAV in order to obtain that day’s price.

For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the “Service Fee”) of the average annual net asset value of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organization or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.

General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form as described below. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent

 

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will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment and the minimum additional investment in the Funds is as follows:

 

     Initial Investment    Additional Investment

SAM Funds

   $ 100,000    $ 5,000

The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can only purchase Shares of each Fund on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.

Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing the application included with this Prospectus and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check ($100,000 minimum,) payable to the Fund. Third party checks will not be accepted.

 

Regular Mail:   Overnight Mail:
[name of Fund]   [name of Fund]
c/o PFPC Inc.  

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816  

101 Sabin Street

Providence, RI 02940  

Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

The name of the Fund to be purchased should be designated on the application and should appear on the check. Payment for the purchase of Shares received by mail will be credited to a shareholder’s account at the NAV per share of the Fund next determined after receipt of payment in good order.

Initial Investment By Wire. Shares of each Fund may be purchased by wiring federal funds to PNC Bank, N.A. (see instructions below). A completed application must be forwarded to the Transfer Agent at the address noted above under “Initial Investment by Mail” in advance of the wire. For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. (Prior notification must also be received from investors with existing accounts.) Request account information and routing instructions by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. Funds should be wired to:

PNC Bank, N.A.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

ABA# 0310-0005-3

Account # 86-1108-2507

F/B/O [name of fund]

Ref. (Account Number)

Shareholder or Account Name

Federal funds wire purchases will be accepted only on days when the NYSE and PNC Bank, N.A. are open for business.

Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $5,000;) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under “Initial Investment by Mail” (payable to [name of Fund]) or by wiring monies to PNC Bank, N.A. as outlined under “Initial Investment by Wire.” For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. Initial and additional purchases made by check cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days.

Automatic Investment Plan. Additional investments in Shares of the Funds may be made automatically by authorizing the Transfer Agent to withdraw funds from your bank account through an Automatic Investment Plan. Investors desiring to participate in an Automatic Investment Plan should call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073.

Retirement Plans. Shares may be purchased in conjunction with individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and rollover IRAs. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. For further information as to applications and annual fees, contact the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. To determine whether the benefits of an IRA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax advisor.

 

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Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Fund’s total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund’s strategy. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:

 

  a. Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company,

 

  b. Existing and future clients of financial advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund,

 

  c. Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children, and

 

  d. Directors of the Company.

Other persons who are shareholders of other Robeco Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board of Directors’ discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.

Purchases of the Funds’ Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.

The Company’s officers are authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.

Good Order. You must include complete and accurate required information on your purchase request. Please see “Purchase of Fund Shares” for instructions. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

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

Redemption of Fund Shares

Normally, your investment firm will send your request to redeem Shares to the Fund’s transfer agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund Shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name. All IRA shareholders must complete an IRA withdrawal form to redeem shares from their IRA account.

You may redeem Shares of the Funds at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form. You can only redeem Shares on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.

You may redeem Shares of each Fund by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone. The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by a Fund. There is generally no charge for a redemption. However, if a shareholder redeems Shares held for less than 60 days, a transaction fee of 1% of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. For purposes of this redemption feature, Shares purchased first will be considered to be Shares first redeemed.

 

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Redemption By Mail. Your redemption requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940; for overnight delivery, requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 and must include:

 

  a. Name of the Fund;

 

  b. Account number;

 

  c. Your Share certificates, if any, properly endorsed or with proper powers of attorney;

 

  d. A letter of instruction specifying the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the Shares in the exact names in which they are registered;

 

  e. Medallion signature guarantees are required when (i) the redemption proceeds are to be sent to someone other than the registered shareholder(s) or (ii) the redemption request is for $10,000 or more. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association who are participants in a Medallion Program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized Medallion Programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Program (MSP). Signature guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable; and

 

  f. Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemption By Telephone. In order to request a telephone redemption, you must have returned your account application containing a telephone election. To add a telephone redemption option to an existing account, contact the Transfer Agent by calling (888) 261-4073. Please note that IRA accounts are not eligible for telephone redemptions.

Once you are authorized to utilize the telephone redemption option, a redemption of Shares may be requested by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed to the primary registration address or wired per the authorized instructions. A wire charge of $7.50 is assessed and charged to the shareholder. If the telephone redemption option or the telephone exchange option is authorized, the Transfer Agent may act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be a shareholder and believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Transfer Agent’s records of such instructions are binding and shareholders, not the Company or the Transfer Agent, bear the risk of loss in the event of unauthorized instructions reasonably believed by the Company or the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Company and the Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated are genuine and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The procedures employed by the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection with transactions initiated by telephone include tape recording of telephone instructions and requiring some form of personal identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your account has a value of at least $10,000, you may establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and receive regular periodic payments. A request to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan must be submitted in writing to the Transfer Agent at P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940. Each withdrawal redemption will be processed on or about the 25th of the month and mailed as soon as possible thereafter. There are no service charges for maintenance; the minimum amount that you may withdraw each period is $100. (This is merely the minimum amount allowed and should not be mistaken for a recommended amount.) The holder of a Systematic Withdrawal Plan will have any income dividends and any capital gains distributions reinvested in full and fractional shares at NAV. To provide funds for payment, Shares will be redeemed in such amounts as are necessary at the redemption price. The systematic withdrawal of Shares may reduce or possibly exhaust the Shares in your account, particularly in the event of a market decline. As with other redemptions, a systematic withdrawal payment is a sale for federal income tax purposes. Payments made pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan cannot be considered as actual yield or income since part of such payments may be a return of capital.

You will ordinarily not be allowed to make additional investments of less than the aggregate annual withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan during the time you have the plan in effect and, while a Systematic Withdrawal Plan is in effect, you may not make periodic investments under the Automatic Investment Plan. You will receive a confirmation of each transaction and the Share and cash balance remaining in your plan. The plan may be terminated on written notice by the shareholder or by a Fund and will terminate automatically if all Shares are liquidated or withdrawn from the account or upon the death or incapacity of the shareholder. You may change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments or suspend such payments by giving written notice to the Funds’ transfer agent at least ten Business Days prior to the end of the month preceding a scheduled payment.

 

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Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholder’s account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed.

Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.

Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

If the Board of Directors determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in payment of redemptions. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.

Proper Form. You must include complete and accurate required information on your redemption request. Please see “Redemption of Fund Shares” for instructions. Redemption requests not in proper form may be delayed.

Exchange Privilege

The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. A shareholder may exchange Institutional Class Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund for Institutional Class Shares of another Robeco Investment Fund, up to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Institutional Class Shares and the NAV of the Institutional Class Shares to be acquired next determined after PFPC’s receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Fund Shares held for less than one year (with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains) will be subject to a transaction fee of 1.00%. An exchange of Shares will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see “Redemption by Telephone” above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations, including any applicable redemption fee.

If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Institutional Class Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See “Redemption by Mail” for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the shares must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.

The Funds’ exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Shareholders are entitled to six (6) exchange redemptions (one exchange per calendar month) from each Fund during any twelve-month period. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Robeco Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.

Dividends and Distributions

Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.

 

22


 

Funds will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to Robeco’s website at www.robecoinvest.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for a Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds’ distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.

Taxes

The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

Federal Taxes. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.

Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 15%. You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.

Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or “non-qualified” foreign corporations.

Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.

A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.

If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This is known as “buying into a dividend.”

Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you sell or exchange them. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you should retain your account statements for the periods during which you held shares.)

Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the 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 a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

 

23


 

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable.

Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The current withholding rate is 28%.

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Distributions by a Fund to a nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a “foreign shareholder”) will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a lower treaty rate), unless one of the following exceptions applies. Withholding will not apply if a distribution paid by a Fund to a foreign shareholder is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder, in which case the reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of capital gains (aside from capital gains on REIT shares) are not subject to withholding tax, but in the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, such distributions ordinarily may be subject to U.S. income tax if the individual is physically present in the U.S. for more than 182 days during the taxable year. In addition, foreign shareholders who are prepared to file U.S. federal income tax returns should generally be able to obtain a refund of any withholding taxes deducted from distributions attributable to interest earned by the Fund from U.S. sources.

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

Sunset of Tax Provisions. Some of the tax provisions described above are subject to sunset provisions. Specifically, a sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain rate and the taxation of dividends at the long-term capital gain rate will change after 2010. Additionally, the provision exempting foreign shareholders from tax on distributions of short-term capital gains and portfolio interest is scheduled to sunset for the Funds’ taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.

More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.

Multi-Class Structure

Each Fund also offers Investor Class shares, Class A shares and Class C shares, which are also offered through a separate prospectuses. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Institutional Class Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Investor Class shares, Class A shares and Class C shares of the same Fund. Information concerning other classes of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at (888) 261-4073.

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS’ SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

24


 

 

LOGO

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

(I NSTITUTIONAL C LASS )


 

A CCOUNT A PPLICATION

Please Note: Do not use this form to open a retirement plan account. For an IRA application or help with this Application, please call 1-888-261-4073.

 

1

Account
Registration:

 

      (Please check the appropriate box(es))                  q Individual                 q Joint Tenant                 q Other
     
      NAME                                                                  DATE OF BIRTH                       SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID # OF PRIMARY OWNER
       
      NAME OF JOINT OWNER                                              DATE OF BIRTH                             JOINT OWNER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID #
      For joint accounts, the account registrants will be joint tenants with right of survivorship and not tenants in common unless tenants in common or community property registrations are requested.

GIFT TO MINOR:

    q Uniform Gifts/Transfer to Minor’s Act
    UNDER THE                                                           UGMA/UTMA (circle one)
                                        STATE
       
      NAME OF ADULT CUSTODIAN (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                        CUSTODIAN’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                        DATE OF BIRTH**
       
      NAME OF MINOR (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                                        MINOR’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                       DATE OF BIRTH**
       

CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, TRUST OR OTHER ENTITY:

    NAME OF CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, OR OTHER (NAME OF LEGAL ENTITY)                                             NAME(S) OF FIDUCIARY/ TRUSTEE(S)
     
    TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
     
       

2

Address Information:

 

    Residency Address**: (you must provide a street address)
     
    STREET                                                                                                                                                      APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
       
      DAY PHONE NUMBER                                                                                                                               EVENING PHONE NUMBER
      Joint owner or Minor’s residency address
       
      STREET                                                                                                                                                      APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
      **Identity Verification Procedures Notice. The USA PATRIOT ACT requires financial institutions, including mutual funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of all investors opening new accounts. When completing the New Account Application, you will be required to supply the Funds with certain information for all persons owning or permitted to act on an account, that will assist the Funds in verifying your identity. This includes date of birth, taxpayer identification number and street address. Until such verification is made, the Funds may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Funds may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a customer’s identity. As required by law, the Funds may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

     Mailing Address: (you may provide a P.O. Box)   
     q   CHECK HERE IF YOUR MAILING ADDRESS IS THE SAME AS YOUR RESIDENCY ADDRESS.   
      
     STREET ADDRESS, APARTMENT NUMBER OR P.O. BOX   
      
     CITY      STATE    ZIP CODE
            

3

Investment Information:

 

     Minimum initial investment of $100,000 per fund.              Total amount of investments $                     
     Make check payable to Robeco Investment Funds.
     Shareholders may not purchase shares of any Fund with a check issued by a third party and endorsed over to the Fund.
     SAM Sustainable Water Fund (    ) $                     
     SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (    ) $                 

DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS:

     Dividends:          Pay by check q          Reinvest q                          Capital Gains:         Pay by check q         Reinvest q
     NOTE: Dividends and capital gains may be reinvested or paid by check. If no options are selected above, both dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in additional Fund shares.
    

4

 

Telephone Exchange and Redemption:

    

To use this option, you must initial the appropriate line below.

 

I authorize the Transfer Agent to accept instructions from any persons to redeem or exchange shares in my account(s) by telephone in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Fund’s current prospectus.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Redeem shares, and send the proceeds to the

address of record.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Exchange shares for shares of Robeco Investment

Funds.

    

5

Automatic Investment Plan:

    

The Automatic Investment Plan which is available to shareholders of the Fund, makes possible regularly scheduled purchases of Fund shares to allow dollar-cost averaging. The Fund’s Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund.

 

Please debit $                    (minimum $5000.00) from my checking account (named below) on or about the 20th of the month.

     Please attach an unsigned, voided check.
     q Monthly              q Quarterly              q Annually

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


           

BANK RECORD:

    BANK NAME                                                                                                                  STREET ADDRESS OR P.O. BOX
         
      CITY                                                                                STATE                                                ZIP CODE
           
      BANK ABA NUMBER                                                         BANK ACCOUNT OWNER                              BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER

6

Signatures:

   

The undersigned warrants that I (we) have full authority and, if a natural person, I (we) am (are) of legal age to purchase shares pursuant to this Account Application, and I (we) have received a current prospectus for the Fund in which I (we) am (are) investing.

Under the Interest and Dividend Tax Compliance Act of 1983, the Fund is required to have the following certification:

Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:

(1)   The number shown on this form is my correct identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me), and

(2)   I am not subject to backup withholding because (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that I am subject to 28% backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all Interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

(3)   I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

Note: You must cross out item (2) above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. The Internal Revenue Service does not require your consent to any provision of this document other than the certification required to avoid backup withholding.

           
      SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT                                                                                                              DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
           
      SIGNATURE OF JOINT OWNER                                                                                                           DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
     

 

(If you are signing for a corporation, you must indicate corporate office or title. If you wish additional signatories on the account, please include a corporate resolution. If signing as a fiduciary, you must indicate capacity.)

For information on additional options, such as IRA Applications, rollover requests for qualified retirement plans, or for wire instructions, please call us at 1-888-261-4073.

      Mail completed Account Application and check to:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816

Providence, RI 02940

      Overnight Mailing Address:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

101 Sabin Street

Pawtucket, RI 02860

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

 

 

(This Page Intentionally Left Blank.)


 

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

of

The RBB Fund, Inc.

(888) 261-4073

http://www.robecoinvest.com

For More Information:

This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Robeco Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:

Annual/Semi–Annual Reports

These reports contain additional information about each Fund’s investments, describe each Fund’s performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during their last fiscal year.

The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Statement of Additional Information

An SAI has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Robeco Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi–annual reports, by calling (888) 261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus). The SAI is not available on the Adviser’s website because a copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

Shareholder Inquiries

Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday–Friday. Call: (888) 261-4073 or visit the website of Robeco at http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Purchases and Redemptions

Call (888) 261-4073.

Written Correspondence

Street Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

P.O. Box Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940

Securities and Exchange Commission

You may also view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by sending your written request and a duplicating fee to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811–05518


 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

Investor Class

Robeco Investment Funds

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Prospectus

                                    , 2007

LOGO

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SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

The securities described in this prospectus have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC, however, has not judged these securities for their investment merit and has not determined the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a criminal offense.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A look at the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Funds.

Details about the Funds’ service providers.

Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in either of the Funds.

 

INTRODUCTION

   3

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FUNDS

  

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

   4

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

   8

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

   12

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

   13

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

  

Investment Adviser

   14

Portfolio Managers

   14

Other Service Providers

   16

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

  

Pricing of Fund Shares

   17

Market Timing

   17

Purchase of Fund Shares

   18

Redemption of Fund Shares

   20

Exchange Privilege

   22

Dividends and Distributions

   22

Taxes

   23

Multi-Class Structure

   24

FOR MORE INFORMATION

   Back Cover

 

2


 

INTRODUCTION


This Prospectus is intended to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in the Investor Class of certain of the Robeco Investment Funds of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”).

The mutual Robeco Investment Funds offered by this prospectus represent interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund (“Sustainable Water Fund”) and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (“Sustainable Climate Fund”) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Funds. Other Robeco Investment Funds are offered by separate prospectuses.

This Prospectus has been organized so that each Fund has its own short section with important facts about the goal, strategies, risks and expenses of the particular Fund. Once you read the sections about the Funds, read the “Purchase of Fund Shares” and “Redemption of Fund Shares” sections. These two sections apply to both of the Funds offered by this Prospectus.

 

3


 

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FUNDS

SAM SUSTAINABLE WATER FUND

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser identifies as offering technologies, products or services related to the water value chain (“Water-Related Issuers”). Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this 80% policy.

Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies involved in water distribution and water management, water treatment and water purification, water monitoring and chemical analysis, water recycling, sanitary installations and metering, irrigation and bottled water. The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

 

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-related securities issued by non-Water-Related Issuers. The Fund may(but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

4


 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

 

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Water-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

 

  Ÿ  

Companies in the pollution control sector are particularly susceptible to changes in regulatory controls on, and international treaties with respect to, the production or containment of pollutants. Changes in market practices and regulatory conditions surrounding recycling and other waste management techniques may significantly affect the demand for products and services of companies in the pollution control sector. Scientific developments, such as breakthroughs in the remediation of global warming or changing sentiments about the deleterious effects of pollution, may also affect practices with respect to pollution control, which could in turn impact companies in the pollution control sector. Companies in the clean water sector are susceptible to changes in investment in water purification technology globally, and a slackening in the pace of new infrastructure projects in developing or developed countries may constrain such companies’ abilities to grow in global markets. Other reductions in demand for clean water, such as significant decreases in world population or increased availability of potable water in arid regions, may reduce demand for products and services provided by companies in the clean water sector.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large-cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large-cap companies, and the dividends paid mid-cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large-cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large-capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

5


 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market instrument owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund.

 

     Investor Class  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

  

Management fees

   1.25 %

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   0.25 %

Other Expenses (1)

   0.49 %
      

Total annual Fund operating expenses (2)

   1.99 %
      

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (2) The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

 

6


 

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years*

Investor Class

     $ 303      $ 624

 


* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

7


SAM SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE FUND

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser has identified as offering technology, products or services designed to alleviate and delay climate change or help overcome the effects of climate change (“Climate-Related Issuers”). Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this 80% policy.

Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies in industries such as: (1) carbon light power generation technologies, demand-side energy efficiency, carbon light transportation solutions and emission reduction from land use and sinks (“Climate Mitigation companies”); (2) water infrastructure, coastal infrastructure, knowledge and warning systems and building infrastructure (“Climate Adaptation companies”); and (3) disaster relief and reconstruction (“Climate Response companies”). The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-related securities issued by non-Climate-Related Issuers. The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

 

8


 

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

 

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in climate-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in such industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Climate-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large-capitalizations. This is because mid cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid mid cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivate instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value

 

9


 

 

of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market instrument owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Class shares of the Fund.

 

     Investor Class  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

  

Management fees

   1.25 %

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   0.25 %

Other expenses (1)

   0.49 %
      

Total annual Fund operating expenses (2)

   1.99 %
      

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Investor Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (2) The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 2.00% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

 

10


 

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years*

Investor Class

     $ 303      $ 624

 


* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

11


 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENTS


This section provides some additional information about the Funds’ investments and certain portfolio management techniques that each Fund may use. More information about the Funds’ investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

Equity and Equity-Related Securities. The equity and equity-related securities in which each Fund will invest include common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of investment companies (including exchange-traded funds (“ ETFs ”) and real estate investment trusts (“ REITs ”)), equity participations, and other equity-related interests and instruments. The number of issuers in the Funds’ portfolios will vary over time.

Portfolio Concentration. Under normal market conditions, each Fund will generally be comprised of a portfolio diversified by country and geographic region. The Sustainable Water Fund and Sustainable Climate Fund will concentrate their investments in equity and equity-related securities issued by Water-Related Issuers and Climate-Related Issuers, respectively.

Foreign Securities. Each Fund will normally invest a significant portion of its assets in the equity securities and equity-related instruments issued by non-U.S. companies and up to [20%] of a Fund’s assets may be invested in issuers located in countries with emerging securities markets. A Fund will invest in securities denominated in the currencies of a variety of developed and emerging market countries. Each Fund may also invest in securities, instruments and derivatives denominated in multinational currencies such as the Euro. A Fund will value its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in the value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Although SAM generally does not intend to hedge foreign currency exposure in a Fund’s portfolio, it may from time to time do so. Further, the Fund may also from time to time enter into speculative currency positions independent of other positions in the Fund’s portfolio.

Each Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”).

Each Fund may also invest in participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as “P-notes”) are derivative instruments used by foreign funds and investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes are generally issued by the associates of foreign brokerages and domestic institutional brokerages. P-notes represent interests in securities listed on certain foreign exchange, bourses and, thus, present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments.

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Water-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Some Water-Related Issuers may be influenced by technological changes. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Water-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Water-Related Issuers bear higher research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Water-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have lim -

 

12


 

ited operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Water-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, industries with exposure to climate change, events or factors affecting companies in climate change industries (i.e., climate mitigation, climate adaptation and climate response) will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Climate-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Many Climate-Related Issuers are newly developing and are strongly influenced by technological changes. Climate-Related Issuers can be significantly affected by the level and volatility of technological change in industries focusing on pollution and environmental control. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Climate-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Climate-Related Issuers bear high research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Climate-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have limited operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Climate-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

Each Fund’s complete portfolio holdings are publicly available at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 60 days following the quarter end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Company’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.

 

13


 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS


Investment Adviser

Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), located at 909 Third Avenue, 32 nd fl, New York, NY 10022, provides investment advisory services to the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund. SAM is an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., and a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (“Robeco Groep”). Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations.

The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to other institutional and proprietary accounts. As of May 31, 2007, Robeco Groep, through its investment management subsidiaries, had approximately $200 billion in assets under management.

Subject to the general supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Adviser manages the Funds’ portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ investment objectives and policies.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Company, the Adviser is entitled to an advisory fee at the annual rate of 1.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets, computed daily and payable monthly. A discussion regarding the Board of Directors’ basis for approving the investment advisory agreement with respect to the Funds will be available in the Funds’ semi-annual report for the period ending February 28, 2008.

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses of the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund to 2.00%, respectively, of each Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2008.

Portfolio Managers

The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Adviser’s general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Funds.

The persons responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio are listed below. The portfolio managers are supported by a team of analysts and an advisory board of experts.

Dieter Küffer, CFA – Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Küffer serves as the senior portfolio manager for the Sustainable Water Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“ SAM AG ”), since 2001. Prior to that Mr. Küffer led an institutional asset management team at UBS Asset Management in Zurich that was in charge of client equity mandates in Switzerland from 1994-2001. Mr. Küffer started his career at UBS in the Private Banking Division. Mr. Küffer holds a federal diploma as a Swiss-Certified Banking Expert. Mr. Küffer has a total of 19 years experience.

Rainer Baumann, CFA – Deputy Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Baumann serves as deputy senior portfolio manager for each Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“ SAM AG ”), since 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Baumann was a portfolio manager for UBS AG where he was responsible for the management of private mandates and was a member of the investment committee in Europe. He started his career as an assistant in the bank audit department at PricewaterhouseCoopers and has a total of 9 years experience. Mr. Baumann is a chartered financial analyst and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Zurich.

Dr. Thiemo Lang, Senior Portfolio Manager

Thiemo Lang serves as senior portfolio manager of the Sustainable Climate Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“SAM AG”), since 2007. From 2005-2007, Dr. Lang was Portfolio Manager of the Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch et Cie. (LODH) technology fund called “Infology,”

 

14


 

where he focused on companies in the fields of energy technologies and new materials. From 1999-2005, he was technology analyst and then portfolio manager at Activest (HypoVereinsbank/Unicredit) in Munich. Alongside the (co-)management of various mutual and institutional funds, he was responsible for the conception and the launch of the “Activest Lux NanoTech.” He has a total of 8 years experience. Dr. Lang earned a PhD in Electronics/Photonics from the Polytechnic Institute of Technology (INPG), Grenoble/France, and a Diploma degree (MSc) of Electronics from the University of Stuttgart/Germany.

Marketing Arrangements

The Adviser may pay compensation, out of its own funds and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain brokerage firms, investment advisers or financial institutions in connection with the sale or retention of shares of the Funds and/or shareholder servicing. The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about these revenue sharing arrangements.

 

15


Other Service Providers

The following chart shows the Funds’ service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.

LOGO

 

16


 

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION


Pricing of Fund Shares

Investor Class shares of the Funds (“Shares”) are priced at their net asset value (“NAV”). The NAV per share of each Fund is calculated as follows:

 

    Value of Assets Attributable to the Investor Class

NAV  =

    Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Investor Class
     
    Number of Outstanding Shares of the Investor Class

Each Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Fund will effect purchases of Fund shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of your order or request in proper form. The Fund will effect redemptions of Fund shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt of your order in proper form.

A Fund’s equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”). Equity securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of greater than 60 days are valued using an independent pricing service. When prices are not available from such securities or are deemed to be unreliable, securities may be valued by dealers who make markets in such securities. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Fund’s NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund’s portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).

Market Timing

In accordance with the policy adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, the Company discourages market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests from any investor. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise their right if, in the Company’s (or the Adviser’s) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Company or the Adviser, has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

To deter excessive shareholder trading, each Fund generally limits the number of exchanges to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the sections titled “Shareholder Information — Redemption of Fund Shares” and “Shareholder Information — Exchange Privilege.”

 

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Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in a Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor’s account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in the Adviser’s judgment, will be uniform. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.

Purchase of Fund Shares

Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”). The Board of Directors has approved a Distribution Agreement and adopted a separate Plan of Distribution for the shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from the Funds a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Company’s Board of Directors and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Funds’ assets 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.

Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Funds’ 12b-1 Plan. Ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders may include updating and mailing prospectuses and shareholder reports, responding to inquiries regarding shareholder accounts and acting as agent or intermediary between shareholders and the Funds or their service providers. The Distributor may delegate some or all of these functions to Service Organizations. See “Purchases Through Intermediaries” below.

The Plan obligates the Funds, during the period it is in effect, to accrue and pay to the Distributor on behalf of the Shares the fee agreed to under the Distribution Agreement. Payments under the Plan are not tied exclusively to expenses actually incurred by the Distributor, and the payments may exceed distribution expenses actually incurred.

Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, “Service Organizations”). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company’s pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, PFPC Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”) will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.

The Company relies upon the integrity of Service Organizations to ensure that orders are timely and properly submitted. Each Fund cannot assure you that a Service Organization properly submitted to it all purchase and redemption orders received from the Service Organization’s customers before the time for determination of the Fund’s NAV in order to obtain that day’s price.

For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser, the Distributor or their affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the “Service Fee”) of the average

 

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annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.

General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form as described below. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in any Fund is $2,500 and the minimum additional investment is $100. The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can only purchase Shares of the Fund on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.

Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing the application included with this Prospectus and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check ($2,500 minimum) payable to the Fund in which you would like to invest. Third party checks will not be accepted.

 

Regular Mail:   Overnight Mail:
[name of Fund]   [name of Fund]
c/o PFPC Inc.  

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816  

101 Sabin Street

Providence, RI 02940  

Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

The name of the Fund to be purchased should be designated on the application and should appear on the check. Payment for the purchase of Shares received by mail will be credited to a shareholder’s account at the NAV per share of the Fund next determined after receipt of payment in good order.

Initial Investment By Wire. Shares of each Fund may be purchased by wiring federal funds to PNC Bank, N.A. (see instructions below). A completed application must be forwarded to the Transfer Agent at the address noted above under “Initial Investment by Mail” in advance of the wire. For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. (Prior notification must also be received from investors with existing accounts.) Request account information and routing instructions by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. Funds should be wired to:

PNC Bank, N.A.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

ABA# 0310-0005-3

Account # 86-1108-2507

F/B/O [name of fund]

Ref. (Account Number)

Shareholder or Account Name

Federal funds wire purchases will be accepted only on days when the NYSE and PNC Bank, N.A. are open for business.

Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $100) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under “Initial Investment by Mail” (payable to [name of Fund]) or by wiring monies to PNC Bank, N.A. as outlined under “Initial Investment by Wire.” For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. Initial and additional purchases made by check cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days.

Automatic Investment Plan. Additional investments in Shares of the Funds may be made automatically by authorizing the Transfer Agent to withdraw funds from your bank account through an Automatic Investment Plan ($100 minimum). Investors desiring to participate in an Automatic Investment Plan should call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073.

Retirement Plans. Shares may be purchased in conjunction with individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and rollover IRAs. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. For further information as to applications and annual fees, contact the Transfer Agent at (888) 261- 4073. To determine whether the benefits of an IRA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax advisor.

 

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Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Fund’s total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund’s strategy. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:

 

  a. Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company,

 

  b. Existing and future clients of financial advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund,

 

  c. Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children, and

 

  d. Directors of the Company.

Other persons who are shareholders of other Robeco Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board of Directors’ discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.

Purchases of the Funds’ Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.

The Company’s officers are authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.

Good Order. You must include complete and accurate required information on your purchase request. Please see “Purchase of Fund Shares” for instructions. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

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

Redemption of Fund Shares

Normally, your investment firm will send your request to redeem Shares to the Fund’s transfer agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name. All IRA shareholders must complete an IRA withdrawal form to redeem shares from their IRA account.

You may redeem Shares of the Funds at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form. You can only redeem Shares on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.

You may redeem Shares of each Fund by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone. The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by a Fund. There is generally no charge for a redemption. However, with the exception of defined contribution plans, if a shareholder redeems Shares held for less than 60 days, a transaction fee of 1% of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. For purposes of this redemption feature, Shares purchased first will be considered to be Shares first redeemed.

Redemption By Mail. Your redemption requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940; for overnight delivery, requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 and must include:

 

  a. Name of the Fund;

 

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  b. Account number;

 

  c. Your share certificates, if any, properly endorsed or with proper powers of attorney;

 

  d. A letter of instruction specifying the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the Shares in the exact names in which they are registered;

 

  e. Medallion signature guarantees are required when (i) the redemption proceeds are to be sent to someone other than the registered shareholder(s) or (ii) the redemption request is for $10,000 or more. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association who are participants in a Medallion Program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized Medallion Programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Program (MSP). Signature guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable; and

 

  f. Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemption By Telephone. In order to request a telephone redemption, you must have returned your account application containing a telephone election. To add a telephone redemption option to an existing account, contact the Transfer Agent by calling (888) 261-4073. Please note that IRA accounts are not eligible for telephone redemption.

Once you are authorized to utilize the telephone redemption option, a redemption of Shares may be requested by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed to the primary registration address or wired per the authorized instructions. A wire charge of $7.50 is assessed and charged to the shareholder. If the telephone redemption option or the telephone exchange option is authorized, the Transfer Agent may act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be a shareholder and believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Transfer Agent’s records of such instructions are binding and shareholders, not the Company or the Transfer Agent, bear the risk of loss in the event of unauthorized instructions reasonably believed by the Company or the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Company and the Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated are genuine and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The procedures employed by the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection with transactions initiated by telephone include tape recording of telephone instructions and requiring some form of personal identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your account has a value of at least $10,000, you may establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and receive regular periodic payments. A request to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan must be submitted in writing to the Transfer Agent at P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940. Each withdrawal redemption will be processed on or about the 25th of the month and mailed as soon as possible thereafter. There are no service charges for maintenance; the minimum amount that you may withdraw each period is $100. (This is merely the minimum amount allowed and should not be mistaken for a recommended amount.) The holder of a Systematic Withdrawal Plan will have any income dividends and any capital gains distributions reinvested in full and fractional shares at NAV. To provide funds for payment, Shares will be redeemed in such amounts as are necessary at the redemption price. The systematic withdrawal of Shares may reduce or possibly exhaust the Shares in your account, particularly in the event of a market decline. As with other redemptions, a systematic withdrawal payment is a sale for federal income tax purposes. Payments made pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan cannot be considered as actual yield or income since part of such payments may be a return of capital.

You will ordinarily not be allowed to make additional investments of less than the aggregate annual withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan during the time you have the plan in effect and, while a Systematic Withdrawal Plan is in effect, you may not make periodic investments under the Automatic Investment Plan. You will receive a confirmation of each transaction and the Share and cash balance remaining in your plan. The plan may be terminated on written notice by the shareholder or by a Fund and will terminate automatically if all Shares are liquidated or withdrawn from the account or upon the death or incapacity of the shareholder. You may change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments or suspend such payments by giving written notice to the Funds’ transfer agent at least ten Business Days prior to the end of the month preceding a scheduled payment.

Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholder’s account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed.

 

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Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.

Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

If the Board of Directors determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in the payment of redemptions. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.

Proper Form. You must include complete and accurate required information on your redemption request. Please see “Redemption of Fund Shares” for instructions. Redemption requests not in proper form may be delayed.

Exchange Privilege

The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. A shareholder may exchange Investor Class Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund for Investor Class Shares of another Robeco Investment Fund, up to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Investor Class Shares and the NAV of the Investor Class Shares to be acquired next determined after PFPC’s receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Fund Shares held for less than one year with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains will be subject to a transaction fee of 1.00%. An exchange of Shares will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see “Redemption by Telephone” above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations, including any applicable redemption fee.

If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Investor Class Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See “Redemption by Mail” for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the shares must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.

The Funds’ exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Shareholders are entitled to six (6) exchange redemptions (one exchange per calendar month) from each Fund during any twelve-month period. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Robeco Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.

Dividends and Distributions

Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.

The Funds will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to Robeco’s website at www.robecoinvest.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

 

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The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds’ distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.

Taxes

The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

Federal Taxes. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.

Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 15%. You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.

Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or “non-qualified” foreign corporations.

Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.

A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.

If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This is known as “buying into a dividend.”

Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you sell or exchange them. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you should retain your account statements for the periods during which you held shares.)

Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the 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 a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable.

Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed

 

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to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The current withholding rate is 28%.

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Distributions by a Fund to a nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a “foreign shareholder”) will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a lower treaty rate), unless one of the following exceptions applies. Withholding will not apply if a distribution paid by a Fund to a foreign shareholder is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder, in which case the reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of capital gains (aside from capital gains on REIT shares) are not subject to withholding tax, but in the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, such distributions ordinarily may be subject to U.S. income tax if the individual is physically present in the U.S. for more than 182 days during the taxable year. In addition, foreign shareholders who are prepared to file U.S. federal income tax returns should generally be able to obtain a refund of any withholding taxes deducted from distributions attributable to interest earned by the Fund from U.S. sources.

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

Sunset of Tax Provisions. Some of the tax provisions described above are subject to sunset provisions. Specifically, a sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain rate and the taxation of dividends at the long-term capital gain rate will change after 2010. Additionally, the provision exempting foreign shareholders from tax on distributions of short-term capital gains and portfolio interest is scheduled to sunset for the Funds’ taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.

More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.

Multi-Class Structure

Each Fund also offers Institutional Class shares, which are offered directly to institutional investors without distribution fees in a separate prospectus, and Class A shares and C shares, also offered through a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Investor Class Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Institutional Class shares, Class A shares or Class C shares of the same Fund. Information concerning other classes of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at (888) 261-4073.

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS’ SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

24


 

 

LOGO

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

(I NVESTOR C LASS )


 

A CCOUNT A PPLICATION

Please Note: Do not use this form to open a retirement plan account. For an IRA application or help with this Application, please call 1-888-261-4073.

 

1

Account
Registration:

 

      (Please check the appropriate box(es))                  q Individual                 q Joint Tenant                 q Other
     
      NAME                                                                  DATE OF BIRTH                       SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID # OF PRIMARY OWNER
       
      NAME OF JOINT OWNER                                              DATE OF BIRTH                             JOINT OWNER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID #
      For joint accounts, the account registrants will be joint tenants with right of survivorship and not tenants in common unless tenants in common or community property registrations are requested.

GIFT TO MINOR:

    q Uniform Gifts/Transfer to Minor’s Act
    UNDER THE                                                           UGMA/UTMA (circle one)
                                        STATE
       
      NAME OF ADULT CUSTODIAN (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                        CUSTODIAN’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                        DATE OF BIRTH**
       
      NAME OF MINOR (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                                        MINOR’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                       DATE OF BIRTH**
       

CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, TRUST OR OTHER ENTITY:

    NAME OF CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, OR OTHER (NAME OF LEGAL ENTITY)                                             NAME(S) OF FIDUCIARY/TRUSTEE(S)
     
    TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
     
       

2

Address Information:

 

    Residency Address**: (you must provide a street address)
     
    STREET                                                                                                                                                APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
       
      DAY PHONE NUMBER                                                                                                                            EVENING PHONE NUMBER
      Joint owner or Minor’s residency address
       
      STREET                                                                                                                                                APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
     

**Identity Verification Procedures Notice. The USA PATRIOT ACT requires financial institutions, including mutual funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of all investors opening new accounts. When completing the New Account Application, you will be required to supply the Funds with certain information for all persons owning or permitted to act on an account, that will assist the Funds in verifying your identity. This includes date of birth, taxpayer identification number and street address. Until such verification is made, the Funds may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Funds may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a customer’s identity. As required by law, the Funds may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

 

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

     Mailing Address: (you may provide a P.O. Box)   
     q   CHECK HERE IF YOUR MAILING ADDRESS IS THE SAME AS YOUR RESIDENCY ADDRESS.   
      
     STREET ADDRESS, APARTMENT NUMBER OR P.O. BOX   
      
     CITY      STATE    ZIP CODE
            

3

Investment Information:

 

     Minimum initial investment of $2500.00 per fund.              Total amount of investments $                     
     Make check payable to Robeco Investment Funds.
     Shareholders may not purchase shares of any fund with a check issued by a third party and endorsed over to the fund.
     SAM Sustainable Water Fund (    ) $                 
     SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (    ) $                 

DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS:

     Dividends:          Pay by check q          Reinvest q                          Capital Gains:         Pay by check q         Reinvest q
     NOTE: Dividends and capital gains may be reinvested or paid by check. If no options are selected above, both dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in additional fund shares.
    

4

 

Systematic Withdrawal Plan:

     To select this portion please fill out the information below:
     Amount $                                                                                     Startup Month                                                                          
    

Ÿ A minimum account value of $ 10,000 in a single account is required to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

Ÿ Payments will be made on or near the 25th of the month.

  

Frequency: q Annually

q Monthly

q Quarterly

    

Please check one of the following options:                        Please mail checks to Address of Record (Named in Section 2)

 

                                                                                            Please electronically credit my Bank of Record (Named in Section 6)

5

 

Telephone Exchange and Redemption:

    

To use this option, you must initial the appropriate line below.

 

I authorize the Transfer Agent to accept instructions from any persons to redeem or exchange shares in my account(s) by telephone in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Fund’s current prospectus.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Redeem shares, and send the proceeds to the

address of record.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Exchange shares for shares of Robeco Investment

Funds.

 

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


6

Automatic Investment Plan:

   

The Automatic Investment Plan which is available to shareholders of the Fund, makes possible regularly scheduled purchases of Fund shares to allow dollar-cost averaging. The Fund’s Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund

 

Please debit $                    (minimum $100) from my checking account (named below) on or about the 20th of the month.

      Please attach an unsigned, voided check.    
      q Monthly              q Quarterly              q Annually    
           

BANK RECORD:

    BANK NAME                                                                                                                  STREET ADDRESS OR P.O. BOX
         
      CITY                                                                                STATE                                                ZIP CODE
           
      BANK ABA NUMBER                                                         BANK ACCOUNT OWNER                              BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER
       

7

Signatures:

   

The undersigned warrants that I (we) have full authority and, if a natural person, I (we) am (are) of legal age to purchase shares pursuant to this Account Application, and I (we) have received a current prospectus for the Fund in which I (we) am (are) investing.

Under the Interest and Dividend Tax Compliance Act of 1983, the Fund is required to have the following certification:

Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:

(1)   The number shown on this form is my correct identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me), and

(2)   I am not subject to backup withholding because (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that I am subject to 28% backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all Interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

(3)   I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

Note: You must cross out item (2) above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. The Internal Revenue Service does not require your consent to any provision of this document other than the certification required to avoid backup withholding.

           
      SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT                                                                                                              DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
           
      SIGNATURE OF JOINT OWNER                                                                                                           DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
     

 

(If you are signing for a corporation, you must indicate corporate office or title. If you wish additional signatories on the account, please include a corporate resolution. If signing as a fiduciary, you must indicate capacity.)

For information on additional options, such as IRA Applications, rollover requests for qualified retirement plans, or for wire instructions, please call us at 1-888-261-4073.

      Mail completed Account Application and check to:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816

Providence, RI 02940

      Overnight Mailing Address:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

101 Sabin Street

Pawtucket, RI 02860

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

of

The RBB Fund, Inc.

(888) 261-4073

http://www.robecoinvest.com

For More Information:

This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Robeco Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:

Annual/Semi–Annual Reports

These reports contain additional information about each Fund’s investments, describe each Fund’s performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during their last fiscal year. The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Statement of Additional Information

An SAI, dated                                  has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Robeco Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi–annual reports, by calling (888) 261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus). The SAI is not available on the Adviser’s website because a copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

Shareholder Inquiries

Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday–Friday. Call: (888) 261-4073 or visit the website of Robeco Investment Management at http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Purchases and Redemptions

Call (888) 261-4073.

Written Correspondence

Street Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

P.O. Box Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940

Securities and Exchange Commission

You may view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by sending your written request and a duplicating fee to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811–05518

 


 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

Class A and Class C

Robeco Investment Funds

of The RBB Fund, Inc.

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE CHANGED. WE MAY NOT SELL THESE SECURITIES UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL THESE SECURITIES AND IT IS NOT SOLICITING AN OFFER TO BUY THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE WHERE THE OFFER OR SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

Prospectus

                                    , 2007

LOGO

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SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

The securities described in this prospectus have been registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SEC, however, has not judged these securities for their investment merit and has not determined the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Anyone who tells you otherwise is committing a criminal offense.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

A look at the goals, strategies, risks, expenses and financial history of each of the Funds.

Details about the Funds’ service providers.

Policies and instructions for opening, maintaining and closing an account in either of the Funds.

 

INTRODUCTION

  3

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

 

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

  4

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

  8

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

  12

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

  13

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS

 

Investment Adviser

  14

Portfolio Managers

  14

Other Service Providers

  16

SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION

 

Choosing a Share Class

  17

Class A Shares

  17

Class C Shares

  18

Pricing of Fund Shares

  18

Market Timing

  19

Purchase of Fund Shares

  20

Redemption of Fund Shares

  22

Exchange Privilege

  24

Dividends and Distributions

  24

Taxes

  25

Multi-Class Structure

  26

FOR MORE INFORMATION

  Back Cover

 

2


 

INTRODUCTION


This Prospectus is intended to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about whether to invest in the Class A and Class C of certain of the Robeco Investment Funds of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”).

The two Robeco Investment Funds offered by this prospectus represent interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund (“Sustainable Water Fund”) and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (“Sustainable Climate Fund”) (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”). Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Funds. Other Robeco Investment Funds are offered by separate prospectuses.

This Prospectus has been organized so that each Fund has its own short section with important facts about the goal, strategies, risks and expenses of the particular Fund. Once you read the sections about the Funds, read the “Purchase of Fund Shares” and “Redemption of Fund Shares” sections. These two sections apply to both of the Funds offered by this Prospectus.

 

3


DESCRIPTION OF THE FUNDS

SAM SUSTAINABLE WATER FUND

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser identifies as offering technologies, products or services related to the water value chain (“Water-Related Issuers”). Shareholders will be given at least 60 days’ prior notice of any change in this 80% policy.

Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies involved in water distribution and water management, water treatment and water purification, water monitoring and chemical analysis, water recycling, sanitary installations and metering, irrigation and bottled water. The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-related securities issued by non-Water-Related Issuers. The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

 

4


 

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

 

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Water-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

 

  Ÿ  

Companies in the pollution control sector are particularly susceptible to changes in regulatory controls on, and international treaties with respect to, the production or containment of pollutants. Changes in market practices and regulatory conditions surrounding recycling and other waste management techniques may significantly affect the demand for products and services of companies in the pollution control sector. Scientific developments, such as breakthroughs in the remediation of global warming or changing sentiments about the deleterious effects of pollution, may also affect practices with respect to pollution control, which could in turn impact companies in the pollution control sector. Companies in the clean water sector are susceptible to changes in investment in water purification technology globally, and a slackening in the pace of new infrastructure projects in developing or developed countries may constrain such companies’ abilities to grow in global markets. Other reductions in demand for clean water, such as significant decreases in world population or increased availability of potable water in arid regions, may reduce demand for products and services provided by companies in the clean water sector.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large-cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid mid-cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large-cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large-capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivative instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

5


 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market instrument owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate charges than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Index. The MSCI World Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Class A or Class C shares of the Fund.

 

     Class A     Class C  

Shareholder Fees

    

Maximum sales charge on purchases (% of offering price)

   5.00%  1     None  

Maximum deferred sales charge (% of purchase price or sale proceeds whichever is lower)

   None     1.00%  2  
     Class A     Class C  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

    

Management fees

   1.25 %   1.25 %

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   0.25 %   0.75 %

Other Expenses (3)

   0.49 %   0.49 %
            

Total annual Fund operating expenses (4)

   1.99 %   2.49 %
            

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) The maximum sales charge is a percentage of the offering price. Under certain circumstances, as described in the section titled “Shareholder Information,” the maximum sales charge maybe reduced or waived entirely.

 

  (2) A maximum deferred sales charge of 1% is imposed on Class C shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.

 

6


 

  (3) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Class A and Class C, respectively Class A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (4) The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 2.00% and 2.50%, respectively for Class A and Class C shares of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years*

Class A Shares

         

(same cost whether you sold or held shares)

     $ 788      $ 1,093

Class C Shares

         

If you sold your shares at period’s end

     $ 455      $ 776

If you still held your shares

     $ 353      $ 776

* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

7


SAM SUSTAINABLE CLIMATE FUND

 

 

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Equity Security: A security, such as a stock, representing ownership of a company. Bonds, in comparison, are referred to as fixed-income or debt securities because they represent indebtedness to the bondholder, not ownership.

Market Capitalization: Market capitalization refers to the market value of a company and is calculated by multiplying the number of shares outstanding by the current price per share.

Earnings Growth: The increased rate of growth in a company’s earnings per share from period to period. Security analysts attempt to identify companies with earnings growth potential because a pattern of earnings growth generally causes share prices to increase.

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

Primary Investment Strategies

The Fund pursues its goal by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets (including borrowings for investment purposes) in a carefully selected non-diversified portfolio of equity and equity-related securities issued by U.S. and non-U.S. companies that the Adviser has identified as offering technology, products or services designed to alleviate and delay climate change or help overcome the effects of climate change (“Climate-Related Issuers”). This investment strategy may not be changed without a shareholder vote.

Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, companies in industries such as: (1) carbon light power generation technologies, demand-side energy efficiency, carbon light transportation solutions and emission reduction from land use and sinks (“Climate Mitigation companies”); (2) water infrastructure, coastal infrastructure, knowledge and warning systems and building infrastructure (“Climate Adaptation companies”); and (3) disaster relief and reconstruction (“Climate Response companies”). The Fund defines non-U.S. companies as companies (i) that are organized under the laws of a foreign country; (ii) whose principal trading market is in a foreign country; or (iii) that have a majority of their assets, or that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from businesses, investments or sales, outside of the United States. The Fund generally will be invested in issuers located in countries with developed securities markets but may invest up to 20% of its assets in issuers located in emerging markets.

In selecting portfolio securities for the Fund, the Adviser uses an investment process that features a combination of quantitative and fundamental models. The initial step focuses on development of an investible universe. The universe is evaluated based upon long-term strategic allocations among investment clusters within the investable universe. Fundamental and qualitative models further evaluate stocks from the bottom up focused on fundamental analysis of stocks of individual companies across all geographic regions. The long-term macro view is integrated into the company valuation models. The portfolio construction considers price value discrepancies with “expensive” stocks being underweight, and attractive stocks being overweight. In addition to valuation, general market conditions, market capitalization and liquidity as well as momentum factors are considered in portfolio construction. Allocations to industries, sectors and regions as well as the total risk, active risk and risk factors such as size, momentum, and success are considered in portfolio construction and risk management.

The Adviser integrates “Sustainability” into its investment process. Sustainability as used in this prospectus means seeking economic success, while considering ecological and social objectives. Factors such as corporate strategy, innovation, corporate governance and consideration of the interests of shareholders, employees and other stakeholders are assessed and integrated into company valuations.

The Fund may invest in companies of any market capitalization and currently expects that a significant amount of the Fund’s assets will be invested in micro-, small- and mid-capitalization companies. The Fund may also invest in securities of other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The Fund may invest up to 20% of its assets in equity and equity-linked securities issued by non-Climate-Related Issuers. The Fund may (but is not required to) invest in derivatives in lieu of investing directly in a security, currency or instrument, or for hedging purposes.

While the Adviser intends to fully invest the Fund’s assets at all times in accordance with the above-mentioned policies, the Fund reserves the right to hold up to 100% of its assets, as a temporary defensive measure, in cash and eligible U.S. dollar-denominated money market instruments, such as commercial paper, government obligations and bank obligations issued by U.S. and foreign issuers. When the Fund’s assets are invested in cash or these instruments, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Adviser will determine when market conditions warrant temporary defensive measures.

 

8


 

Key Risks

 

  Ÿ  

At least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will be invested under normal market conditions in a non-diversified portfolio of equity securities, and the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund will change with changes in the market value of its portfolio positions.

 

  Ÿ  

Investors may lose money.

 

  Ÿ  

International investing is subject to special risks, including, but not limited to, currency exchange rate volatility, political, social or economic instability, and differences in taxation, auditing and other financial practices.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is non-diversified. Compared to other funds, the Fund may invest more of its assets in a smaller number of companies. Gains or losses on a single stock may have greater impact on the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in climate-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in such industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries. Consequently, the Fund may tend to be more volatile than other mutual funds, and the value of the Fund’s investments (and consequently the value of an investment in the Fund) may tend to rise and fall more rapidly.

 

  Ÿ  

Climate-Related Issuers may fall out of favor with investors, causing the Fund to lose money or underperform the stock market or funds concentrated in other sectors or industries.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with mid-cap capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large-capitalizations. This is because mid cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of mid cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid mid cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, mid cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of mid cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large cap companies.

 

  Ÿ  

Securities of companies with small capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with mid-cap and large capitalizations. Smaller companies may have limited product lines, markets and financial resources. The prices of small capitalization stocks tend to be more volatile than those of other stocks. Small capitalization stocks are not priced as efficiently as stocks of larger companies. In addition, it may be harder to sell these stocks, especially during a down market or upon the occurrence of adverse company-specific events, which can reduce their selling prices.

 

  Ÿ  

The prices of micro-cap securities are generally even more volatile and their markets are even less liquid relative to small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap securities. Therefore, the Fund may involve considerably more risk of loss and its returns may differ significantly from funds that do not invest in micro-cap securities.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s investments in derivate instruments such as forward currency exchange contracts and participatory notes, which may be leveraged, may result in losses. Investments in derivative instruments may result in losses exceeding the amounts invested.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund’s sustainability investment criteria may limit the number of investment opportunities available to the Fund, and as a result, at times the Fund’s returns may be less than those of funds that are not subject to such special investment considerations. Moreover, companies that promote sustainability goals may not perform as well as companies that do not pursue such goals.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in emerging market securities involves greater risk than that associated with investment in foreign securities of developed foreign countries. These risks include volatile currency exchange rates, periods of high inflation, increased risk of default, greater social, economic and political uncertainty and instability, less governmental supervision and regulation of securities markets, weaker auditing and financial reporting standards, lack of liquidity in the markets, and the significantly smaller market capitalizations of emerging market issuers.

 

  Ÿ  

Investment in foreign securities also involves currency risk associated with securities that trade or are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar and which may be affected by fluctuations in currency exchange rates. An increase in the strength of the U.S. dollar relative to a foreign currency may cause the U.S. dollar value

 

9


 

 

of an investment in that country to decline. Foreign currencies also are subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

 

  Ÿ  

The Fund is subject to the risk of poor stock selection by the Adviser. In other words, the individual stocks in the Fund may not perform as well as expected, and/or the Fund’s portfolio management practices do not work to achieve their desired result.

 

  Ÿ  

The stock markets in which the Fund invests may experience periods of volatility and instability, and may go down. A variety of factors can negatively impact of the value of common stocks. These factors include a number of economic factors such as interest rates as well as non-economic factors such as political events.

 

  Ÿ  

The issuer or guarantor of a money market investment owned by the Fund may default on its payment obligations, become insolvent or have its credit rating downgraded. Obligations of the U.S. government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit. The U.S. government gives no assurances that it will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so. Default in these issuers could negatively impact the Fund.

 

  Ÿ  

The value of money market instruments tends to fall when interest rates rise. Money market instruments are generally less sensitive to interest rate changes than longer-term securities.

Risk/Return Information

The bar chart and performance table have been omitted because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus. The Fund intends to evaluate its performance as compared to that of a broad-based index, the MSCI World Free Index. The MSCI World Free Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure global developed market equity performance.

Expenses and Fees

As a shareholder, you pay certain fees and expenses. The table below describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold Class A or Class C shares of the Fund.

 

     Class A     Class C  

Shareholder Fees

    

Maximum sales charge on purchases (% of offering price)

   5.00% 1     None  

Maximum deferred sales charge (% of purchase price or sale proceeds whichever is lower)

   None     1.00% 2  
   1.00%     1.00%  
     Class A     Class C  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses* (expenses that are deducted from Fund assets)

    

Management fees

   1.25%     1.25%  

Distribution (12b-1) fees

   0.25%     0.75%  

Other expenses (3)

   0.49 %   0.49 %
            

Total annual Fund operating expenses (4)

   1.99 %   2.49 %
            

 

  * Shareholders requesting redemptions by wire are charged a transaction fee of $7.50.

 

  (1) The maximum sales charge is a percentage of the offering price. Under certain circumstances, as described in the section titled “Shareholder Information,” the maximum sales charge maybe reduced or waived entirely.

 

  (2) A maximum deferred sales charge of 1% is imposed on Class C shares redeemed within 12 months of purchase.

 

  (3) Other expenses for the Fund are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year. Other expenses include audit, administration, custody, legal, registration, transfer agency and miscellaneous other charges for the Class A and Class C Class. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year.

 

  (4)

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its advisory fee and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items agreed to by the Fund and the Adviser from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s Total

 

10


 

 

annual Fund operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest or taxes) exceeds 2.00% and 2.50%, respectively for Class A and Class C shares of the Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008.

Example

The example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of each period. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year that the operating expenses of the Fund remain the same, and that you reinvested all dividends and distributions. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

       1 Year      3 Years*

Class A Shares

         

(same cost whether you sold or held shares)

     $ 788      $ 1,093

Class C Shares

         

If you sold your shares at period’s end

     $ 455      $ 776

If you still held your shares

     $ 353      $ 776

 


* The waiver and reimbursement arrangement agreed to by the Adviser, if not extended, will terminate on December 31, 2008. Thus, the 3 Years example reflects the waiver and reimbursement arrangement only for the first year.

 

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUNDS’ INVESTMENTS


This section provides some additional information about the Funds’ investments and certain portfolio management techniques that each Fund may use. More information about the Funds’ investments and portfolio management techniques, some of which entail risks, is included in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).

Additional Information About the Funds’ Investments

Equity and Equity-Related Securities. The equity and equity-related securities in which each Fund will invest include common and preferred stocks, warrants, options, rights, convertible securities, depositary receipts and shares, trust certificates, limited partnership interests, shares of investment companies (including exchange-traded funds (“ ETFs ”) and real estate investment trusts (“ REITs ”)), equity participations, and other equity-related interests and instruments. The number of issuers in the Funds’ portfolios will vary over time.

Portfolio Concentration. Under normal market conditions, each Fund will generally be comprised of a portfolio diversified by country and geographic region. The Sustainable Water Fund and Sustainable Climate Fund will concentrate their investments in equity and equity-related securities issued by Water-Related Issuers and Climate-Related Issuers, respectively.

Foreign Securities. Each Fund will normally invest a significant portion of its assets in the equity securities and equity-related instruments issued by non-U.S. companies and up to 20% of a Fund’s assets may be invested in issuers located in countries with emerging securities markets. A Fund will invest in securities denominated in the currencies of a variety of developed and emerging market countries. Each Fund may also invest in securities, instruments and derivatives denominated in multinational currencies such as the Euro. A Fund will value its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. Unless hedged, currency fluctuations may have a material impact on the performance of a portfolio of non-U.S. dollar-denominated securities and such a portfolio may experience a decline or increase in the value, in U.S. dollar terms, due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. Although SAM generally does not intend to hedge foreign currency exposure in a Fund’s portfolio, it may from time to time do so. Further, the Fund may also from time to time enter into speculative currency positions independent of other positions in the Fund’s portfolio.

Each Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”).

Each Fund may also invest in participatory notes. Participatory notes (commonly known as “P-notes”) are derivative instruments used by foreign funds and investors to take positions in certain foreign securities. P-notes are generally issued by the associates of foreign brokerages and domestic institutional brokerages. P-notes represent interests in securities listed on certain foreign exchanges and, thus, present similar risks to investing directly in such securities. P-notes also expose investors to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the entity issuing the note may not be able to honor its financial commitments.

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, water-related industries, events or factors affecting companies in water-related industries will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Water-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Water-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Some Water-Related Issuers may be influenced by technological changes. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Water-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Water-Related Issuers bear higher research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Water-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have limited

 

12


 

operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Water-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Because the Fund focuses its investments in companies that directly or indirectly have exposure to, or otherwise derive benefits from trends in, industries with exposure to climate change, events or factors affecting companies in climate change industries (i.e., climate mitigation, climate adaptation and climate response) will have a greater effect on, and may more adversely affect, the Fund than they would with respect to a fund that is more diversified among a number of unrelated sectors and industries.

Climate-Related Issuers may be particularly susceptible to such factors as environmental protection regulatory actions, other international political and economic developments, changes in government subsidy levels, environmental conservation practices, changes in taxation and other government regulations, and increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulations. There are substantial differences between the environmental and other regulatory practices and policies in various jurisdictions, and any given regulatory agency may make major shifts in policy from time to time. Other economic and market developments that may significantly affect Climate-Related Issuers include, without limitation, inflation, rising interest rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, raw material costs and other operating costs, and competition from new entrants into the sector.

Many Climate-Related Issuers are newly developing and are strongly influenced by technological changes. Climate-Related Issuers can be significantly affected by the level and volatility of technological change in industries focusing on pollution and environmental control. In particular, technological advances can render an existing product, which may account for a substantial portion of a company’s revenue, obsolete. Product development efforts by Climate-Related Issuers may not result in viable commercial products, and some Climate-Related Issuers bear high research and development costs, which can limit their ability to maintain operations during periods of organizational growth or instability. Some Climate-Related Issuers are in the early stages of operation and may have limited operating histories and smaller market capitalizations on average than companies in other sectors and industries. As a result of these and other factors, the value of investments in Climate-Related Issuers tends may be more volatile than that of companies in other sectors and industries.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

Each Fund’s complete portfolio holdings are publicly available at www.robecoinvest.com as of each calendar quarter (March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31) 60 days following the quarter end. Any postings will remain available on the website at least until the Funds file with the SEC their semi-annual or annual shareholder report or quarterly portfolio holdings report that includes such period. A further description of the Company’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities is available in the Funds’ SAI.

 

13


 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS


Investment Adviser

Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), located at 909 Third Avenue, 32 nd fl, New York, NY 10022, provides investment advisory services to the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund. SAM is an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management, Inc., and a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch public limited liability company (“Robeco Groep”). Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations.

The Adviser provides investment management and investment advisory services to other institutional and proprietary accounts. As of May 31, 2007, Robeco Groep, through its investment management subsidiaries, had approximately $200 billion in assets under management.

Subject to the general supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Adviser manages the Funds’ portfolios and is responsible for the selection and management of all portfolio investments of the Funds in accordance with the Funds’ investment objectives and policies.

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement with the Company, the Adviser is entitled to an advisory fee at the annual rate of 1.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets, computed daily and payable monthly. A discussion regarding the Board of Directors’ basis for approving the investment advisory agreement with respect to the Funds will be available in the Funds’ semi-annual report for the period ending February 28, 2008.

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent necessary to limit total annual operating expenses of the SAM Sustainable Water Fund and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund to     % and     %, respectively for Class A and Class C shares of each Fund’s average daily net assets through December 31, 2008. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2008.

Portfolio Managers

The investment results for different strategies of the Adviser are not solely dependent on any one individual. There is a common philosophy and approach that is the backdrop for all of the investment strategies of the Adviser. This philosophy is then executed through a very disciplined investment process managed by the designated portfolio manager for each of the strategies. This manager will be supported, not only by a secondary manager, but by the Adviser’s general research staff and, very often, by dedicated analysts to the particular strategy.

The SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio managers and the portfolio managers’ ownership of securities in the Funds.

The persons responsible for the day-to-day management of each Fund’s portfolio are listed below. The portfolio managers are supported by a team of analysts and an advisory board of experts.

Dieter Küffer, CFA – Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Küffer serves as the senior portfolio manager for the Sustainable Water Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“ SAM AG ”), since 2001. Prior to that Mr. Küffer led an institutional asset management team at UBS Asset Management in Zurich that was in charge of client equity mandates in Switzerland from 1994-2001. Mr. Küffer started his career at UBS in the Private Banking Division. Mr. Küffer holds a federal diploma as a Swiss-Certified Banking Expert. Mr. Küffer has a total of 19 years experience.

Rainer Baumann, CFA – Deputy Senior Portfolio Manager

Mr. Baumann serves as deputy senior portfolio manager for each Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“ SAM AG ”), since 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Baumann was a portfolio manager for UBS AG where he was responsible for the management of private mandates and was a member of the investment committee in Europe. He started his career as an assistant in the bank audit department at PricewaterhouseCoopers and has a total of 9 years experience. Mr. Baumann is a chartered financial analyst and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Zurich.

Dr. Thiemo Lang, Senior Portfolio Manager

Thiemo Lang serves as senior portfolio manager of the Sustainable Climate Fund. He has been dually employed by SAM and SAM Group Holding AG, SAM’s parent company (“SAM AG”), since 2007. From 2005-2007, Dr. Lang was Portfolio Manager of the Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch et Cie. (LODH) technology fund called “Infology,” where he focused on companies in the fields of energy technologies and new materials. From 1999-2005, he was technol-

 

14


 

ogy analyst and then portfolio manager at Activest (HypoVereinsbank/Unicredit) in Munich. Alongside the (co-)management of various mutual and institutional funds, he was responsible for the conception and the launch of the “Activest Lux NanoTech.” He has a total of 8 years experience. Dr. Lang earned a PhD in Electronics/Photonics from the Polytechnic Institute of Technology (INPG), Grenoble/France, and a Diploma degree (MSc) of Electronics from the University of Stuttgart/Germany.

Marketing Arrangements

The Adviser may pay compensation, out of its own funds and not as an expense of the Funds, to certain brokerage firms, investment advisers or financial institutions in connection with the sale or retention of shares of the Funds and/or shareholder servicing. The Statement of Additional Information provides additional information about these revenue sharing arrangements.

 

15


Other Service Providers

The following chart shows the Funds’ service providers and includes their addresses and principal activities.

LOGO

 

16


SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION


Choosing a Share Class

This prospectus offers two share classes, each with its own cost structure. The funds have two other share classes, which are offered through separate prospectuses. See “Multi-Class Structure” in this Prospectus for more information.

Before investing, you may want to compare the different share classes. You can also ask your financial advisor to help you choose the share class that best suits your situation.

Each fund has adopted a 12b-1 plan that allows its Class A and Class C shares each to pay, out of its respective assets, a distribution fee, as defined by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD). The maximum annual fees for each share class are:

 

     Class A     Class C  

Distribution

   0.25 %   0.75 %

Because 12b-1 fees are paid on an ongoing basis, over time they increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

Your financial representative may be paid a dealer reallowance when you buy shares and may receive different levels of compensation depending upon which class of shares you buy. In addition to these payments, the fund’s adviser or distributor may provide compensation to financial representatives for distribution, administrative and promotional services.

The table below lists the main features of each share class. It’s only a summary — be sure to read the more complete information that follows, especially the details of sales charges and the information on how to reduce or eliminate them.

Sales Charges

 

Class A

   Class C

Ÿ May make sense for long-term shareholders, especially those who are investing larger sums or are otherwise eligible for reduced sales charges.

  

Ÿ No charges when you buy shares

Ÿ Sales charge of up to 5.00% when you buy shares; charges are less for larger investments

  

Ÿ Contingent Deferred Sales Charge (CDSC) of 1.00% when you sell shares within one year of buying them

Ÿ In most cases, no charges when you sell shares

  

Ÿ Higher annual expenses than Class A shares

Ÿ On investments of $1 million or more, contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) of 1.00% when you sell shares within one year of buying them

  

Ÿ Shares never convert to Class A; higher annual expenses remain in effect for as long as you own your shares

Class A Shares

Class A shares have a sales charge, which varies based on the amount you invest and the type of fund you’re investing in:

Front-End Sales Charges

If you invest

   This much
is deducted
   

Equaling approximately

this much of

your net investment

Up to $99,999

   5.00 %   5.26%

$100,000–$249,999

   3.75 %   3.91%

$250,000–$499,999

   2.75 %   2.81%

$500,000–$999,999

   2.25 %   2.29%

$1 million or more

   None    

Sales Charge Reductions

You may be able to lower your Class A sales charges if you qualify under any of the following methods.

Note that while each of these methods can be used by itself, they can also be combined. In addition, the assets and investment activities of your immediate family members can, in certain circumstances, be counted for purposes of determining your eligibility for a reduction.

 

17


 

Specifically, reductions can be applied to any combined purchases made by you and your immediate family when buying shares for accounts held by you or your immediate family, or for any qualified pension plan, profit-sharing plan, or other fiduciary account, for the benefit of you or your immediate family.

Quantity Discount You make a lump-sum investment of $100,000 or more in Class A shares. (See the table above for break points for sales charges.)

Rights of Accumulation You may add the value of any Class A shares already owned to the amount you’re investing, as long as sales charges were paid on those shares. For example, a shareholder owning Class A shares currently worth $99,000 would be eligible for a sales charge reduction on the next investment of $1,000 or more.

Letter of Intent You plan to invest $100,000 or more in Class A shares over any 13-month period. By signing a letter of intent, you will receive the same sales charge as if you had invested all of the money at one time. A letter of intent is not binding, but if you do not end up investing the full amount, you will be charged the difference (if any) between the sales charge you received under the letter of intent and the sales charge you otherwise would have been charged on the amount you actually invested. The funds will hold in escrow 5% of the value of your total intended purchase, and may sell these shares if you do not pay any sales charge difference owed within 20 days of being notified that payment is due.

Class C Shares

Class C shares have no up-front sales charges. Instead, they have higher yearly expenses, and also a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) on shares you sell within one year of buying them:

Deferred Sales Charges

If you sell shares

during the

first year

   this much is deducted
from your proceeds

1.00%

second year or later

   None

Sales Charge Waivers

You won’t be charged a CDSC when you sell Class C shares:

 

  Ÿ  

that you bought with reinvested dividends or capital gains distributions

 

  Ÿ  

that you sell at least one year after purchase

 

  Ÿ  

as an allowable distribution from a qualified retirement plan

 

  Ÿ  

in connection with the death or disability of the shareholder

 

  Ÿ  

under a Systematic Withdrawal Plan that liquidates less than 10% of account assets a year

 

  Ÿ  

to correct an excess contribution to a qualified retirement plan

Pricing of Fund Shares

The price you pay or receive when you buy, sell or exchange shares is the Funds’ next determined net asset value (“NAV”) for a share class (as adjusted for any applicable sales charge). Each class calculates its NAV as follows:

 

    Value of Assets Attributable to the Class

NAV  =

    Value of Liabilities Attributable to the Class
     
    Number of Outstanding Shares of the Class

Each Fund’s NAV is calculated once daily at the close of regular trading hours on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on each day the NYSE is open. The NYSE is generally open Monday through Friday, except national holidays. The Fund will effect purchases of Fund shares at the NAV next determined after receipt of your order or request in proper form. The Fund will effect redemptions of Fund shares at the NAV next calculated after receipt of your order in proper form.

A Fund’s equity securities listed on any national or foreign exchange market system will be valued at the last sale price, except for the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (“NASDAQ”). Equity securities listed on NASDAQ will be valued at the official closing price. Equity securities traded in the over-the-counter

 

18


 

market are valued at their closing prices. If there were no transactions on that day, securities traded principally on an exchange or on NASDAQ will be valued at the mean of the last bid and ask prices prior to the market close. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. Fixed income securities having a remaining maturity of greater than 60 days are valued using an independent pricing service. When prices are not available from such securities or are deemed to be unreliable, securities may be valued by dealers who make markets in such securities. Foreign securities, currencies and other securities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate of such currencies against the U.S. dollar provided by a pricing service. All assets denominated in foreign currencies will be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the time of valuation. If a Fund holds foreign equity securities, the calculation of the Fund’s NAV will not occur at the same time as the determination of the value of the foreign equities securities in the Fund’s portfolio, since these securities are traded on foreign exchanges.

If market quotations are unavailable or deemed unreliable, securities will be valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. In addition, the prices of foreign securities may be affected by events that occur after the close of a foreign market but before a Fund prices its shares. In such instances, a foreign security may be fair valued in accordance with procedures adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors. Relying on prices supplied by pricing services or dealers or using fair valuation involves the risk that the values used by a Fund to price its investments may be higher or lower than the values used by other investment companies and investors to price the same investments.

Investments in other open-end investment companies are valued based on the NAV of those investment companies (which may use fair value pricing as discussed in their prospectuses).

How the Funds calculate deferred sales charges When you sell shares that have a contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), the Funds calculate CDSC as a percentage of what you paid for the shares or the amount at which you’re selling them — whichever results in the lower charge to you. In processing your orders to sell shares, the Funds sell the shares with the lowest CDSC first.

Exchanges from one fund into another do not affect your CDSC. The CDSC for any share you sell is based on the date you originally invested that money with Robeco Investment Funds.

There are certain cases in which you may be exempt from a CDSC, including shares that are sold:

 

  Ÿ  

in connection with the death or disability of an account owner (including a joint owner)

 

  Ÿ  

through an automatic withdrawal plan that is withdrawing less than 10% per year of your total account value

 

  Ÿ  

in connection with certain retirement or benefit plans

 

  Ÿ  

for certain loan advances, hardship provisions, or returns of excess contributions to a tax-advantaged investment plan

In each of these cases, there are other provisions that apply. To find out if you are eligible for a waiver, call [                ] or speak with your financial advisor.

Market Timing

In accordance with the policy adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, the Company discourages market timing and other excessive trading practices. Purchases should be made with a view to longer-term investment only. Excessive short-term (market timing) trading practices may disrupt portfolio management strategies, increase brokerage and administrative costs, harm Fund performance and result in dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders. The Company and the Adviser reserve the right to reject or restrict purchase requests from any investor. The Company and the Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from rejected purchase orders. To minimize harm to the Company and its shareholders (or the Adviser), the Company (or the Adviser) will exercise their right if, in the Company’s (or the Adviser’s) judgment, an investor has a history of excessive trading or if an investor’s trading, in the judgment of the Company or the Adviser, has been or may be disruptive to a Fund. No waivers of the provisions of the policy established to detect and deter market timing and other excessive trading activity are permitted that would harm the Fund and its shareholders or would subordinate the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to those of the Adviser or any affiliated person or associated person of the Adviser.

To deter excessive shareholder trading, each Fund generally limits the number of exchanges to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). For further information on redemptions and exchanges, please see the sections titled “Shareholder Information — Redemption of Fund Shares” and “Shareholder Information — Exchange Privilege.”

 

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Pursuant to the policy adopted by the Board of Directors, the Adviser has developed criteria that it uses to identify trading activity that may be excessive. The Adviser reviews on a regular, periodic basis available information related to the trading activity in a Fund in order to assess the likelihood that the Fund may be the target of excessive trading. As part of its excessive trading surveillance process, the Adviser, on a periodic basis, examines transactions that exceed certain monetary thresholds or numerical limits within a period of time. If, in its judgment, the Adviser detects excessive, short-term trading, the Adviser may reject or restrict a purchase request and may further seek to close an investor’s account with the Fund. The Adviser may modify its surveillance procedures and criteria from time to time without prior notice regarding the detection of excessive trading or to address specific circumstances. The Adviser will apply the criteria in a manner that, in the Adviser’s judgment, will be uniform. There is no assurance that the Adviser will be able to identify market timers, particularly if they are investing through intermediaries.

Purchase of Fund Shares

Shares representing interests in the Funds are offered continuously for sale by PFPC Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”). The Board of Directors has approved a Distribution Agreement and adopted a separate Plan of Distribution for the shares (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the Plan, the Distributor is entitled to receive from the Funds a distribution fee with respect to the Shares, which is accrued daily and paid monthly, of up to 0.25% on an annualized basis of the average daily net assets of the Shares. The actual amount of such compensation under the Plan is agreed upon by the Company’s Board of Directors and by the Distributor. Because these fees are paid out of the Funds’ assets 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.

Amounts paid to the Distributor under the Plan may be used by the Distributor to cover expenses that are related to (i) the sale of the Shares, (ii) ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders, and (iii) sub-transfer agency services, subaccounting services or administrative services related to the sale of the Shares, all as set forth in the Funds’ 12b-1 Plan. Ongoing servicing and/or maintenance of the accounts of shareholders may include updating and mailing prospectuses and shareholder reports, responding to inquiries regarding shareholder accounts and acting as agent or intermediary between shareholders and the Funds or their service providers. The Distributor may delegate some or all of these functions to Service Organizations. See “Purchases Through Intermediaries” below.

The Plan obligates the Funds, during the period it is in effect, to accrue and pay to the Distributor on behalf of the Shares the fee agreed to under the Distribution Agreement. Payments under the Plan are not tied exclusively to expenses actually incurred by the Distributor, and the payments may exceed distribution expenses actually incurred.

Purchases Through Intermediaries. Shares of the Funds may be available through certain brokerage firms, financial institutions and other industry professionals (collectively, “Service Organizations”). Certain features of the Shares, such as the initial and subsequent investment minimums and certain trading restrictions, may be modified or waived by Service Organizations. Service Organizations may impose transaction or administrative charges or other direct fees, which charges and fees would not be imposed if Shares are purchased directly from the Company. Therefore, you should contact the Service Organization acting on your behalf concerning the fees (if any) charged in connection with a purchase or redemption of Shares and should read this Prospectus in light of the terms governing your accounts with the Service Organization. Service Organizations will be responsible for promptly transmitting client or customer purchase and redemption orders to the Company in accordance with their agreements with the Company and with clients or customers. Service Organizations or, if applicable, their designees that have entered into agreements with the Company or its agent may enter confirmed purchase orders on behalf of clients and customers, with payment to follow no later than the Company’s pricing on the following Business Day. If payment is not received by such time, the Service Organization could be held liable for resulting fees or losses. The Company will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when a Service Organization, or, if applicable, its authorized designee, accepts a purchase or redemption order in good order if the order is actually received by the Company in good order not later than the next business morning. If a purchase order is not received by the Fund in good order, PFPC Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”) will contact the financial intermediary to determine the status of the purchase order. Orders received by the Company in good order will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after they are deemed to have been received by the Service Organization or its authorized designee.

The Company relies upon the integrity of Service Organizations to ensure that orders are timely and properly submitted. Each Fund cannot assure you that a Service Organization properly submitted to it all purchase and redemption orders received from the Service Organization’s customers before the time for determination of the Fund’s NAV in order to obtain that day’s price.

For administration, subaccounting, transfer agency and/or other services, the Adviser, the Distributor or their affiliates may pay Service Organizations and certain recordkeeping organizations a fee (the “Service Fee”) of the average

 

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annual NAV of accounts with the Company maintained by such Service Organizations or recordkeepers. The Service Fee payable to any one Service Organization is determined based upon a number of factors, including the nature and quality of services provided, the operations processing requirements of the relationship and the standardized fee schedule of the Service Organization or recordkeeper.

General. You may also purchase Shares of each Fund at the NAV per share next calculated after your order is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form as described below. After an initial purchase is made, the Transfer Agent will set up an account for you on the Company records. The minimum initial investment in any Fund is $2,500 and the minimum additional investment is $100. The minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements may be reduced or waived from time to time. For purposes of meeting the minimum initial purchase, purchases by clients which are part of endowments, foundations or other related groups may be combined. You can only purchase Shares of the Fund on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Adviser and its subsidiaries and by their spouses and children either directly or through any trust that has the principal, employee, spouse or child as the primary beneficiaries, their individual retirement accounts, or any pension and profit-sharing plan of the Adviser and its subsidiaries without being subject to the minimum investment limitations.

Initial Investment By Mail. An account may be opened by completing and signing the application included with this Prospectus and mailing it to the Transfer Agent at the address noted below, together with a check ($2,500 minimum) payable to the Fund in which you would like to invest. Third party checks will not be accepted.

 

Regular Mail:   Overnight Mail:
[name of Fund]   [name of Fund]
c/o PFPC Inc.  

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816  

101 Sabin Street

Providence, RI 02940  

Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

The name of the Fund to be purchased should be designated on the application and should appear on the check. Payment for the purchase of Shares received by mail will be credited to a shareholder’s account at the NAV per share of the Fund next determined after receipt of payment in good order.

Initial Investment By Wire. Shares of each Fund may be purchased by wiring federal funds to PNC Bank, N.A. (see instructions below). A completed application must be forwarded to the Transfer Agent at the address noted above under “Initial Investment by Mail” in advance of the wire. For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. (Prior notification must also be received from investors with existing accounts.) Request account information and routing instructions by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073. Funds should be wired to:

PNC Bank, N.A.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103

ABA# 0310-0005-3

Account # 86-1108-2507

F/B/O [name of fund]

Ref. (Account Number)

Shareholder or Account Name

Federal funds wire purchases will be accepted only on days when the NYSE and PNC Bank, N.A. are open for business.

Additional Investments. Additional investments may be made at any time (minimum additional investment $100) by purchasing Shares of any Fund at the NAV per Share of the Fund by mailing a check to the Transfer Agent at the address noted under “Initial Investment by Mail” (payable to [name of Fund]) or by wiring monies to PNC Bank, N.A. as outlined under “Initial Investment by Wire.” For each Fund, notification must be given to the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 prior to 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the wire date. Initial and additional purchases made by check cannot be redeemed until payment of the purchase has been collected. This may take up to 15 calendar days.

Automatic Investment Plan. Additional investments in Shares of the Funds may be made automatically by authorizing the Transfer Agent to withdraw funds from your bank account through an Automatic Investment Plan ($100 minimum). Investors desiring to participate in an Automatic Investment Plan should call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073.

Retirement Plans. Shares may be purchased in conjunction with individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”) and rollover IRAs. A $15.00 custodial maintenance fee is charged per IRA account per year. For further information as to applications and annual fees, contact the Transfer Agent at (888) 261- 4073. To determine whether the benefits of an IRA are available and/or appropriate, you should consult with a tax advisor.

 

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Other Purchase Information. The Company reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to suspend the offering of Shares or to reject purchase orders when, in the judgment of management, such suspension or rejection is in the best interests of the Funds. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser will monitor each Fund’s total assets and may decide to close any of the Funds at any time to new investments or to new accounts due to concerns that a significant increase in the size of a Fund may adversely affect the implementation of the Fund’s strategy. Subject to Board of Directors’ discretion, the Adviser may also choose to reopen a closed Fund to new investments at any time, and may subsequently close such Fund again should concerns regarding the Fund’s size recur. If a Fund closes to new investments, generally the closed Fund would be offered only to certain existing shareholders of the Fund and certain other persons, who are generally subject to cumulative, maximum purchase amounts, as follows:

 

  a. Persons who already hold Shares of the closed Fund directly or through accounts maintained by brokers by arrangement with the Company,

 

  b. Existing and future clients of financial advisers and planners whose clients already hold Shares of the closed Fund,

 

  c. Employees of the Adviser and their spouses, parents and children, and

 

  d. Directors of the Company.

Other persons who are shareholders of other Robeco Funds are not permitted to acquire Shares of the closed Fund by exchange. Distributions to all shareholders of the closed Fund will continue to be reinvested unless a shareholder elects otherwise. The Adviser, subject to the Board of Directors’ discretion, reserves the right to implement other purchase limitations at the time of closing, including limitations on current shareholders.

Purchases of the Funds’ Shares will be made in full and fractional shares of the Fund calculated to three decimal places.

The Company’s officers are authorized to waive the minimum initial and subsequent investment requirements.

Good Order. You must include complete and accurate required information on your purchase request. Please see “Purchase of Fund Shares” for instructions. Purchase requests not in good order may be rejected.

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

Redemption of Fund Shares

Normally, your investment firm will send your request to redeem Shares to the Fund’s transfer agent. Consult your investment professional for more information. You can redeem some or all of your Fund shares directly through the Fund only if the account is registered in your name. All IRA shareholders must complete an IRA withdrawal form to redeem shares from their IRA account.

You may redeem Shares of the Funds at the next NAV calculated after a redemption request is received by the Transfer Agent in proper form. You can only redeem Shares on days the NYSE is open and through the means described below.

You may redeem Shares of each Fund by mail, or, if you are authorized, by telephone. The value of Shares redeemed may be more or less than the purchase price, depending on the market value of the investment securities held by a Fund. There is generally no charge for a redemption. However, with the exception of defined contribution plans, if a shareholder redeems Shares held for less than 60 days, a transaction fee of 1% of the NAV of the Shares redeemed at the time of redemption will be charged. For purposes of this redemption feature, Shares purchased first will be considered to be Shares first redeemed.

Redemption By Mail. Your redemption requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940; for overnight delivery, requests should be addressed to [name of Fund], c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427 and must include:

 

  a. Name of the Fund;

 

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  b. Account number;

 

  c. Your share certificates, if any, properly endorsed or with proper powers of attorney;

 

  d. A letter of instruction specifying the number of Shares or dollar amount to be redeemed, signed by all registered owners of the Shares in the exact names in which they are registered;

 

  e. Medallion signature guarantees are required when (i) the redemption proceeds are to be sent to someone other than the registered shareholder(s) or (ii) the redemption request is for $10,000 or more. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, broker, dealer, clearing agency or savings association who are participants in a Medallion Program recognized by the Securities Transfer Association. The three recognized Medallion Programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Program (MSP). Signature guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable; and

 

  f. Other supporting legal documents, if required, in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, pension and profit sharing plans and other organizations.

Redemption By Telephone. In order to request a telephone redemption, you must have returned your account application containing a telephone election. To add a telephone redemption option to an existing account, contact the Transfer Agent by calling (888) 261-4073. Please note that IRA accounts are not eligible for telephone redemption.

Once you are authorized to utilize the telephone redemption option, a redemption of Shares may be requested by calling the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 and requesting that the redemption proceeds be mailed to the primary registration address or wired per the authorized instructions. A wire charge of $7.50 is assessed and charged to the shareholder. If the telephone redemption option or the telephone exchange option is authorized, the Transfer Agent may act on telephone instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be a shareholder and believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Transfer Agent’s records of such instructions are binding and shareholders, not the Company or the Transfer Agent, bear the risk of loss in the event of unauthorized instructions reasonably believed by the Company or the Transfer Agent to be genuine. The Company and the Transfer Agent will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated are genuine and, if it does not, it may be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. The procedures employed by the Company and the Transfer Agent in connection with transactions initiated by telephone include tape recording of telephone instructions and requiring some form of personal identification prior to acting upon instructions received by telephone.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan. If your account has a value of at least $10,000, you may establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan and receive regular periodic payments. A request to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan must be submitted in writing to the Transfer Agent at P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940. Each withdrawal redemption will be processed on or about the 25th of the month and mailed as soon as possible thereafter. There are no service charges for maintenance; the minimum amount that you may withdraw each period is $100. (This is merely the minimum amount allowed and should not be mistaken for a recommended amount.) The holder of a Systematic Withdrawal Plan will have any income dividends and any capital gains distributions reinvested in full and fractional shares at NAV. To provide funds for payment, Shares will be redeemed in such amounts as are necessary at the redemption price. The systematic withdrawal of Shares may reduce or possibly exhaust the Shares in your account, particularly in the event of a market decline. As with other redemptions, a systematic withdrawal payment is a sale for federal income tax purposes. Payments made pursuant to a Systematic Withdrawal Plan cannot be considered as actual yield or income since part of such payments may be a return of capital.

You will ordinarily not be allowed to make additional investments of less than the aggregate annual withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan during the time you have the plan in effect and, while a Systematic Withdrawal Plan is in effect, you may not make periodic investments under the Automatic Investment Plan. You will receive a confirmation of each transaction and the Share and cash balance remaining in your plan. The plan may be terminated on written notice by the shareholder or by a Fund and will terminate automatically if all Shares are liquidated or withdrawn from the account or upon the death or incapacity of the shareholder. You may change the amount and schedule of withdrawal payments or suspend such payments by giving written notice to the Funds’ transfer agent at least ten Business Days prior to the end of the month preceding a scheduled payment.

Involuntary Redemption. The Funds reserve the right to redeem a shareholder’s account in any Fund at any time the value of the account in such Fund falls below $500 as the result of a redemption or an exchange request. Shareholders will be notified in writing that the value of their account in a Fund is less than $500 and will be allowed 30 days to make additional investments before the redemption is processed.

 

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Other Redemption Information. Redemption proceeds for Shares of the Funds recently purchased by check may not be distributed until payment for the purchase has been collected, which may take up to fifteen days from the purchase date. Shareholders can avoid this delay by utilizing the wire purchase option.

Other than as described above, payment of the redemption proceeds will be made within seven days after receipt of an order for a redemption. The Company may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date at times when the NYSE is closed or under any emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC.

If the Board of Directors determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Funds to make payment wholly or partly in cash, redemption proceeds may be paid in whole or in part by an in-kind distribution of readily marketable securities held by a Fund instead of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors generally will incur brokerage charges on the sale of portfolio securities so received in the payment of redemptions. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act, so that a Fund is obligated to redeem its Shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of a Fund.

Proper Form. You must include complete and accurate required information on your redemption request. Please see “Redemption of Fund Shares” for instructions. Redemption requests not in proper form may be delayed.

Exchange Privilege

The exchange privilege is available to shareholders residing in any state in which the Shares being acquired may be legally sold. A shareholder may exchange Class A or Class C Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund for Class A or Class C Shares of another Robeco Investment Fund, up to six (6) times per year (one exchange per calendar month). Such an exchange will be effected at the NAV of the exchanged Class A or Class C Shares and the NAV of the Class A or Class C Shares to be acquired next determined after PFPC’s receipt of a request for an exchange. An exchange of Fund Shares held for less than one year with the exception of Shares purchased through dividend reinvestment or the reinvestment of capital gains will be subject to a transaction fee of 1.00%. An exchange of Shares will be treated as a sale for federal income tax purposes. A shareholder may make an exchange by sending a written request to the Transfer Agent or, if authorized, by telephone (see “Redemption by Telephone” above). Defined contribution plans are not subject to the above exchange limitations, including any applicable redemption fee.

If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own Class A or Class C Shares of the Fund, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options as the account from which Shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed. See “Redemption by Mail” for information on signature guarantees. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time, or from time to time, by the Funds, upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into a new account in a Fund, the dollar value of the Shares acquired must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for a new account. If a shareholder wants to exchange shares into an existing account, the dollar value of the shares must equal or exceed the Fund’s minimum investment requirement for additional investments. If an amount remains in the Fund from which the exchange is being made that is below the minimum account value required, the account will be subject to involuntary redemption.

The Funds’ exchange privilege is not intended to afford shareholders a way to speculate on short-term movements in the market. Accordingly, in order to prevent excessive use of the exchange privilege, which may potentially disrupt the management of the Funds and increase transaction costs, the Funds have established a policy of limiting excessive exchange activity. Shareholders are entitled to six (6) exchange redemptions (one exchange per calendar month) from each Fund during any twelve-month period. Notwithstanding these limitations, the Funds reserve the right to reject any purchase request (including exchange purchases from other Robeco Investment Funds) that is deemed to be disruptive to efficient portfolio management.

Dividends and Distributions

Each Fund will distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, to its shareholders. All distributions are reinvested in the form of additional full and fractional Shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects otherwise.

The Funds will declare and pay dividends from net investment income annually. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gains), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually. The estimated amount of any annual distribution will be posted to Robeco’s website at www.robecoinvest.com or a free copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

 

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The Funds may pay additional distributions and dividends at other times if necessary for the Fund to avoid U.S. federal tax. The Funds’ distributions and dividends, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional Fund Shares, are subject to U.S. federal income tax.

Taxes

The following is a summary of certain United States tax considerations relevant under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. Except where otherwise indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual United States citizens or residents. You should consult your tax adviser for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation.

Federal Taxes. Each Fund contemplates distributing as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income, including its net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss). Except as otherwise discussed below, you will be subject to federal income tax on Fund distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Fund distributions attributable to short-term capital gains and net investment income will generally be taxable to you as ordinary income, except as discussed below.

Distributions attributable to the net capital gain of a Fund will be taxable to you as long-term capital gain, no matter how long you have owned your Fund shares. The maximum long-term capital gain rate applicable to individuals, estates, and trusts is currently 15%. You will be notified annually of the tax status of distributions to you.

Distributions of “qualifying dividends” will also generally be taxable to you at long-term capital gain rates, as long as certain requirements are met. In general, if 95% or more of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of dividends received from domestic corporations or “qualified” foreign corporations (“qualifying dividends”), then all distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be taxed at long-term capital gains rates. But if less than 95% of the gross income of a Fund (other than net capital gain) consists of qualifying dividends, then distributions paid by the Fund to individual shareholders will be qualifying dividends only to the extent they are derived from qualifying dividends earned by the Fund. For the lower rates to apply, you must have owned your Fund shares for at least 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the Fund’s ex-dividend date (and the Fund will need to have met a similar holding period requirement with respect to the shares of the corporation paying the qualifying dividend). The amount of a Fund’s distributions that qualify for this favorable treatment may be reduced as a result of the Fund’s securities lending activities (if any), a high portfolio turnover rate or investments in debt securities or “non-qualified” foreign corporations.

Distributions from a Fund will generally be taxable to you in the taxable year in which they are paid, with one exception. Distributions declared by a Fund in October, November or December and paid in January of the following year are taxed as though they were paid on December 31.

A portion of distributions paid by a Fund to shareholders that are corporations may also qualify for the dividends-received deduction for corporations, subject to certain holding period requirements and debt financing limitations.

If you purchase shares just before a distribution, the purchase price will reflect the amount of the upcoming distribution, but you will be taxed on the entire amount of the distribution received, even though, as an economic matter, the distribution simply constitutes a return of capital. This is known as “buying into a dividend.”

Sales and Exchanges. You will generally recognize taxable gain or loss for federal income tax purposes on a sale, exchange or redemption of your shares, including an exchange for shares of another Fund, based on the difference between your tax basis in the shares and the amount you receive for them. Generally, you will recognize long-term capital gain or loss if you have held your Fund shares for over twelve months at the time you sell or exchange them. (To aid in computing your tax basis, you should retain your account statements for the periods during which you held shares.)

Any loss realized on shares held for six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends that were received on the shares. Additionally, any loss realized on a sale or redemption of shares of a Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the shares disposed of are replaced with other shares of the 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 a Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an adjustment to the basis of the shares acquired.

IRAs and Other Tax-Qualified Plans. The one major exception to the preceding tax principles is that distributions on, and sales, exchanges and redemptions of, shares held in an IRA (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be currently taxable.

Backup Withholding. The Funds may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the Internal Revenue Service a percentage of taxable dividends or gross proceeds realized upon sale payable to shareholders who have failed

 

25


 

to provide a correct tax identification number in the manner required, or who are subject to withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to properly include on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or who have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so or that they are “exempt recipients.” The current withholding rate is 28%.

U.S. Tax Treatment of Foreign shareholders. Distributions by a Fund to a nonresident alien individual, nonresident alien fiduciary of a trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership (a “foreign shareholder”) will generally be subject to U.S. withholding tax (at a rate of 30% or a lower treaty rate), unless one of the following exceptions applies. Withholding will not apply if a distribution paid by a Fund to a foreign shareholder is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business of the shareholder, in which case the reporting and withholding requirements applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations will apply. Distributions of capital gains (aside from capital gains on REIT shares) are not subject to withholding tax, but in the case of a foreign shareholder who is a nonresident alien individual, such distributions ordinarily may be subject to U.S. income tax if the individual is physically present in the U.S. for more than 182 days during the taxable year. In addition, foreign shareholders who are prepared to file U.S. federal income tax returns should generally be able to obtain a refund of any withholding taxes deducted from distributions attributable to interest earned by the Fund from U.S. sources.

State and Local Taxes. You may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of a Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities. You should consult your tax adviser regarding the tax status of distributions in your state and locality.

Sunset of Tax Provisions. Some of the tax provisions described above are subject to sunset provisions. Specifically, a sunset provision provides that the 15% long-term capital gain rate and the taxation of dividends at the long-term capital gain rate will change after 2010. Additionally, the provision exempting foreign shareholders from tax on distributions of short-term capital gains and portfolio interest is scheduled to sunset for the Funds’ taxable years beginning after December 31, 2007.

More information about taxes is contained in the SAI.

Multi-Class Structure

Each Fund also offers Institutional Class shares, which are offered directly to institutional investors without distribution fees in a separate prospectus, and Investor Class shares, also offered through a separate prospectus. Shares of each class of a Fund represent equal pro rata interests in the Fund and accrue dividends and calculate NAV and performance quotations in the same manner. The performance of each class is quoted separately due to different actual expenses. The total return on Class A or Class C Shares of a Fund can be expected to differ from the total return on Institutional Class shares or Investor Class shares of the same Fund. Information concerning Institutional Class or Investor Class shares of the Funds can be requested by calling the Funds at (888) 261-4073.

NO PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS OR IN THE FUNDS’ SAI INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE, IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING MADE BY THIS PROSPECTUS AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH REPRESENTATIONS MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ITS DISTRIBUTOR. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFERING BY THE COMPANY OR BY THE DISTRIBUTOR IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFERING MAY NOT LAWFULLY BE MADE.

 

26


 

[TO BE UPDATED]

 

LOGO

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

(C LASS A OR C LASS C)


 

A CCOUNT A PPLICATION

Please Note: Do not use this form to open a retirement plan account. For an IRA application or help with this Application, please call 1-888-261-4073.

 

1

Account
Registration:

 

      (Please check the appropriate box(es))                  q Individual                 q Joint Tenant                 q Other
     
      NAME                                                                  DATE OF BIRTH                       SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID # OF PRIMARY OWNER
       
      NAME OF JOINT OWNER                                              DATE OF BIRTH                             JOINT OWNER SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER OR TAX ID #
      For joint accounts, the account registrants will be joint tenants with right of survivorship and not tenants in common unless tenants in common or community property registrations are requested.

 

     

GIFT TO MINOR:

    q Uniform Gifts/Transfer to Minor’s Act
      UNDER THE                                                           UGMA/UTMA (circle one)
                                        STATE
       
      NAME OF ADULT CUSTODIAN (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                        CUSTODIAN’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                        DATE OF BIRTH**
       
      NAME OF MINOR (ONLY ONE PERMITTED)                                        MINOR’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER**                       DATE OF BIRTH**
       

CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, TRUST OR OTHER ENTITY:

    NAME OF CORPORATION, PARTNERSHIP, OR OTHER (NAME OF LEGAL ENTITY)                                             NAME(S) OF FIDUCIARY/TRUSTEE(S)
     
    TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
     
       

2

Address Information:

 

    Residency Address**: (you must provide a street address)
     
    STREET                                                                                                                                                APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
       
      DAY PHONE NUMBER                                                                                                                            EVENING PHONE NUMBER
      Joint owner or Minor’s residency address
       
      STREET                                                                                                                                                APARTMENT NUMBER
       
      CITY                                                                                          STATE                                                          ZIP CODE
     

**Identity Verification Procedures Notice. The USA PATRIOT ACT requires financial institutions, including mutual funds, to adopt certain policies and programs to prevent money laundering activities, including procedures to verify the identity of all investors opening new accounts. When completing the New Account Application, you will be required to supply the Funds with certain information for all persons owning or permitted to act on an account, that will assist the Funds in verifying your identity. This includes date of birth, taxpayer identification number and street address. Until such verification is made, the Funds may temporarily limit additional share purchases. In addition, the Funds may limit additional share purchases or close an account if it is unable to verify a customer’s identity. As required by law, the Funds may employ various procedures, such as comparing the information to fraud databases or requesting additional information or documentation from you, to ensure that the information supplied by you is correct.

 

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

     Mailing Address: (you may provide a P.O. Box)   
     q   CHECK HERE IF YOUR MAILING ADDRESS IS THE SAME AS YOUR RESIDENCY ADDRESS.   
      
     STREET ADDRESS, APARTMENT NUMBER OR P.O. BOX   
      
     CITY      STATE    ZIP CODE
            

3

Investment Information:

 

     Minimum initial investment of $2500.00 per fund.              Total amount of investments $                     
     Make check payable to Robeco Investment Funds.
     Shareholders may not purchase shares of any fund with a check issued by a third party and endorsed over to the fund.
     SAM Sustainable Water Fund — Class A (    ) $                  SAM Sustainable Climate Fund — Class A (    ) $                 
     SAM Sustainable Water Fund — Class C (    ) $                  SAM Sustainable Climate Fund — Class C (    ) $                 

DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS:

     Dividends:          Pay by check q          Reinvest q                          Capital Gains:         Pay by check q         Reinvest q
     NOTE: Dividends and capital gains may be reinvested or paid by check. If no options are selected above, both dividends and capital gains will be reinvested in additional fund shares.
    

4

 

Systematic Withdrawal Plan:

     To select this portion please fill out the information below:
     Amount $                                                                                     Startup Month                                                                          
    

Ÿ A minimum account value of $ 10,000 in a single account is required to establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

Ÿ Payments will be made on or near the 25th of the month.

  

Frequency: q Annually

q Monthly

q Quarterly

    

Please check one of the following options:                        Please mail checks to Address of Record (Named in Section 2)

 

                                                                                            Please electronically credit my Bank of Record (Named in Section 6)

5

 

Telephone Exchange and Redemption:

    

To use this option, you must initial the appropriate line below.

 

I authorize the Transfer Agent to accept instructions from any persons to redeem or exchange shares in my account(s) by telephone in accordance with the procedures and conditions set forth in the Fund’s current prospectus.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Redeem shares, and send the proceeds to the

address of record.

                
     Individual initial      joint initial   

Exchange shares for shares of Robeco Investment

Funds.

 

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


6

Automatic Investment Plan:

   

The Automatic Investment Plan which is available to shareholders of the Fund, makes possible regularly scheduled purchases of Fund shares to allow dollar-cost averaging. The Fund’s Transfer Agent can arrange for an amount of money selected by you to be deducted from your checking account and used to purchase shares of the Fund

 

Please debit $                    (minimum $100) from my checking account (named below) on or about the 20th of the month.

      Please attach an unsigned, voided check.    
      q Monthly              q Quarterly              q Annually    
           

BANK RECORD:

    BANK NAME                                                                                                                  STREET ADDRESS OR P.O. BOX
         
      CITY                                                                                STATE                                                ZIP CODE
           
      BANK ABA NUMBER                                                         BANK ACCOUNT OWNER                              BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER

7

Signatures:

   

The undersigned warrants that I (we) have full authority and, if a natural person, I (we) am (are) of legal age to purchase shares pursuant to this Account Application, and I (we) have received a current prospectus for the Fund in which I (we) am (are) investing.

Under the Interest and Dividend Tax Compliance Act of 1983, the Fund is required to have the following certification:

Under penalties of perjury, I certify that:

(1)   The number shown on this form is my correct identification number (or I am waiting for a number to be issued to me), and

(2)   I am not subject to backup withholding because (a) I am exempt from backup withholding, or (b) I have not been notified by the Internal Revenue Service that I am subject to 28% backup withholding as a result of a failure to report all Interest or dividends, or (c) the IRS has notified me that I am no longer subject to backup withholding.

(3)   I am a U.S. person (including a U.S. resident alien).

Note: You must cross out item (2) above if you have been notified by the IRS that you are currently subject to backup withholding because you have failed to report all interest and dividends on your tax return. The Internal Revenue Service does not require your consent to any provision of this document other than the certification required to avoid backup withholding.

           
      SIGNATURE OF APPLICANT                                                                                                              DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
           
      SIGNATURE OF JOINT OWNER                                                                                                           DATE
           
      PRINT NAME                                                                                                                    TITLE (IF APPLICABLE)
     

 

(If you are signing for a corporation, you must indicate corporate office or title. If you wish additional signatories on the account, please include a corporate resolution. If signing as a fiduciary, you must indicate capacity.)

For information on additional options, such as IRA Applications, rollover requests for qualified retirement plans, or for wire instructions, please call us at 1-888-261-4073.

      Mail completed Account Application and check to:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

P.O. Box 9816

Providence, RI 02940

      Overnight Mailing Address:  

Robeco Investment Funds

c/o PFPC Inc.

101 Sabin Street

Pawtucket, RI 02860

NOT PART OF THE PROSPECTUS

 


 

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

of

The RBB Fund, Inc.

(888) 261-4073

http://www.robecoinvest.com

For More Information:

This Prospectus contains important information you should know before you invest. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Robeco Investment Funds is available free of charge, upon request, including:

Annual/Semi–Annual Reports

These reports contain additional information about each Fund’s investments, describe each Fund’s performance, list portfolio holdings, and discuss recent market conditions and economic trends. The annual report includes fund strategies that significantly affected the Funds’ performance during their last fiscal year. The annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders may be obtained by visiting http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Statement of Additional Information

An SAI, dated                                  has been filed with the SEC. The SAI, which includes additional information about the Robeco Investment Funds, may be obtained free of charge, along with the annual and semi–annual reports, by calling (888) 261-4073. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus (and is legally part of the prospectus). The SAI is not available on the Adviser’s website because a copy may be obtained by calling (888) 261-4073.

Shareholder Inquiries

Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern time) Monday–Friday. Call: (888) 261-4073 or visit the website of Robeco Investment Management at http://www.robecoinvest.com.

Purchases and Redemptions

Call (888) 261-4073.

Written Correspondence

Street Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., 101 Sabin Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860-1427

P.O. Box Address:

Robeco Investment Funds, c/o PFPC Inc., P.O. Box 9816, Providence, RI 02940

Securities and Exchange Commission

You may view and copy information about the Company and the Funds, including the SAI, by visiting the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC or the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of Fund documents by paying a duplicating fee and sending an electronic request to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by sending your written request and a duplicating fee to the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102. You may obtain information on the operation of the public reference room by calling the SEC at (202) 551-8090.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811–05518

 


SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Dated July 16, 2007

The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

ROBECO INVESTMENT FUNDS

of

The RBB Fund, Inc.

Institutional Class

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Investor Class

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Class A

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

Class C

SAM Sustainable Water Fund

SAM Sustainable Climate Fund

                         , 2007

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) provides information about the SAM Sustainable Water Fund (“Sustainable Water Fund”) and SAM Sustainable Climate Fund (“Sustainable Climate Fund”) (each, a “Fund,” and together, the “Funds”). The Funds are series of The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”). This information is in addition to the information contained in the Institutional Class, Investor Class, Class A and Class C shares Prospectuses of the Funds dated                  , 2007 (each, a “Prospectus” and together, the “Prospectuses”).

This SAI is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectuses. The audited financial statements and related report of                  , the independent registered public accounting firm for each Fund, will be available in the Funds’ Annual Report for the period ending August 31, 2008. The Funds’ Annual Report (when available) may be obtained upon request and without charge by calling toll-free (888) 261-4073.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

   1

INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES

   1

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

   22

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

   23

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

   25

CODE OF ETHICS

   31

PROXY VOTING

   31

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

   32

DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS

   37

FUND TRANSACTIONS

   39

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

   40

TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES

   41

OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE, PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

   41

VALUATION OF SHARES

   44

TAXES

   44

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

   47

MISCELLANEOUS

   50

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

   51

APPENDIX A

   A-1

APPENDIX B

   B-1


GENERAL INFORMATION

The Company is an open-end management investment company currently operating nineteen separate portfolios. The Company is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”) and was organized as a Maryland corporation on February 29, 1988. This SAI pertains to the Institutional Class, Investor Class, Class A and Class C shares representing interests in two non-diversified Robeco Investment Funds, which are offered by the Prospectuses. Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM” or the “Adviser”), an affiliate of Robeco Investment Management Inc. (“Robeco”), serves as the investment adviser to the Funds.

INVESTMENT INSTRUMENTS AND POLICIES

The following supplements the information contained in the Prospectuses concerning the investment objectives and policies of the Funds.

The Sustainable Water Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

The Sustainable Climate Fund seeks to provide long-term growth of capital primarily through investment in equity securities.

The Adviser may not invest in all of the instruments or use all of the investment techniques permitted by the Funds’ Prospectuses and this SAI or invest in such instruments or engage in such techniques to the full extent permitted by the Funds’ investment policies and limitations.

Asset-Backed Securities. Each Fund may invest in asset-backed securities, which represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as motor vehicle installment sale contracts, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Asset-backed securities may also be collateralized by a portfolio of U.S. government securities, but are not direct obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities. Such asset pools are securitized through the use of privately-formed trusts or special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest on asset-backed securities may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present; however privately issued obligations collateralized by a portfolio of privately issued asset-backed securities do not involve any government-related guarantee or insurance.

Bank and Corporate Obligations. Each Fund may purchase obligations of issuers in the banking industry, such as short-term obligations of bank holding companies, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances and time deposits issued by U.S. or foreign banks or savings

 

- 1 -


institutions having total assets at the time of purchase in excess of $1 billion. Investment in obligations of foreign banks or foreign branches of U.S. banks may entail risks that are different from those of investments in obligations of U.S. banks due to differences in political, regulatory and economic systems and conditions. The Funds may also make interest-bearing savings deposits in commercial and savings banks in amounts not in excess of 5% of its total assets.

Each Fund also may invest in debt obligations, such as bonds and debentures, issued by corporations and other business organizations that are rated at the time of purchase within the three highest ratings categories of Standard & Poor’s ® (“S&P”), Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) or Moody’s Investors, Inc. (“Moody’s”) (or which, if unrated, are determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality). Unrated securities will be determined to be of comparable quality to rated debt obligations if, among other things, other outstanding obligations of the issuers of such securities are rated A or better. See Appendix “A” to this SAI for a description of corporate debt ratings. An issuer of debt obligations may default on its obligation to pay interest and repay principal. Also, changes in the financial strength of an issuer or changes in the credit rating of a security may affect its value.

Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow up to 33 1/3 percent of its respective total assets. The Adviser intends to borrow only for temporary or emergency purposes, including to meet portfolio redemption requests so as to permit the orderly disposition of portfolio securities, or to facilitate settlement transactions on portfolio securities. Investments will not be made when borrowings exceed 5% of a Fund’s total assets. Although the principal of such borrowings will be fixed, a Fund’s assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding. Each Fund expects that some of its borrowings may be made on a secured basis. In such situations, either the custodian will segregate the pledged assets for the benefit of the lender or arrangements will be made with a suitable subcustodian, which may include the lender. If the securities held by a Fund should decline in value while borrowings are outstanding, the net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund’s outstanding shares will decline in value by proportionately more than the decline in value suffered by the Fund’s securities. As a result, a Fund’s share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. A Fund’s short sales and related borrowings are not subject to the restrictions outlined above.

Commercial Paper. Each Fund may purchase commercial paper rated (at the time of purchase) “A-1” by S&P ® or “Prime-1” by Moody’s or, when deemed advisable by the Adviser, issues rated “A-2” or “Prime-2” by S&P ® or Moody’s, respectively. These rating categories are described in Appendix “A” to this SAI. The Funds may also purchase unrated commercial paper provided that such paper is determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser pursuant to guidelines approved by the Company’s Board of Directors. Commercial paper issues in which a Fund may invest include securities issued by corporations without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) in reliance on the exemption from such

 

- 2 -


registration afforded by Section 3(a) (3) thereof, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the so-called “private placement” exemption from registration, which is afforded by Section 4(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(2) paper”). Section 4(2) paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws in that any resale must similarly be made in an exempt transaction. Section 4(2) paper is normally resold to other institutional investors through or with the assistance of investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(2) paper, thus providing liquidity. Each Fund does not presently intend to invest more than 5% of its net assets in commercial paper.

Convertible Securities and Preferred Stocks. Each Fund may invest in convertible securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible debt securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation’s capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. While no securities investment is completely without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than the corporation’s common stock, although the extent to which such risk is reduced depends in large measure upon the degree to which the convertible security sells above its value as a fixed income security. Convertible securities have unique investment characteristics in that they generally: (1) have higher yields than common stocks, but lower yields than comparable non-convertible securities; (2) are less subject to fluctuation in value than the underlying stock since they have fixed income characteristics; and (3) provide the potential for capital appreciation if the market price of the underlying common stock increases.

The value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” (determined by its yield in comparison with the yields of other securities of comparable maturity and quality that do not have a conversion privilege) and its “conversion value” (the security’s worth, at market value, if converted into the underlying common stock). The investment value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment value. The conversion value of a convertible security is determined by the market price of the underlying common stock. If the conversion value is low relative to the investment value, the price of the convertible security is governed principally by its investment value. Generally the conversion value decreases as the convertible security approaches maturity. To the extent the market price of the underlying common stock approaches or exceeds the conversion price, the price of the convertible security will be increasingly influenced by its conversion value. A convertible security generally will sell at a premium over its conversion value by the extent to which investors place value on the right to acquire the underlying common stock while holding a fixed income security.

 

- 3 -


A convertible security might be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security’s governing instrument. If a convertible security held by a Fund is called for redemption, that Fund will be required to permit the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock or sell it to a third party. The Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets, in convertible securities, or securities received by a Fund upon conversion thereof.

Preferred stocks are securities that represent an ownership interest in a company and provide their owner with claims on the company’s earnings and assets prior to the claims of owners of common stocks but after those of bond owners. Preferred stocks in which the Funds may invest include sinking fund, convertible, perpetual fixed and adjustable rate (including auction rate) preferred stocks. There is no minimum credit rating applicable to a Fund’s investment in preferred stocks and securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stock.

Currency Swaps . Each Fund may enter into currency swap transactions for hedging purposes. As examples, a Fund may enter into swap transactions 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 a Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, or to gain exposure to certain markets in an economical way.

Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. In a standard “swap” transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments, 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, in a particular foreign currency or security, or in a “basket” of securities representing a particular index. In particular, currency swaps involve the exchange of the parties’ respective rights to make or receive payments in specified currencies.

Currency swaps may involve the delivery of the entire principal amount of one designated currency in exchange for the other designated currency. Therefore, the entire principal value of a currency swap is subject to the risk that the other party to the swap will default on its contractual delivery obligations.

To the extent that a Fund’s exposure in a transaction involving a swap is covered by the segregation of cash or liquid assets, or is covered by other means in accordance with SEC guidance, the Funds and the Adviser believe that the transactions do not constitute senior securities under the Act and, accordingly, will not treat them as being subject to a Fund’s borrowing restrictions.

The Funds will not enter into any currency swap transactions unless the unsecured commercial paper, senior debt or claims-paying ability of the other party thereto is rated investment grade by Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s, or, if unrated by such rating organization, determined to be of comparable quality by the Adviser. If there is a default by the other party to such a transaction, a Fund will have contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction.

The use of currency swaps is a highly specialized activity which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. 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. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, credit quality, interest rates and currency exchange rates, the investment performance of a Fund would be less favorable than it would have been if these investment instruments were not used.

In addition, these transactions can involve greater risks than if a Fund had invested in the reference obligation directly since, in addition to general market risks, swaps are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, credit risk and pricing risk. Because they are two party contracts and because they may have terms of greater than seven days, swap transactions may be considered to be illiquid. 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 counterparty. Many swaps are complex and often valued subjectively. Swaps may be subject to pricing or “basis” risk, which exists when a particular swap becomes extraordinarily expensive relative to historical prices or the price of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions it may not be economically feasible to imitate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity. If a swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, 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.

The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid in comparison with the markets for other similar instruments which are traded in the interbank market. The Adviser, under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, is responsible for determining and monitoring the liquidity of the Funds transactions in swaps.

Equity Markets. The Funds invest primarily in equity markets at all times. Equity markets can be highly volatile, so that investing in the Funds involves substantial risk. As a result, investing in the Funds involves the risk of loss of capital.

European Currency Unification. On January 1, 1999, the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) introduced a new single currency called the euro. The euro has replaced the national currencies of the following member countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. In addition, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania are members of the EMU but will not adopt the euro as their new currency until they can show that their economics have converged with the economics of the euro zone.

The new European Central Bank has control over each member country’s monetary policies. Therefore, the member countries no longer control their own monetary policies by directing independent interest rates for their currencies. The national governments of the participating countries, however, have retained the authority to set tax and spending policies and public debt levels.

 

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The change to the euro as a single currency is new and untested. The elimination of currency risk among EMU countries may change the economic environment and behavior of investors, particularly in European markets, but the impact of those changes cannot be assessed at this time. It is not possible to predict the impact of the euro on currency values or on the business or financial condition of European countries and issuers, and issuers in other regions, whose securities the Fund may hold, or the impact, if any, on Fund performance. In addition, the introduction of the euro presents other unique uncertainties, including the fluctuation of the euro relative to non-euro currencies; whether the interest rate, tax and labor regimes of European countries participating in the euro will converge over time; and whether the conversion of the currencies of other countries that now are or may in the future become members of the European Union (“EU”) will have an impact on the euro. Also, it is possible that the euro could be abandoned in the future by countries that have already adopted its use. In May and June 2005, voters in France and the Netherlands rejected ratification of the EU Constitution causing some other countries to postpone moves toward ratification. These or other events, including political and economic developments, could cause market disruptions, and could adversely affect the value of securities held by the Fund.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Each Fund may invest in open-end investment companies whose shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange or the Nasdaq Market System. ETF shares typically trade like shares of common stock and provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the component stocks of a widely recognized index such as the S&P 500 ® Index. There can be no assurance, however, that this can be accomplished as it may not be possible for an ETF to replicate the composition and relative weightings of the securities of its corresponding index. ETFs are subject to risks of an investment in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of suck investment. Individual shares of an ETF are generally not redeemable at their net asset value, but trade on an exchange during the day at prices that are normally close to, but not the same as, their net asset value. There is no assurance that an active trading market will be maintained for the shares of an ETF or that market prices of the shares of an ETF will be close to their net asset values.

Investments in securities of ETFs beyond the limitations set forth in Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act are subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an exemptive order issued by the SEC to the exchange-traded fund. Section 12(d)(1)(A) states that a mutual fund may not acquire shares of other investment companies, such as ETFs, in excess of: 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of the investment company; 5% of its total assets invested in the investment company; or more than 10% of the fund’s total assets were to be invested in the aggregate in all investment companies. The purchase of shares of ETFs may result in duplication of expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to a mutual fund’s own expenses.

Each Fund may also acquire investment company shares received or acquired as dividends, through offers of exchange or as a result of reorganization, consolidation or merger. The purchase of shares of other investment companies may result in duplication of expenses such that investors indirectly bear a proportionate share of the expenses of such mutual funds including operating costs and investment advisory and administrative fees.

 

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Foreign Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities of foreign issuers as well as in securities of foreign issuers that are traded or denominated in U.S. dollars (including equity securities of foreign issuers trading in U.S. markets) through American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) or International Depositary Receipts (“IDRs”). ADRs are securities, typically issued by a U.S. financial institution (a “depository”), that evidence ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a foreign issuer and deposited with the depository. ADRs may be listed on a national securities exchange or may trade in the over-the-counter market. ADR prices are denominated in U.S. dollars; the underlying security may be denominated in a foreign currency. GDRs, EDRs and IDRs are securities that represent ownership interests in a security or pool of securities issued by a non-U.S. or U.S. corporation. Depositary receipts may be available through “sponsored” or “unsponsored” facilities. A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the security underlying the receipt and the depository, whereas an unsponsored facility is established by the depository without participation by the issuer of the underlying security. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all of the costs of the unsponsored facility. The depository of an unsponsored facility is frequently under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through, to the holders of the receipts, voting rights with respect to the deposited securities. The depository of unsponsored depositary receipts may provide less information to receipt holders. Investments in depositary receipts do not eliminate the risks in investing in foreign issuers. The underlying security may be subject to foreign government taxes, which would reduce the yield on such securities.

Investments in foreign securities involve higher costs than investments in U.S. securities, including higher transaction costs as well as the imposition of additional taxes by foreign governments. In addition, foreign investments may include additional risks associated with currency exchange rates, less complete financial information about the issuers, less market liquidity and political stability. Volume and liquidity in most foreign bond markets are less than in the United States and, at times, volatility or price can be greater than in the United States. Future political and economic information, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest income, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign holdings, the possible establishment of exchange controls, or the adoption of other governmental restrictions, might adversely affect the payment of principal and interest on foreign obligations. Inability to dispose of Fund securities due to settlement problems could result either in losses to a Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the securities, or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser. Individual foreign economies may differ favorably or unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth or gross national product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency and balance of payments position.

Fixed commissions on foreign securities exchanges are generally higher than negotiated commissions on U.S. exchanges, although the Funds endeavor to achieve the most favorable net results on their portfolio transactions. There is generally less government supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers, dealers and listed companies than in the United States.

 

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Settlement mechanics (e.g., mail service between the United States and foreign countries) may be slower or less reliable than within the United States, thus increasing the risk of delayed settlements of portfolio transactions or loss of certificates for portfolio securities. Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund is uninvested and no return is earned thereon. The inability of the Funds to make intended security purchases due to settlement problems could cause a Fund to miss attractive investment opportunities.

Although the Funds may invest in securities denominated in foreign currencies, each Fund values its securities and other assets in U.S. dollars. As a result, the NAV of a Fund’s shares may fluctuate with U.S. dollar exchange rates as well as the price changes of the Fund’s securities in the various local markets and currencies. Thus, an increase in the value of the U.S. dollar compared to the currencies in which a Fund makes its investments could reduce the effect of increases and magnify the effect of decreases in the price of the Fund’s securities in their local markets. Conversely, a decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar may have the opposite effect of magnifying the effect of increases and reducing the effect of decreases in the prices of a Fund’s securities in its foreign markets. In addition to favorable and unfavorable currency exchange rate developments, each Fund is subject to the possible imposition of exchange control regulations or freezes on convertibility of currency.

Each Fund may invest in obligations of foreign branches of U.S. banks (Eurodollars) and U.S. branches of foreign banks (Yankee dollars) as well as foreign branches of foreign banks. These investments involve risks that are different from investments in securities of U.S. banks, including potential unfavorable political and economic developments, different tax provisions, seizure of foreign deposits, currency controls, interest limitations or other governmental restrictions which might affect payment of principal or interest. The Funds may also invest in Yankee bonds, which are issued by foreign governments and their agencies and foreign corporations, but pay interest in U.S. dollars and are typically issued in the United States.

Investing in Emerging Countries, including Asia and Eastern Europe. Each Fund may invest up to 20% of their respective total assets in securities of issuers located in emerging countries. The securities markets of emerging countries are less liquid and subject to greater price volatility, and have a smaller market capitalization, than the U.S. securities markets. In certain countries, there may be fewer publicly traded securities and the market may be dominated by a few issues or sectors. Issuers and securities markets in such countries are not subject to as extensive and frequent accounting, financial and other reporting requirements or as comprehensive government regulations as are issuers and securities markets in the U.S. In particular, the assets and profits appearing on the financial statements of emerging country issuers may not reflect their financial position or results of operations in the same manner as financial statements for U.S. issuers. Substantially less information may be publicly available about emerging country issuers than is available about issuers in the United States.

Emerging country securities markets are typically marked by a high concentration of market capitalization and trading volume in a small number of issuers representing a limited number of

 

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industries, as well as a high concentration of ownership of such securities by a limited number of investors. The markets for securities in certain emerging countries are in the earliest stages of their development. Even the markets for relatively widely traded securities in emerging countries may not be able to absorb, without price disruptions, a significant increase in trading volume or trades of a size customarily undertaken by institutional investors in the securities markets of developed countries. The limited size of many of these securities markets can cause prices to be erratic for reasons apart from factors that affect the soundness and competitiveness of the securities issuers. For example, prices may be unduly influenced by traders who control large positions in these markets. Additionally, market making and arbitrage activities are generally less extensive in such markets, which may contribute to increased volatility and reduced liquidity of such markets. The limited liquidity of emerging country securities may also affect a Fund’s ability to accurately value its portfolio securities or to acquire or dispose of securities at the price and time it wishes to do so or in order to meet redemption requests.

With respect to investments in certain emerging market countries, antiquated legal systems may have an adverse impact on the Funds. For example, while the potential liability of a shareholder in a U.S. corporation with respect to acts of the corporation is generally limited to the amount of the shareholder’s investment, the notion of limited liability is less clear in certain emerging market countries. Similarly, the rights of investors in emerging market companies may be more limited than those of shareholders in U.S. corporations.

Transaction costs, including brokerage commissions or dealer mark-ups, in emerging countries may be higher than in the United States and other developed securities markets. In addition, existing laws and regulations are often inconsistently applied. As legal systems in emerging countries develop, foreign investors may be adversely affected by new or amended laws and regulations. In circumstances where adequate laws exist, it may not be possible to obtain swift and equitable enforcement of the law.

Foreign investment in the securities markets of certain emerging countries is restricted or controlled to varying degrees. These restrictions may limit a Fund’s investment in certain emerging countries and may increase the expenses of the Fund. Certain emerging countries require governmental approval prior to investments by foreign persons or limit investment by foreign persons to only a specified percentage of an issuer’s outstanding securities or a specific class of securities which may have less advantageous terms (including price) than securities of the company available for purchase by nationals. In addition, the repatriation of both investment income and capital from emerging countries may be subject to restrictions which require governmental consents or prohibit repatriation entirely for a period of time. Even where there is no outright restriction on repatriation of capital, the mechanics of repatriation may affect certain aspects of the operation of a Fund. A Fund may be required to establish special custodial or other arrangements before investing in certain emerging countries.

Emerging countries may be subject to a substantially greater degree of economic, political and social instability and disruption than is the case in the United States, Japan and most Western European countries. This instability may result from, among other things, the following: (i) authoritarian governments or military involvement in political and economic decision making, including changes or attempted changes in governments through extra-constitutional means;

 

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(ii) popular unrest associated with demands for improved political, economic or social conditions; (iii) internal insurgencies; (iv) hostile relations with neighboring countries; (v) ethnic, religious and racial disaffection or conflict; and (vi) the absence of developed legal structures governing foreign private investments and private property. Such economic, political and social instability could disrupt the principal financial markets in which the Funds may invest and adversely affect the value of the Funds’ assets. A Fund’s investments can also be adversely affected by any increase in taxes or by political, economic or diplomatic developments.

Each Fund may seek investment opportunities within former “east bloc” countries in Eastern Europe. Most Eastern European countries had a centrally planned, socialist economy for a substantial period of time. The governments of many Eastern European countries have more recently been implementing reforms directed at political and economic liberalization, including efforts to decentralize the economic decision-making process and move towards a market economy. However, business entities in many Eastern European countries do not have an extended history of operating in a market-oriented economy, and the ultimate impact of Eastern European countries’ attempts to move toward more market-oriented economies is currently unclear. In addition, any change in the leadership or policies of Eastern European countries may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities.

The economies of emerging countries may differ unfavorably from the U.S. economy in such respects as growth of gross domestic product, rate of inflation, capital reinvestment, resources, self-sufficiency and balance of payments. Many emerging countries have experienced in the past, and continue to experience, high rates of inflation. In certain countries inflation has at times accelerated rapidly to hyperinflationary levels, creating a negative interest rate environment and sharply eroding the value of outstanding financial assets in those countries. Other emerging countries, on the other hand, have recently experienced deflationary pressures and are in economic recessions. The economies of many emerging countries are heavily dependent upon international trade and are accordingly affected by protective trade barriers and the economic conditions of their trading partners. In addition, the economies of some emerging countries are vulnerable to weakness in world prices for their commodity exports.

A Fund’s income and, in some cases, capital gains from foreign stocks and securities will be subject to applicable taxation in certain of the countries in which it invests, and treaties between the U.S. and such countries may not be available in some cases to reduce the otherwise applicable tax rates. See “Taxation.”

Foreign markets also have different clearance and settlement procedures, and in certain markets there have been times when settlements have been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, making it difficult to conduct such transactions. Such delays in settlement could result in temporary periods when a portion of the assets of a Fund remain uninvested and no return is earned on such assets. The inability of a Fund to make intended security purchases or sales due to settlement problems could result either in losses to the Fund due to subsequent declines in value of the portfolio securities or, if the Fund has entered into a contract to sell the securities, could result in possible liability to the purchaser.

 

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Forward Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts. Each Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts for hedging purposes and to seek to protect against anticipated changes in future foreign currency exchange rates. A forward foreign currency exchange contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are traded in the interbank market between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. A forward contract generally has no deposit requirement, and no commissions are generally charged at any stage for trades.

At the maturity of a forward contract a Fund may either 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 forward contracts are often, but not always, effected with the currency trader who is a party to the original forward contract.

A Fund may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts in several circumstances. First, when a Fund enters into a contract for the purchase or sale of a security denominated or quoted in a foreign currency, or when a Fund anticipates the receipt in a foreign currency of dividend or interest payments on such a security which it holds, the Fund may desire to “lock in” the U.S. dollar price of the security or the U.S. dollar equivalent of such dividend or interest payment, as the case may be. By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale, for a fixed amount of dollars, of the amount of foreign currency involved in the underlying transactions, the Fund will attempt to protect itself against an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and the subject foreign currency during the period between the date on which the security is purchased or sold, or on which the dividend or interest payment is declared, and the date on which such payments are made or received.

Additionally, when the Adviser believes that the currency of a particular foreign country may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, it may enter into a forward contract to sell, for a fixed amount of U.S. dollars, the amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of such Fund’s portfolio securities quoted or denominated in such foreign currency. The precise matching of the forward contract amounts and the value of the securities involved will not generally be possible because the future value of such securities in foreign currencies will change as a consequence of market movements in the value of those securities between the date on which the contract is entered into and the date it matures. Using forward contracts to protect the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate fluctuations in the underlying prices of the securities. It simply establishes a rate of exchange, which a Fund can achieve at some future point in time. The precise projection of short-term currency market movements is not possible, and short-term hedging provides a means of fixing the U.S. dollar value of only a portion of a Fund’s foreign assets.

Each Fund may engage in cross-hedging by using forward contracts in one currency to hedge against fluctuations in the value of securities quoted or denominated in a different currency. In addition, the Funds may enter into foreign currency transactions to seek a closer correlation between a Fund’s overall currency exposures and the currency exposures of a Fund’s performance benchmark.

 

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Unless otherwise covered in accordance with applicable regulations, cash or liquid assets of a Fund will be segregated in an amount equal to the value of the Fund’s total assets committed to the consummation of forward foreign currency exchange contracts. If the value of the segregated assets declines, additional cash or liquid assets will be segregated so that the value of the assets will equal the amount of a Fund’s commitments with respect to such contracts.

While a Fund may enter into forward contracts to reduce currency exchange rate risks, transactions in such contracts involve certain other risks. Thus, while the Fund may benefit from such transactions, unanticipated changes in currency prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not engaged in any such transactions. Moreover, there may be imperfect correlation between a Fund’s portfolio holdings of securities quoted or denominated in a particular currency and forward contracts entered into by such Fund. Such imperfect correlation may cause a Fund to sustain losses which will prevent the Fund from achieving a complete hedge or expose the Fund to risk of foreign exchange loss.

Markets for trading foreign forward currency contracts offer less protection against defaults than is available when trading in currency instruments on an exchange. Forward contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty to such contract will default on its obligations. Since a forward foreign currency exchange contract is not guaranteed by an exchange or clearinghouse, a default on the contract would deprive a Fund of unrealized profits, transaction costs or the benefits of a currency hedge or force the Fund to cover its purchase or sale commitments, if any, at the current market price. In addition, the institutions that deal in forward currency contracts are not required to continue to make markets in the currencies they trade and these markets can experience periods of illiquidity. A Fund will not enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts, currency swaps or other privately negotiated currency instruments unless the credit quality of the unsecured senior debt or the claims-paying ability of the counterparty is considered to be investment grade by the Adviser. To the extent that a substantial portion of a Fund’s total assets, adjusted to reflect the Fund’s net position after giving effect to currency transactions, is denominated or quoted in the currencies of foreign countries, the Fund will be more susceptible to the risk of adverse economic and political developments within those countries.

Forward Commitment and When-Issued Transactions. Each Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis (subject to its investment policies and restrictions). These transactions involve a commitment by a Fund to purchase or sell securities at a future date (ordinarily one or two months later). The price of the underlying securities (usually expressed in terms of yield) and the date when the securities will be delivered and paid for (the settlement date) are fixed at the time the transaction is negotiated. When-issued purchases and forward commitments are negotiated directly with the other party, and such commitments are not traded on exchanges. A Fund will not enter into such transactions for the purpose of leverage.

When-issued purchases and forward commitments enable a Fund to lock in what is believed by the Adviser to be an attractive price or yield on a particular security for a period of time, regardless of future changes in interest rates. For instance, in periods of rising interest rates and falling prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns on a forward commitment basis to limit its

 

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exposure to falling prices. In periods of falling interest rates and rising prices, a Fund might sell securities it owns and purchase the same or a similar security on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, thereby obtaining the benefit of currently higher yields. When-issued securities or forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date.

The value of securities purchased on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and any subsequent fluctuations in their value are reflected in the computation of a Fund’s NAV starting on the date of the agreement to purchase the securities, and the Fund is subject to the rights and risks of ownership of the securities on that date. A Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date. When a Fund makes a forward commitment to sell securities it owns, the proceeds to be received upon settlement are included in the Fund’s assets. Fluctuations in the market value of the underlying securities are not reflected in the Fund’s NAV as long as the commitment to sell remains in effect. Settlement of when-issued purchases and forward commitment transactions generally takes place within two months after the date of the transaction, but a Fund may agree to a longer settlement period.

A Fund will make commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued basis or to purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment basis only with the intention of completing the transaction and actually purchasing or selling the securities. If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, however, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it is entered into. A Fund also may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. A Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with these transactions, and its distributions from any net realized capital gains will be taxable to shareholders.

When a Fund purchases securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, the fund or the Custodian will maintain in a segregated account cash or liquid securities having a value (determined daily) at least equal to the amount of the Fund’s purchase commitments. These procedures are designed to ensure that the Fund will maintain sufficient assets at all times to cover its obligations under when-issued purchases and forward commitments.

Futures Contracts. A futures contract may generally be described as an agreement between two parties to buy and sell particular financial instruments for an agreed price during a designated month (or to deliver the final cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contract). When interest rates are rising or securities prices are falling, a Fund can seek to offset a decline in the value of its current portfolio securities through the sale of futures contracts. When interest rates are falling or securities prices are rising, a Fund, through the purchase of futures contracts, can attempt to secure better rates or prices than might later be available in the market when it effects anticipated purchases.

To seek to increase total return or to hedge against changes in interest rates or securities prices each Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. A Fund may also enter into closing purchase and sale transactions with respect to any of such contracts and options. The futures contracts may be based on various securities (such as U.S. government securities), securities indices, and any other financial instruments and indices. A Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging purposes as described below or for purposes of seeking to increase total return, in each case, only to the extent permitted by regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”). All futures contracts entered into by a Fund are traded on U.S. exchanges or boards of trade that are licensed and regulated by the CFTC or on foreign exchanges.

Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held to maturity but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions, which may result in a profit or a loss. While futures contracts on securities will usually be liquidated in this manner, a Fund may instead make, or take, delivery of the underlying securities or currency whenever it appears economically advantageous to do so. A clearing corporation associated with the exchange on which futures on securities are traded guarantees that, if still open, the sale or purchase will be performed on the settlement date.

Hedging, by use of futures contracts, seeks to establish with more certainty than would otherwise be possible the effective price or rate of return on portfolio securities or securities that a Fund proposes to acquire or the exchange rate of currencies in which portfolio securities are quoted or denominated. A Fund may, for example, take a “short” position in the futures market by selling futures contracts to seek to hedge against an anticipated rise in interest rates or a decline in market prices that would adversely affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. Such futures contracts may include contracts for the future delivery of securities held by a Fund or securities with characteristics similar to those of the Fund’s portfolio securities. If, in the opinion of the Adviser, there is a sufficient degree of correlation between price trends for a Fund’s portfolio securities and futures contracts based on other financial instruments, securities indices or other indices, the Fund may also enter into such futures contracts as part of its hedging strategy. Although under some circumstances prices of securities in a Fund’s portfolio may be more or less volatile than prices of such futures contracts, the Adviser will attempt to estimate the extent of this volatility difference based on historical patterns and compensate for any such differential by having the Fund enter into a greater or lesser number of futures contracts or by seeking to achieve only a partial hedge against price changes affecting the Fund’s portfolio securities. When hedging of this character is successful, any depreciation in the value of portfolio securities will be substantially offset by appreciation in the value of the futures position. On the other hand, any unanticipated appreciation in the value of a Fund’s portfolio securities would be substantially offset by a decline in the value of the futures position.

On other occasions, a Fund may take a “long” position by purchasing futures contracts. This would be done, for example, when a Fund anticipates the subsequent purchase of particular securities when it has the necessary cash, but expects the prices then available in the applicable market to be less favorable than prices that are currently available.

Holding Company Depository Receipts. The Funds may invest in Holding Company Depository Receipts (“HOLDRS”). HOLDRS represent trust-issued receipts that represent individual and undivided beneficial ownership interests in the common stock or American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) of specific companies in a particular industry, sector or group. Each of the Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of their respective net assets in HOLDRS.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities. Each Fund may invest no more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities, including securities that are illiquid by virtue of the absence of a readily available market or legal or contractual restrictions on resale. Illiquid securities include: repurchase agreements and time deposits with a notice or demand period of more than seven days; currency swaps; certain restricted securities, such as those purchased in

 

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a private placement of securities, unless it is determined, based upon a review of the trading markets for a specific restricted security, that such restricted security is liquid; and certain over-the-counter options. Securities that have legal or contractual restrictions on resale but have a readily available market are not considered illiquid for purposes of this limitation. With respect to each Fund, repurchase agreements subject to demand are deemed to have a maturity equal to the notice period.

Mutual funds do not typically hold a significant amount of restricted or other illiquid securities because of the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and a mutual fund might be unable to dispose of restricted or other illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemptions within seven days. A mutual fund might also have to register such restricted securities in order to dispose of them resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of securities.

Each Fund may purchase securities which are not registered under the Securities Act but which may be sold to “qualified institutional buyers” in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act (“Restricted Securities”). These securities will not be considered illiquid so long as it is determined by the Adviser that an adequate trading market exists for the securities. This investment practice could have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in a Fund during any period that qualified institutional buyers become uninterested in purchasing restricted securities.

The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of Restricted Securities held by a Fund under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors. In reaching liquidity decisions, the Adviser may consider, among others, the following factors: (1) the unregistered nature of the security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers wishing to purchase or sell the security and the number of other potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of the transfer).

The purchase price and subsequent valuation of Restricted Securities normally reflect a discount from the price at which such securities trade when they are not restricted, since the restriction makes them less liquid. The amount of the discount from the prevailing market price is expected to vary depending upon the type of security, the character of the issuer, the party who will bear the expenses of registering the Restricted Securities and prevailing supply and demand conditions.

Indexed Securities. Each Fund may invest in indexed securities whose value is linked to securities indices. Most such securities have values which rise and fall according to the change in one or more specified indices, and may have characteristics similar to direct investments in the underlying securities. Depending on the index, such securities may have greater volatility than the market as a whole.

 

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Initial Public Offerings. Each Fund may purchase stock in an initial public offering (“IPO”). An IPO is a company’s first offering of stock to the public. Risks associated with IPOs may include considerable fluctuation in the market value of IPO shares due to certain factors, such as the absence of a prior public market, unseasoned trading, a limited number of shares available for trading, lack of information about the issuer and limited operating history. The purchase of IPO shares may involve high transaction costs. When a Fund’s asset base is small, a significant portion of the Fund’s performance could be attributable to investments in IPOs, because such investments would have a magnified impact on the Fund. As a Fund’s assets grow, the effect of the Fund’s investments in IPOs on the Fund’s performance probably will decline, which could reduce the Fund’s performance. Because of the price volatility of IPO shares, a Fund may choose to hold IPO shares for a very short period of time. This may increase the turnover of the Fund’s portfolio and may lead to increased expenses to the Fund, such as commissions and transaction costs. In addition, the Adviser cannot guarantee continued access to IPOs.

Investment Company Securities. Each Fund may invest in securities issued by other investment companies to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investments in such securities currently are limited to, subject to certain exceptions, (i) 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to investment companies in the aggregate. Investments in the securities of other investment companies will involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. Rule 12d1-1 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund to invest an unlimited amount of its uninvested cash in a money market fund so long as, among other things, said investment is consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and policies. As a shareholder in an investment company, a Fund would bear its pro rata portion of the investment company’s expenses, including advisory fees, in addition to its own expenses.

Lending of Portfolio Securities. Each Fund may lend its portfolio securities to financial institutions in accordance with the investment restrictions described below. Such loans would involve risks of delay in receiving additional collateral in the event the value of the collateral decreased below the value of the securities loaned or of delay in recovering the securities loaned or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower of the securities fail financially. However, loans will be made only to borrowers deemed by the Adviser to be of good standing and only when, in the Adviser’s judgment, the income to be earned from the loans justifies the attendant risks. Any loans of a Fund’s securities will be fully collateralized and marked to market daily.

Market Fluctuation. The market value of each Fund’s investments, and thus each Fund’s NAV, will change in response to market conditions affecting the value of its portfolio securities. When interest rates decline, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to rise.

 

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Conversely, when interest rates rise, the value of fixed rate obligations can be expected to decline. In contrast, as interest rates on adjustable rate loans are reset periodically, yields on investments in such loans will gradually align themselves to reflect changes in market interest rates, causing the value of such investments to fluctuate less dramatically in response to interest rate fluctuations than would investments in fixed rate obligations. Because the investment alternatives available to each Fund may be limited by the specific objective of that Fund, investors should be aware that an investment in a particular Fund may be subject to greater market fluctuation than an investment in a portfolio of securities representing a broader range of investment alternatives. In view of the specialized nature of the investment activities of each Fund, an investment in any single Fund should not be considered a complete investment program.

Micro-Cap, Small-Cap and Mid-Cap Stocks. Securities of companies with micro-, small- and mid-size capitalizations tend to be riskier than securities of companies with large capitalizations. This is because micro-, small- and mid-cap companies typically have smaller product lines and less access to liquidity than large cap companies, and are therefore more sensitive to economic downturns. In addition, growth prospects of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be less certain than large cap companies, and the dividends paid on micro-, small- and mid-cap stocks are frequently negligible. Moreover, micro-, small- and mid-cap stocks have, on occasion, fluctuated in the opposite direction of large cap stocks or the general stock market. Consequently, securities of micro-, small- and mid-cap companies tend to be more volatile than those of large-cap companies. The market for micro- and small-cap securities may be thinly traded and as a result, greater fluctuations in the price of micro- and small-cap securities may occur.

Options on Futures Contracts. Each Fund may purchase and sell various kinds of futures contracts, and purchase and write call and put options on any of such futures contracts. The acquisition of put and call options on futures contracts will give a Fund the right (but not the obligation) for a specified price to sell or to purchase, respectively, the underlying futures contract at any time during the option period. As the purchaser of an option on a futures contract, a Fund obtains the benefit of the futures position if prices move in a favorable direction but limits its risk of loss in the event of an unfavorable price movement to the loss of the premium and transaction costs.

The writing of a call option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset a decline in the value of a Fund’s assets. By writing a call option, a Fund becomes obligated, in exchange for the premium, (upon exercise of the option) to sell a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value higher than the exercise price. Conversely, the writing of a put option on a futures contract generates a premium, which may partially offset an increase in the price of securities that a Fund intends to purchase. However, a Fund becomes obligated (upon exercise of the option) to purchase a futures contract if the option is exercised, which may have a value lower than the exercise price. Thus, the loss incurred by a Fund in writing options on futures is potentially unlimited and may exceed the amount of the premium received. A Fund will incur transaction costs in connection with the writing of options on futures.

The holder or writer of an option on a futures contract may terminate its position by selling or purchasing an offsetting option on the same financial instrument. There is no guarantee that such closing transactions can be effected. A Fund’s ability to establish and close out positions on such options will be subject to the development and maintenance of a liquid market.

A Fund will engage in futures and related options transactions for bona fide hedging and to seek to increase total return as permitted by the CFTC regulations, which permit principals of an investment company, registered under the 1940 Act to engage in such transactions without registering as commodity pool operators. A Fund will determine that the price fluctuations in the futures contracts and options on futures used for hedging purposes are substantially related to price fluctuations in securities held by a Fund or securities or instruments which it expects to purchase. Except as stated below, a Fund’s futures transactions will be entered into for traditional hedging purposes — i.e., futures contracts will be sold to protect against a decline in the price of securities that the Fund owns or futures contracts will be purchased to protect a Fund against an increase in the price of securities it intends to purchase. As evidence of this hedging intent, a Fund expects that on 75% or more of the occasions on which it takes a long futures or option position (involving the purchase of futures contracts), a Fund will have purchased, or will be in the process of purchasing, equivalent amounts of related securities in the cash market at the time when the futures or option position is closed out. However, in particular cases, when it is economically advantageous for a Fund to do so, a long futures position may be terminated or an option may expire without the corresponding purchase of securities or other assets.

A Fund will engage in transactions in currency forward contracts, futures contracts and options only to the extent such transactions are consistent with the requirements of the Code, for maintaining its qualification as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. See “Taxes.”

Transactions in futures contracts and options on futures involve brokerage costs, require margin deposits and, in some cases, may require a Fund to establish a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities in an amount equal to the underlying value of such contracts and options.

The use of futures contracts entails certain risks, including but not limited to the following: no assurance that futures contracts transactions can be offset at favorable prices; possible reduction of a Fund’s income due to the use of hedging; possible reduction in value of both the securities hedged and the hedging instrument; possible lack of liquidity due to daily limits on price fluctuations; imperfect correlation between the contract and the securities being hedged; and potential losses in excess of the amount initially invested in the futures contracts themselves. If the expectations of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, a Fund may have experienced better investment results without hedging. The use of futures contracts and options on futures contracts requires special skills in addition to those needed to select portfolio securities.

While transactions in futures contracts and options on futures may reduce certain risks, such transactions themselves entail certain other risks. Thus, while a Fund may benefit from the use of futures and options on futures, unanticipated changes in interest rates or securities prices may result in a poorer overall performance for the Fund than if it had not entered into any futures contracts or options transactions. In the event of an imperfect correlation between a futures position and a portfolio position which is intended to be protected, the desired protection may not be obtained and the Fund may be exposed to risk of loss.

Perfect correlation between a Fund’s futures positions and portfolio positions will be impossible to achieve. There are no futures contracts based upon individual securities, except certain U.S. government securities. Other futures contracts available to hedge the Fund’s portfolio investments generally are limited to futures on various securities indices.

Options on Securities and Securities Indices. The Funds may each write covered call and secured put options on any securities in which it may invest or on any domestic stock indices based on securities in which it may invest. A Fund may purchase and write such options on securities that are listed on national domestic securities exchanges or foreign securities exchanges or traded in the over-the-counter market. A call option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to sell specified securities to the holder of the option at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price of the security. All call options written by a Fund are covered, which means that the Fund will own the securities subject to the option so long as the option is outstanding or use the other methods described below. The purpose of a Fund in writing covered call options is to realize greater income than would be realized in portfolio securities transactions alone. However, in writing covered call options for additional income, a Fund may forego the opportunity to profit from an increase in the market price of the underlying security.

A put option written by a Fund obligates the Fund to purchase specified securities from the option holder at a specified price if the option is exercised at any time before the expiration date, regardless of the market price for the security. The purpose of writing such options is to generate additional income. However, in return for the option premium, the Fund accepts the risk that it will be required to purchase the underlying securities at a price in excess of the securities’ market value at the time of purchase.

All call and put options written by a Fund are covered. A written call option or put option may be covered by (i) maintaining cash or liquid securities, in a segregated account noted on the Fund’s records or maintained by the Fund’s custodian with a value at least equal to the Fund’s obligation under the option, (ii) entering into an offsetting forward commitment and/or (iii) purchasing an offsetting option or any other option which, by virtue of its exercise price or otherwise, reduces the Fund’s net exposure on its written option position.

A Fund may terminate its obligations under an exchange-traded call or put option by purchasing an option identical to the one it has written. Obligations under over-the-counter options may be terminated only by entering into an offsetting transaction with the counterparts to such option. Such purchases are referred to as “closing purchase transactions” and do not result in the ownership of an option. A closing purchase transaction will ordinarily be effected to realize a profit on an outstanding option, to prevent an underlying security from being called, to permit the sale of the underlying security or to permit the writing of a new option containing different terms on such underlying security. The cost of such a liquidation purchase plus transaction costs may be greater than the premium received upon the original option, in which event the Fund will have incurred a loss in the transaction.

A Fund may also write (sell) covered call and put options on any securities index composed of securities in which it may invest. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash settlement payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. The amount of this settlement will be equal to the difference between the closing price of the of the securities index at the time of exercise and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars, times a specified amount. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.

The Funds may cover call options on a securities index by owning securities whose price changes are expected to be similar to those of the underlying index or by having an absolute and immediate right to acquire such securities without additional cash consideration (or for additional cash consideration held in a segregated account) upon conversion or exchange of other securities in its portfolio. A Fund may also cover call and put options on a securities index by using the other methods described above. A Fund may purchase put and call options on any securities in which it may invest or on any securities index based on securities in which it may invest, and a Fund may enter into closing sale transactions in order to realize gains or minimize losses on options it had purchased.

A Fund would normally purchase call options in anticipation of an increase, or put options in anticipation of a decrease (“protective puts”) in the market value of securities of the type in which it may invest. The purchase of a call option would entitle a Fund, in return for the premium paid, to purchase specified securities at a specified price during the option period. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain on the purchase of a call option if, during the option period, the value of such securities exceeded the sum of the exercise price, the premium paid and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the call option. The purchase of a put option would entitle a Fund, in exchange for the premium paid, to sell specified securities at a specified price during the option period. The purchase of protective puts is designed to offset or hedge against a decline in the market value of a Fund’s securities. Put options may also be purchased by a Fund for the purpose of affirmatively benefiting from a decline in the price of securities which it does not own. A Fund would ordinarily realize a gain if, during the option period, the value of the underlying securities decreased below the exercise price sufficiently to cover the premium and transaction costs; otherwise the Fund would realize either no gain or a loss on the purchase of the put option. Gains and losses on the purchase of put options may be offset by countervailing changes in the value of the underlying portfolio securities.

A Fund may purchase put and call options on securities indices for the same purposes as it may purchase options on securities. Options on securities indices are similar to options on securities, except that the exercise of securities index options requires cash payments and does not involve the actual purchase or sale of securities. In addition, securities index options are designed to reflect price fluctuations in a group of securities or segment of the securities market rather than price fluctuations in a single security.

Transactions by a Fund in options on securities and securities indices will be subject to limitations established by each of the exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities on which such options are traded governing the maximum number of options in each class which may be written or purchased by a single investor or group of investors acting in concert, regardless of whether the options are written or purchased on the same or different exchanges, boards of trade or other trading facilities or are held or written in one or more accounts or through one or more brokers. Thus, the number of options that a Fund may write or purchase may be affected by options written or purchased by other investment advisory clients of the Adviser. An exchange, board of trade or other trading facility may order the liquidation of positions found to be in excess of these limits, and it may impose certain other sanctions.

Although the Funds may use option transactions to seek to generate additional income and to seek to reduce the effect of any adverse price movement in the securities or currency subject to the option, they do involve certain risks that are different in some respects from investment risks associated with similar mutual funds, which do not engage in such activities. These risks include the following: for writing call options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the inability to participate in the appreciation of the underlying securities above the exercise price; for writing put options, the inability to effect closing transactions at favorable prices and the obligation to purchase the specified securities or to make a cash settlement on the securities index at prices which may not reflect current market values; and for purchasing call and put options, the possible loss of the entire premium paid. In addition, the effectiveness of hedging through the purchase or sale of securities index options, including options on the S&P 500 ® Index, will depend upon the extent to which price movements in the portion of the securities portfolio being hedged correlate with the price movements in the selected securities index. Perfect correlation may not be possible because the securities held or to be acquired by a Fund may not exactly match the composition of the securities index on which options are written. If the forecasts of the Adviser regarding movements in securities prices or interest rates are incorrect, a Fund’s investment results may have been better without the hedge transactions.

There is no assurance that a liquid secondary market on a domestic or foreign options exchange will exist for any particular exchange-traded option or at any particular time. If a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction with respect to covered options it has written, the Fund will not be able to sell the underlying securities or dispose of assets held in a segregated account until the options expire or are exercised. Similarly, if a Fund is unable to effect a closing sale transaction with respect to options it has purchased, it would have to exercise the options in order to realize any profit and will incur transaction costs upon the purchase or sale of underlying securities or currencies.

Reasons for the absence of a liquid secondary market on an exchange include the following: (i) there may be insufficient trading interest in certain options; (ii) restrictions may be imposed by an exchange on opening transactions or closing transactions or both; (iii) trading halts, suspensions or other restrictions may be imposed with respect to particular classes or series of options; (iv) unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations on an exchange; (v) the facilities of an exchange or the Options Clearing Corporation may not at all times be adequate to handle current trading volume; or (vi) one or more exchanges could, for economic or other reasons, decide or be compelled at some future date to discontinue the trading of options (or a particular class or series of options), in which event the secondary market on that exchange (or in that class or series of options) would cease to exist although outstanding options on that exchange that had been issued by the Options Clearing Corporation as a result of trades on that exchange would continue to be exercisable in accordance with their terms.

A Fund’s ability to terminate over-the-counter options is more limited than with exchange-traded options and may involve the risk that broker-dealers participating in such transactions will not fulfill their obligations. The Adviser will monitor the liquidity of over-the-counter options and, if it determines that such options are not readily marketable, a Fund’s ability to enter such options will be subject to the Fund’s limitation on investments on illiquid securities.

The writing and purchase of options is a highly specialized activity, which involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. The successful use of options for hedging purposes depends in part on the Adviser’s ability to predict future price fluctuations and the degree of correlation between the options and securities markets.

 

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Portfolio Turnover. Those investment strategies that require periodic changes to portfolio holdings with the expectation of outperforming equity indices are typically referred to as “active” strategies. These strategies contrast with “passive” (“index”) strategies that buy and hold only the stocks in the equity indices. Passive strategies tend to trade infrequently—only as the stocks in the indices change (largely due to changes in the sizes of the companies in the indices, takeovers or bankruptcies). Most equity mutual funds pursue active strategies, which have higher turnover than passive strategies.

The generally higher portfolio turnover of active investment strategies can adversely affect taxable investors, especially those in higher marginal tax brackets, in two ways. First, short-term capital gains, which often accompany higher turnover investment strategies, are currently taxed at ordinary income rates. Ordinary income tax rates are higher than long-term capital gain tax rates for middle and upper income taxpayers. Thus, the tax liability is often higher for investors in active strategies. Second, the more frequent realization of gains caused by higher turnover investment strategies means that taxes will be paid sooner. Such acceleration of the tax liability is financially more costly to investors. Less frequent realization of capital gains allows the payment of taxes to be deferred until later years, allowing more of the gains to compound before taxes are paid. Consequently, after-tax compound rates of return will generally be higher for taxable investors using investment strategies with very low turnover, compared with high turnover strategies. The difference is particularly large when the general market rates of return are higher than average, such as during the majority of the last ten years.

There are no limitations on the length of time that securities must be held by either Fund and a Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate may vary significantly from year to year. A high rate of portfolio turnover (100% or more) involves correspondingly greater transaction costs, which must be borne by the applicable Fund and its shareholders.

In determining such portfolio turnover, U.S. government securities and all other securities (including options) which have maturities at the time of acquisition of one year or less (“short-term securities”) are excluded. The annual portfolio turnover rate is calculated by dividing the lesser of the cost of purchases or proceeds from sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average of the value of the portfolio securities owned by the applicable Fund during the year. The monthly average is calculated by totaling the values of the portfolio securities as of the beginning and end of the first month of the year and as of the end of the succeeding 11 months and dividing the sum by 13. A turnover rate of 100% would occur if all of a Fund’s portfolio securities (other than short-term securities) were replaced once in a period of one year. It should be noted that if a Fund were to write a substantial number of options, which are exercised, the portfolio turnover rate of that Fund would increase. Increased portfolio turnover results in increased brokerage costs, which a Fund must pay, and the possibility of more short-term gains, distributions of which are taxable as ordinary income.

The Funds will trade their portfolio securities without regard to the length of time for which they have been held. To the extent that a Fund’s portfolio is traded for short-term market considerations and portfolio turnover rate exceeds 100%, the annual portfolio turnover rate of the Fund could be higher than most mutual funds.

 

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Purchase Warrants. Each Fund may invest in purchase warrants and similar rights. Purchase warrants are privileges issued by a corporation which enable the owner to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short lifespan to expiration. The purchase of warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not executed prior to the warrants’ expiration. Also, the purchase of warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security’s market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security. These Funds may not invest more than 5% of each Fund’s respective net assets in purchase warrants and similar rights.

Real Estate Investment Trust Securities. Each Fund may invest in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). REITs generally invest directly in real estate, in mortgages or in some combination of the two. Individual REITs may own a limited number of properties and may concentrate in a particular region or property type. A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional requirements of the Code. The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes. To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.

Generally, REITs can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. Equity REITs invest the majority of their assets directly in real property and derive their income primarily from rents and capital gains from appreciation realized through property sales. Mortgage REITs invest the majority of their assets in real estate mortgages and derive their income primarily from interest payments. Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs. The values of securities issued by REITs are affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill. They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act.

The REITs in which the Funds may invest may be affected by economic forces and other factors related to the real estate industry. REITs are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents, and management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry may also be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. REITS whose underlying assets include long-term health care properties; such as nursing, retirement and assisted living homes, may be impacted by federal regulations concerning the health care industry. Each Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund. Each Fund is also subject to the

 

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risk that the REITs in which it invests will fail to qualify for tax-free pass-through of income under the Code, and/or fail to qualify for an exemption from registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of the credit extended. A REIT’s return may be adversely affected when interest rates are high or rising.

Investing in REITs may involve risks similar to those associated with investing in small capitalization companies. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in a limited volume and may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than larger company securities. Historically, small capitalization stocks, such as REITs, have been more volatile in price than the larger capitalization stocks included in the S&P 500 ® .

Repurchase Agreements. Each Fund may agree to purchase securities from financial institutions subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase them at an agreed-upon time and price (“repurchase agreements”). The securities held subject to a repurchase agreement may have stated maturities exceeding 397 days, provided the repurchase agreement itself matures in less than 13 months. Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.

The repurchase price under the repurchase agreements described above generally equals the price paid by the Fund plus interest negotiated on the basis of current short-term rates (which may be more or less than the rate on the securities underlying the repurchase agreement). The financial institutions with whom the Funds may enter into repurchase agreements will be banks which the Adviser considers creditworthy pursuant to criteria approved by the Board of Directors and non-bank dealers of U.S. government securities that are listed on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s list of reporting dealers. The Adviser will consider the creditworthiness of a seller in determining whether to have the Fund enter into a repurchase agreement. The seller under a repurchase agreement will be required to maintain the value of the securities subject to the agreement at not less than the repurchase price plus accrued interest. The Adviser will mark to market daily the value of the securities, and will, if necessary, require the seller to maintain additional securities, to ensure that the value is not less than the repurchase price.

Default by or bankruptcy of the seller would, however, expose a Fund to possible loss because of adverse market action or delays in connection with the disposition of the underlying obligations.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. Each Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to portfolio securities for temporary purposes (such as to obtain cash to meet redemption requests) when the liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed disadvantageous or inconvenient by the Adviser. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by a Fund subject to the Fund’s agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon price, date and rate of interest. Such agreements are considered to be borrowings under the 1940 Act, and may be entered into only for temporary or emergency purposes. While reverse repurchase transactions are outstanding, a Fund will maintain in a segregated account with the Fund’s custodian or a qualified sub-custodian, cash or liquid securities of an amount at least equal to the market value of the securities, plus accrued interest, subject to the agreement

 

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and will monitor the account to ensure that such value is maintained. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund is obligated to repurchase and the interest received on the cash exchanged for the securities.

Risk Considerations of Medium Grade Securities. Obligations in the lowest investment grade (i.e., BBB or Baa), referred to as “medium grade” obligations, have speculative characteristics, and changes in economic conditions and other factors are more likely to lead to weakened capacity to make interest payments and repay principal on these obligations than is the case for higher rated securities. In the event that a security purchased by a Fund is subsequently downgraded below investment grade, the Adviser will consider such event in its determination of whether the Fund should continue to hold the security.

Special Situation Companies. Each Fund may invest in “Special Situations.” The term “Special Situation” shall be deemed to refer to a security of a company in which an unusual and possibly non-repetitive development is taking place which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, may cause the security to attain a higher market value independently, to a degree, of the trend in the securities market in general. The particular development (actual or prospective), which may qualify a security as a “Special Situation,” may be one of many different types.

Such developments may include, among others, a technological improvement or important discovery or acquisition which, if the expectation for it materialized, would effect a substantial change in the company’s business; a reorganization; a recapitalization or other development involving a security exchange or conversion; a merger, liquidation or distribution of cash, securities or other assets; a breakup or workout of a holding company; litigation which, if resolved favorably, would improve the value of the company’s stock; a new or changed management; or material changes in management policies. A “Special Situation” may often involve a comparatively small company, which is not well known, and which has not been closely watched by investors generally, but it may also involve a large company. The fact, if it exists, that an increase in the company’s earnings, dividends or business is expected, or that a given security is considered to be undervalued, would not in itself be sufficient to qualify as a “Special Situation.” The Fund may invest in securities (even if not “Special Situations”) which, in the opinion of the investment adviser of the Fund, are appropriate investments for the Fund, including securities which the investment adviser of the Fund believes are undervalued by the market. The Fund shall not be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in “Special Situations,” nor shall it be required to invest any minimum percentage of its aggregate portfolio in securities other than “Special Situations.”

Securities of Unseasoned Issuers. Each Fund may invest in securities of unseasoned issuers, including equity securities of unseasoned issuers which are not readily marketable, provided the aggregate investment in such securities would not exceed 5% of net assets for each of the Funds. The term “unseasoned” refers to issuers which, together with their predecessors, have been in operation for less than three years.

 

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Structured Securities. Each Fund may invest up to 5% of its net assets in structured securities to the extent consistent with its investment objectives. The value of the principal of and/or interest on structured securities is determined by reference to changes in the value of specific currencies, commodities, securities, indices or other financial indictors (the “Reference”) or the relative change in two or more References. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may be increased or decreased depending upon changes in the applicable Reference. Examples of structured securities include, but are not limited to, notes where the principal repayment at maturity is determined by the value of the relative change in two or more specified securities or securities indices.

The terms of some structured securities may provide that in certain circumstances no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, the Fund could suffer a total loss of its investment. Structured securities may be positively or negatively indexed, so that appreciation of the Reference may produce an increase or decrease in the interest rate or value of the security at maturity. In addition, changes in the interest rate or the value of the security at maturity may be a multiple of the changes in the value of the Reference. Consequently, structured securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of securities. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities due to their derivative nature.

Temporary Investments. Although the Funds invest primarily in equity securities, for temporary defensive purposes, the Funds may hold cash or invest in a variety of money market instruments and short-term and medium-term debt securities including: (a) obligations of the United States or foreign governments, their respective agencies or instrumentalities; (b) bank deposits and bank obligations (including certificates of deposit, time deposits and bankers’ acceptances) of U.S. or foreign banks denominated in any currency; (c) floating rate securities and other instruments denominated in any currency issued by international development agencies; (d) finance company and corporate commercial paper and other short-term corporate debt obligations of U.S. and foreign corporations; and (e) repurchase agreements with banks and broker-dealers with respect to such securities.

U.S. Government Obligations. Each Fund may purchase U.S. government agency and instrumentality obligations that are debt securities issued by U.S. government-sponsored enterprises and federal agencies. Some obligations of agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government or by U.S. Treasury guarantees, such as securities of the Ginnie Mae and the Federal Housing Authority; others, by the ability of the issuer to borrow, provided approval is granted, from the U.S. Treasury, such as securities of Freddie Mac and others, only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation, such as securities of Fannie Mae and the Federal Loan Banks. Such guarantees of U.S. government securities held by a Fund do not, however, guarantee the market value of the shares of the Fund. There is no guarantee that the U.S. government will continue to provide support to its agencies or instrumentalities in the future. U.S. government obligations that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government are subject to greater risks than those that are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. All U.S. government obligations are subject to interest rate risk.

 

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Each Fund’s net assets may be invested in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, including, but not limited to, options and futures on such obligations. The maturities of U.S. government securities usually range from three months to thirty years. Examples of types of U.S. government obligations include U.S. Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds and the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Farm Credit Banks, Federal Land Banks, the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, Fannie Mae, Ginnie Mae, General Services Administration, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Freddie Mac, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, the Maritime Administration, the Asian-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. U.S. government securities may include inflation-indexed fixed income securities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). The interest rate of TIPS, which is set at auction, remains fixed throughout the term of the security and the principal amount of the security is adjusted for inflation. The inflation-adjusted principal is not paid until maturity. The Funds do not presently intend to invest more than 5% of each Fund’s respective net assets in U.S. government obligations.

 

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INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

Each Fund has adopted the following fundamental investment limitations which may not be changed with respect to a Fund without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding shares (as defined in Section 2(a) (42) of the 1940 Act). As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, “shareholder approval” and a “majority of the outstanding shares” of a Fund means, with respect to the approval of an investment advisory agreement, a distribution plan or a change in a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the particular Fund represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of such Fund. Each Fund’s investment goal and strategies described in the Prospectuses may be changed by the Company’s Board of Directors without the approval of the Fund’s shareholders. Each Fund may not:

 

  1. Purchase, sell or invest in commodities or commodity contracts or real estate or interests in real estate, except futures contracts on securities and securities indices and options on such futures, forward foreign currency exchange contracts and except that the Fund may purchase, sell or invest in marketable securities of companies holding real estate or interests in real estate, including real estate investment trusts.

 

  2. Make loans except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act.

 

  3. Borrow money, issue senior securities or mortgage, pledge or hypothecate its assets except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, provided, however, that (a) collateral arrangements in connection with short sales, options, futures, options on futures or other permitted investment practices and collateral arrangements with respect to initial or variation margin for such transactions will not be deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of the Fund’s assets, and (b) assets held in escrow or in a separate account in connection with the Fund’s permitted investment practices will not be considered to be borrowings or deemed to be a pledge or other encumbrance of the Fund’s assets.

 

  4. Engage in the business of underwriting the securities of other issuers (except as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities in accordance with its investment objective and policies); provided, however, that the Fund may invest all or part of its investable assets in an open-end investment company with substantially the same investment objective, policies and restrictions as the Fund.

Except with respect to each Fund’s fundamental investment restriction regarding borrowings, any investment limitation of a Fund that is expressed as a percentage is determined at the time of investment by the Fund. An increase or decrease in a Fund’s net asset value or a company’s market capitalization subsequent to a Fund’s initial investment will not affect the Fund’s compliance with the percentage limitation or the company’s status as small, medium or large cap. Under the 1940 Act, each Fund will

 

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be required to maintain continuous asset coverage of at least 300% for borrowings from a bank. In the event that such asset coverage is below 300%, the applicable Fund will be required to reduce the amount of its borrowings to obtain 300% asset coverage, within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) or such longer period as the rules and regulations of the SEC prescribe. In addition, under the 1940 Act, each Fund may not invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any issuer that derives more than 15% of its gross revenue from a securities-related business, unless an exemption is available under the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Company has adopted, on behalf of the Funds, a policy relating to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities to ensure that disclosure of information about portfolio holdings is in the best interest of Fund shareholders. The policies relating to the disclosure of the Funds’ portfolio securities are designed to allow disclosure of portfolio holdings information where necessary to the Fund’s operation without compromising the integrity or performance of the Fund. It is the policy of the Company that disclosure of a Fund’s portfolio holdings to a select person or persons prior to the release of such holdings to the public (“selective disclosure”) is prohibited, unless there are legitimate business purposes for selective disclosure.

The Company discloses portfolio holdings information as required in regulatory filings and shareholder reports, discloses portfolio holdings information as required by federal and state securities laws and may disclose portfolio holdings information in response to requests by governmental authorities. As required by the federal securities laws, including the 1940 Act, the Company will disclose the Funds’ portfolio holdings in applicable regulatory filings, including shareholder reports, reports on Form N-CSR and Form N-Q or such other filings, reports or disclosure documents as the applicable regulatory authorities may require.

 

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The Adviser currently makes the Funds’ complete portfolio holdings, top ten holdings, sector weightings and other portfolio characteristics publicly available on its web site, www.robecoinvest.com as disclosed in the following table:

 

Information Posting

 

Frequency of Disclosure

 

Date of Web Posting

Complete Portfolio Holdings   Quarterly   60 days after the end of each calendar quarter
Top 10 Portfolio Holdings and other portfolio characteristics   Quarterly   10 days after the end of each calendar quarter

The scope of the information relating to the Funds’ portfolios that is made available on the web site may change from time to time without notice. The Adviser or its affiliates may include each Fund’s portfolio information that has already been made public through a Web posting or SEC filing in marketing literature and other communications to shareholders, advisors or other parties, provided that, in the case of information made public through the Web, the information is disclosed no earlier than the day after the date of posting to the Web site.

The Company may distribute or authorize the distribution of information about the Funds’ portfolio holdings that is not publicly available to its third-party service providers of the Company, which include PFPC Trust Company, custodian for the Funds; PFPC Inc., the administrator, accounting agent and transfer agent;                      , the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm; Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, legal counsel; GCom 2 Solutions, R.R. Donnelly and Command, the financial printers; and Institutional Shareholder Services, the Funds’ proxy voting service. These service providers are required to keep such information confidential, and are prohibited from trading based on the information or otherwise using the information except as necessary in providing services to the Funds. Such holdings are released on conditions of confidentiality, which include appropriate trading prohibitions. “Conditions of confidentiality” include confidentiality terms included in written agreements, implied by the nature of the relationship (e.g., attorney-client relationship), or required by fiduciary or regulatory principles (e.g., custody services provided by financial institutions). Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in a Fund’s portfolio.

Portfolio holdings may also be disclosed, upon authorization by a designated officer of the Adviser, to certain independent reporting agencies recognized by the SEC as acceptable agencies for the reporting of industry statistical information. Disclosures to financial consultants are also subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions as well as a 30-day time lag. The foregoing disclosures are made pursuant to the Company’s policy on selective disclosure of portfolio holdings. The Board of Directors of the Company or a committee thereof may, in limited circumstances, permit other selective disclosure of portfolio holdings subject to a confidentiality agreement and/or trading restrictions. Portfolio holdings may also be provided earlier to shareholders and their agents who receive redemptions in kind that reflect a pro rata allocation of all securities held in the Funds’ portfolios.

The Adviser reserves the right to refuse to fulfill any request for portfolio holdings information from a shareholder or non-shareholder if it believes that providing such information will be contrary to the best interests of the Funds.

 

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Any violations of the policy set forth above as well as any corrective action undertaken to address such violations must be reported by the Adviser, director, officer or third party service provider to the Company’s Chief Compliance Officer, who will determine whether the violation should be reported immediately to the Board of Directors of the Company or at its next quarterly Board meeting.

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY

The business and affairs of the Company are managed under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors. The Company is organized under and managed pursuant to Maryland law. The Directors and executive officers of the Company, their dates of birth, business addresses and principal occupations during the past five years are set forth below.

 

Name, Address, and

Date of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held with
Fund

  

Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served 1

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director *

  

Other
Directorships Held
by Director

DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky

Comcast Corporation

1500 Market Street,

35 th Floor

Philadelphia, PA 19102

DOB: 7/16/33

   Director    1988 to present    Since 1969, Director and Vice Chairman, Comcast Corporation (cable television and communications); Director, NDS Group PLC (provider of systems and applications for digital pay TV).    19   

Comcast

Corporation; AMDOCS Limited (service provider to telecommunications companies)

Nicholas A. Giordano

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19422

DOB: 03/7/43

   Director    Since 2006    Consultant, financial services organizations from 1997 to present.    19    Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust; WT Mutual Fund; Independence Blue Cross; IntriCon Corporation (industrial furnaces and ovens)

Francis J. McKay

Fox Chase Cancer Center

333 Cottman Avenue

Philadelphia, PA 19111

DOB: 12/06/35

   Director    1988 to present    Since 2000, Vice President, Fox Chase Cancer Center (biomedical research and medical care).    19    None

Arnold M. Reichman

106 Pierrepont Street

Brooklyn, NY 11201

DOB: 5/21/48

   Chairman    2005 to present    Director, Gabelli Group Capital Partners, L.P. (an investment partnership) from 2000 to 2006.    19    None
   Director    1991 to present         

Mark A. Sargent

Villanova University School of Law

299 North Spring Mill Road

Villanova, PA 19085

DOB: 4/28/51

   Director    Since 2006    Dean and Professor of Law, Villanova University School of Law since July 1997.    19    WT Mutual Fund

 

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Name, Address, and

Date of Birth

  

Position(s)
Held with
Fund

  

Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served 1

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

  

Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director *

  

Other
Directorships Held
by Director

Marvin E. Sternberg

Moyco Technologies, Inc.

200 Commerce Drive

Montgomeryville, PA 18936

DOB: 3/24/34

   Director    1991 to present    Since 1974, Chairman, Director and President, Moyco Technologies, Inc. (manufacturer of precision coated and industrial abrasives). Since 1999, Director, Pennsylvania Business Bank.    19    Moyco Technologies, Inc.

Robert A. Straniere

300 East 57 th Street

New York, NY 10022

DOB: 3/28/41

   Director    Since 2006    Member, New York State Assembly (1981-2004); Founding Partner, Straniere Law Firm (1980 to date); Partner, Gotham Strategies (consulting firm) (2005 to date); Partner, The Gotham Global Group (consulting firm) (2005 to date); President, The New York City Hot Dog Company (2005 to date); Director, Weiss, Peck & Greer Fund Group (1992 to 2005); and Partner, Kanter-Davidoff (law firm) (2006 to date).    19    Reich and Tang Group (asset management); The Sparx Japan Fund
INTERESTED DIRECTORS 2

Robert Sablowsky

Oppenheimer & Company, Inc.

200 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10166

DOB: 4/16/38

   Director    1991 to present    Since July 2002, Senior Vice President and prior thereto, Executive Vice President of Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock & Co., Inc. (a registered broker-dealer). Since November 2004, Director of Kensington Funds.    19    Kensington Funds

J. Richard Carnall

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

DOB: 9/25/38

   Director    2002 to present    Director of PFPC Inc. from January 1987 to April 2002, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PFPC Inc. until April 2002, Executive Vice President of PNC Bank, National Association from October 1981 to April 2002, Director of PFPC International Ltd. (financial services) from August 1993 to April 2002, Director of PFPC International (Cayman) Ltd. (financial services) from September 1996 to April 2002; Governor of the Investment Company Institute (investment company industry trade organization) from July 1996 to January 2002; Director of PNC Asset Management, Inc. (investment advisory) from September 1994 to March 1998; Director of PNC National Bank from October 1995 to November 1997; Director of Haydon Bolts, Inc. (bolt manufacturer) and Parkway Real Estate Company (subsidiary of Haydon Bolts, Inc.) since 1984; and Director of Cornerstone Bank since March 2004.    19    Cornerstone Bank

 

- 26 -


Name, Address, and

Date of Birth

   Position(s)
Held with
Fund
   Term of
Office and
Length of
Time Served 1
  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Director *
   Other
Directorships Held
by Director
OFFICERS

Edward J. Roach

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

DOB: 6/29/24

   President
and
Treasurer
   1991 to
present and

1988 to
present
   Certified Public Accountant; Vice Chairman of the Board, Fox Chase Cancer Center; Trustee Emeritus, Pennsylvania School for the Deaf; Trustee Emeritus, Immaculata University; Managing General Partner, President since 2002, Treasurer since 1981 and Chief Compliance Officer since September 2004 of Chestnut Street Exchange Fund.    N/A    N/A

Jennifer Rogers

301 Bellevue Parkway

2nd Floor

Wilmington, DE 19809

DOB: 7/28/74

   Secretary    2007 to
present
   Since 2005, Vice President and Counsel, PFPC Inc. (financial services company); Associate, Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young, LLC (law firm) from 1999 to 2005.    N/A    N/A

Salvatore Faia, Esquire, CPA

Vigilant Compliance Services

186 Dundee Drive, Suite 700

Williamstown, NJ 08094

DOB: 12/25/62

   Chief
Compliance
Officer
   Since 2004    President, Vigilant Compliance Services since 2004; Senior Legal Counsel, PFPC Inc. from 2002 to 2004; Chief Legal Counsel, Corviant Corporation (Investment Adviser, Broker-Dealer and Service Provider to Investment Advisers and Separate Accountant Providers) from 2001 to 2002.    N/A    N/A

 

* Each Director oversees seventeen portfolios of the Company that are currently offered for sale.

 

1. Subject to the Company’s Retirement Policy, each Director, except Messrs. Giordano, Sargent and Straniere, may continue to serve as a Director until the last day of year 2011 or until his successor is elected and qualified or his death, resignation or removal. Subject to the Company’s Retirment Policy, Messrs. Giordano, Sargent and Straniere may serve until the last day of the calendar year in which the applicable Director attains age 75 or until his successor is elected and qualified or his death, resignation or removal. The Board reserves the right to waive the requirements of the Policy with respect to an individual Director. Each officer holds office at the pleasure of the Board of Directors until the next special meeting of the Company or until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified, or until he or she dies, resigns or is removed

 

2. Messrs. Carnall and Sablowsky are considered “interested persons” of the Company as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. Mr. Carnall is an “interested Director” of the Company because he owns shares of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. The investment adviser to the Company’s Money Market Portfolio, BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation; the investment adviser to the Company’s Senbanc Fund, Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc.; and the Company’s principal underwriter, PFPC Distributors, Inc., are indirect subsidiaries of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Mr. Sablowsky is considered an “interested Director” of the Company by virtue of his position as an officer of a registered broker-dealer.

 

- 27 -


The Board and Standing Committees

Board. The Board of Directors is comprised of nine individuals, two of whom are considered “interested” Directors as defined by the 1940 Act. The remaining Directors are referred to as “Disinterested” or “Independent” Directors. The Board meets at least quarterly to review the investment performance of each portfolio in the mutual fund family and other operational matters, including policies and procedures with respect to compliance with regulatory and other requirements. Currently, the Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, an Executive Committee, a Nominating Committee and a Regulatory Oversight Committee. The responsibilities of each committee and its members are described below.

Audit Committee. The Board has an Audit Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Audit Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, Giordano, McKay and Sternberg. The Audit Committee, among other things, reviews results of the annual audit and approves the firm(s) to serve as independent auditors. The Audit Committee convened six times during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

Executive Committee. The Board has an Executive Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Executive Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, Reichman, Sargent and Sternberg. The Executive Committee may generally carry on and manage the business of the Company when the Board of Directors is not in session. The Executive Committee did not convene during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

Nominating Committee. The Board has a Nominating Committee comprised only of Independent Directors. The current members of the Nominating Committee are Messrs. Brodsky, McKay and Sargent. The Nominating Committee recommends to the Board of Directors all persons to be nominated as Directors of the Company. The Nominating Committee will consider nominees recommended by shareholders. Recommendations should be submitted to the Committee in care of the Company’s Secretary. The Nominating Committee convened once during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

Regulatory Oversight Committee. The Board has a Regulatory Oversight Committee comprised of one interested Director and four Independent Directors. The current members of the Regulatory Oversight Committee are Messrs. Carnall, Reichman, Sargent, Sablowsky and Straniere. The Regulatory Oversight Committee monitors regulatory developments in the mutual fund industry and focuses on various regulatory aspects of the operation of the Company. The Regulatory Oversight Committee was created on May 23, 2007 by the Company’s Board of Directors and held no meetings during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

Director Ownership of Shares of the Company

The following table sets forth the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Director in the Funds and in all of the portfolios (which for each Director comprise all registered investment companies within the Company’s family of investment companies overseen by him), as of December 31, 2006. Prior to the date of this SAI the Funds did not offer their shares for purchase.

 

- 28 -


Name of Director

  

Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in the Funds

  

Aggregate Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in All
Registered Investment Companies
Overseen by Director within the
Family of Investment Companies

DISINTERESTED DIRECTORS

Julian A. Brodsky

   None    Over $100,000

Nicholas A. Giordano

   None    None

Francis J. McKay

   None    Over $100,000

Arnold M. Reichman

   None    Over $100,000

Mark A. Sargent

   None    None

Marvin E. Sternberg

   None    None

Robert A. Straniere

   None    None
INTERESTED DIRECTORS

J. Richard Carnall

   None    None

Robert Sablowsky

   None    Over $100,000

Directors’ and Officers’ Compensation

Since May 23, 2007, the Company pays each Director at the rate of $17,500 annually, $3,500 per meeting of the Board of Directors and $500 for each committee meeting lasting up to one hour or $1,500 for each committee meeting lasting over one hour attended by a Director or in which he participates (provided that such committee meeting is not held in conjunction with a Board meeting). The Chairman of the Board receives an additional fee of $12,000 per year for his services in this capacity, and the Chairman of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and Regulatory Oversight Committee receives an additional fee of $4,000 per year for his services. From February 15, 2006 to May 23, 2007, the Company paid each Director at the rate of $17,500 annually and $3,500 per meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof that was not held in conjunction with a Board meeting. Each Director received a fee of $500 for telephonic Board or Committee meetings lasting one-half hour or less. The Chairman of the Board received an additional fee of $12,000 per year for his services in this capacity, and the Chairman of the Audit Committee received an additional fee of $4,000 per year for his services. Prior to February 15, 2006, the Company paid each Director at the rate of $16,500 annually and $1,375 per meeting of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof that was not held in conjunction with a Board meeting. In addition, the Chairman of the Board received an additional fee of $6,600 per year for his services in this capacity.

 

- 29 -


Directors are reimbursed for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof. The Company also compensates its President and Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer for their respective services to the Company. For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006, each of the following members of the Board of Directors and the President and Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer received compensation from the Company in the following amounts:

 

Name of Director/Officer

   Aggregate
Compensation
from Registrant
   Pension or
Retirement
Benefits Accrued
as Part of Fund
Expenses
   Estimated
Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
   Total
Compensation
From Fund and
Fund Complex
Paid to Directors
or Officers

Independent Directors:

           

Julian A. Brodsky, Director

   $ 38,500      N/A    N/A    $ 38,500

Nicholas A. Giordano, Director*

   $ 0      N/A    N/A    $ 0

Francis J. McKay, Director

   $ 37,125      N/A    N/A    $ 37,125

Arnold M. Reichman, Director and Chairman

   $ 31,250      N/A    N/A    $ 31,250

Mark A. Sargent, Director*

   $ 0      N/A    N/A    $ 0

Marvin E. Sternberg, Director

   $ 39,125      N/A    N/A    $ 39,125

Robert A. Straniere, Director*

   $ 1,731      N/A    N/A    $ 1,731

Interested Directors:

           

J. Richard Carnall, Director and former Chairman

   $ 34,300      N/A    N/A    $ 34,300

Robert Sablowsky, Director

   $ 29,500      N/A    N/A    $ 29,500

Officers:

           

Salvatore Faia, Esquire, CPA Chief Compliance Officer

   $ 224,784      N/A    N/A    $ 224,784

Edward J. Roach, President and Treasurer

   $ 43,000    $ 4,300    N/A    $ 47,300

* Mr. Straniere was elected to the Board of Directors at a meeting held on May 25, 2006 and, therefore, the compensation reflected is for the period May 25, 2006 through August 31, 2006. Messrs. Giordano and Sargent were elected to the Board of Directors at a meeting held on September 6, 2006 and, therefore, received no compensation during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2006.

As of December 31, 2006, the Independent Directors and their respective immediate family members (spouse or dependent children) did not own beneficially or of record any securities of the Company’s investment advisers or distributor, or of any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the investment advisers or distributor.

 

- 30 -


On October 24, 1990, the Company adopted, as a participating employer, the Fund Office Retirement Profit-Sharing Plan and Trust Agreement, a retirement plan for employees (currently Edward J. Roach), pursuant to which the Company will contribute on a quarterly basis amounts equal to 10% of the quarterly compensation of each eligible employee. By virtue of the services performed by the Company’s investment advisers, custodians, administrators and distributor, the Company itself requires only one part-time employee. No officer, Director or employee of the Adviser or the distributor currently receives any compensation from the Company.

Certain Interests of Independent Director

Mr. Brodsky serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Comcast Corporation (“Comcast”). Comcast has a $5 billion revolving credit facility with a lending syndicate of 27 banks, one of which is Merrill Lynch Bank USA (“ML Bank”), an affiliate of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“Merrill Lynch”), which owns a controlling interest in BlackRock, Inc., the parent company of BIMC. ML Bank’s obligation as part of the syndicate is limited to $100 million, or approximately 2.0% of the total amount of the credit facility. The credit facility is used for working capital, capital expenditures, commercial paper backup and other lawful corporate purposes. The highest amount outstanding on the ML Bank pro rata share of the credit facility during the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005 (including any predecessor credit facility in effect during such period), based on month-end balances, was $21.8 million. There was no balance outstanding on the ML Bank pro rata share of the credit facility as of December 1, 2006. The interest rate on amounts drawn under the credit facility is based upon Comcast’s credit ratings. As of December 1, 2006, the interest rates are (i) for amounts undrawn, London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus 8 basis points; (ii) for the first draw up to 50% drawn, LIBOR plus 35 basis points; and (iii) for amounts drawn greater than 50% drawn, LIBOR plus 45 basis points. During the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005, Merrill Lynch participated as an underwriter in 1 (one) Comcast debt offering. Merrill Lynch did not serve as a joint book-running manager in that debt offering. Comcast has advised the Company that on average its institutional debt offerings include 23 firms in the underwriting syndicate and its retail debt offerings include 53 firms in the underwriting syndicate. For the underwriting services provided during this period, Merrill Lynch received fees from Comcast of approximately $300,000. Merrill Lynch also serves as the administrator to Comcast’s stock option plan and restricted stock plan and received an annual fee of no more than $800,000 for each of the two years in the period January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005.

CODE OF ETHICS

The Company, the Adviser and PFPC Distributors, Inc. (“PFPC Distributors”) have each adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act that permits personnel subject to the codes to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Company.

PROXY VOTING

The Board of Directors has delegated the responsibility of voting proxies with respect to the portfolio securities purchased and/or held by each Fund to the Adviser, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. In exercising its voting obligations, the Adviser is guided by its general

 

- 31 -


fiduciary duty to act prudently and in the interest of the Funds. The Adviser will consider factors affecting the value of the Funds’ investments and the rights of shareholders in its determination on voting portfolio securities.

The Adviser has adopted proxy voting procedures with respect to voting proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Funds. The Adviser employs a third party service provider,                      , to assist in the voting of proxies. These procedures have been provided to the service provider, who analyzes the proxies and makes recommendations, based on the Adviser’s policy, as to how to vote such proxies. A copy of [                      ] Proxy Voting Policies is included with this SAI. Please see Appendix B to this SAI for further information. [To Be Updated]

Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities for the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available, without charge, upon request, by calling 1-888-261-4073 or by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov .

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

Investment Adviser

SAM renders advisory services to the Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement dated                  , 2007 (the “Advisory Agreement”). SAM, located at 909 Third Avenue, 32 nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, is an affiliate of Robeco. Robeco is wholly owned by Robeco US Holdings Inc., which is a subsidiary of Robeco International Holding B.V. Robeco International Holding B.V. is a subsidiary of Robeco Groep N.V., a Dutch investment management firm headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Founded in 1929, Robeco Groep N.V. is one of the world’s oldest asset management organizations and advisers to investment funds. As of May 31, 2007, Robeco Groep N.V. had approximately $200 billion (USD) in assets under management. Robeco Groep N.V. is 100% owned by Rabobank Nederland (“Rabobank”). Rabobank is a cooperative bank that is owned by a large number of local banks in the Netherlands.

Robeco Securities, L.L.C., a registered broker dealer, is a subsidiary of Robeco. Harbor Funds Distributors, Inc., a registered broker dealer; Harbor Services Group, Inc., a shareholder servicing agent; and Harbor Capital Advisers, Inc., and Robeco Institutional Asset Management US, Inc., investment advisory firms, are subsidiaries of Robeco Groep N.V. By virtue of its common control under its parent company, Rabobank, SAM is an affiliate of one registered broker-dealer in addition to the two mentioned above: Rabo Securities USA, Inc. SAM does not execute trades through any of these affiliates.

SAM has investment discretion for the Funds and will make all decisions affecting the assets of the Funds under the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors and in accordance with each Fund’s stated policies. SAM will select investments for the Funds.

 

- 32 -


Subject to the supervision of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Adviser will provide for the overall management of the Fund including (i) the provision of a continuous investment program for the Fund, including investment research and management with respect to all securities, investments, cash and cash equivalents, (ii) the determination from time to time of what securities and other investments will be purchased, retained, or sold by the Fund, and (iii) the placement from time to time of orders for all purchases and sales made for the Fund. The Adviser will provide the services rendered by it in accordance with the Fund’s investment goal, restrictions and policies as stated in the Prospectuses and in this SAI. The Adviser will not be liable for any error of judgment, mistake of law, or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Advisory Agreement.

For its services to the Funds, SAM is entitled to receive a monthly advisory fee under the Advisory Agreement computed at an annual rate of 1.25% of each Fund’s average daily net assets.

Through December 31, 2008, SAM has agreed to waive its advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses to the extent that each of the Sustainable Water Fund’s and Sustainable Climate Fund’s total annual operating expense ratio exceeds 1.75%, 2.00%, 2.00% and 2.50% with respect to Institutional Class, Investor Class, Class A and Class C shares. The Adviser may discontinue these arrangements at any time after December 31, 2008.

Each class of the Funds bears its own expenses not specifically assumed by SAM. General expenses of the Company not readily identifiable as belonging to a portfolio of the Company are allocated among all investment portfolios by or under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors in such manner as it deems to be fair and equitable. Expenses borne by a Fund include, but are not limited to the expenses listed in the Prospectuses and the following (or a Fund’s share of the following): (a) the cost (including brokerage commissions) of securities purchased or sold by a portfolio and any losses incurred in connection therewith; (b) fees payable to and expenses incurred on behalf of a portfolio by SAM; (c) any costs, expenses or losses arising out of a liability of or claim for damages or other relief asserted against the Company or a portfolio for violation of any law; (d) any extraordinary expenses; (e) fees, voluntary assessments and other expenses incurred in connection with membership in investment company organizations; (f) the cost of investment company literature and other publications provided by the Company to its Directors and officers; (g) organizational costs; (h) fees to the investment advisers and PFPC Inc. (“PFPC”); (i) fees and expenses of officers and Directors who are not affiliated with a Fund’s investment adviser or PFPC Distributors; (j) taxes; (k) interest; (l) legal fees; (m) custodian fees; (n) auditing fees; (o) brokerage fees and commissions; (p) certain of the fees and expenses of registering and qualifying the portfolios and their shares for distribution under federal and state securities laws; (q) expenses of preparing prospectuses and statements of additional information and distributing annually to existing shareholders that are not attributable to a particular class of shares of the Company; (r) the expense of reports to shareholders, shareholders’ meetings and proxy solicitations that are not attributable to a

 

- 33 -


particular class of shares of the Company; (s) fidelity bond and directors’ and officers’ liability insurance premiums; (t) the expense of using independent pricing services; and (u) other expenses which are not expressly assumed by a Funds investment adviser under its advisory agreement with the Fund. Each class of the Funds pays its own distribution fees, if applicable, and may pay a different share than other classes of other expenses (excluding advisory and custodial fees) if those expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by such class or if it receives different services.

Under the Advisory Agreements, SAM will not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds or the Company in connection with the performance of the Advisory Agreements, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of Robeco in the performance of its respective duties or from reckless disregard of its duties and obligations thereunder.

The Advisory Agreement for the Funds was approved on              , 2007 for a term ending on          , 2008 by a vote of the Company’s Board of Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not parties to the Advisory Agreements or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of such parties. The Advisory Agreement is terminable by vote of the Company’s Board of Directors or by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each of the Funds, at any time without penalty, on [ 60] days’ written notice to SAM. The Advisory Agreements may also be terminated by SAM on [60] days’ written notice to the Company. The Advisory Agreements terminate automatically in the event of assignment thereof.

Portfolio Managers

Description of Compensation . Portfolio managers’ compensation generally is comprised of a base salary and a discretionary bonus. The discretionary bonus is based upon the unique structure of each team and consideration may be given to one or more of the following criteria, depending on the team.

 

   

Individual Contribution: a subjective evaluation of the professional’s individual contribution to team investment results as well as the individual’s success at meeting goals and objectives established at the beginning of each year;

 

   

Product Investment Performance: the performance of the investment product(s) versus a pre-designed index;

 

   

Financial Measures: a percentage of certain financial measures;

 

   

Investment Group Financial Performance: the financial results and/or revenues of the Portfolio Manager’s investment group; and

 

   

Firm Financial Performance: the overall financial performance of the firm.

 

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Other Accounts . The table below discloses accounts, other than the particular Fund or Funds managed by the Portfolio Manager for which each Portfolio Manager is primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management, for the period ended                  , 2007.

[To Be Updated]

 

Name of Portfolio Manager or Team
Member

  

Type of Accounts

  

Total

# of
Accounts
Managed

   Total Assets
($mm)
   # of Accounts
Managed that
Advisory Fee Based
on Performance
   Total Assets that
Advisory Fee
Based on
Performance
($mm)
Sustainable Water Fund               
1. Dieter Küffer    Registered Investment Companies:            
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:            
   Other Accounts:            
2. Rainer Baumann    Registered Investment Companies:            
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:            
   Other Accounts:            
Sustainable Climate Fund               
1. Deiter Küffer    Registered Investment Companies:            
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:            
   Other Accounts:            
2. Rainer Baumann    Registered Investment Companies:            
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:            
   Other Accounts:            
3. Dr. Thiemo Lang    Registered Investment Companies:            
   Other Pooled Investment Vehicles:            
   Other Accounts:            

Securities Ownership . The Funds have not offered shares to the public as of the date of this SAI and, accordingly, the Portfolio Managers do not own any shares of the Funds.

Custodian Agreements

The Custodian for the Funds is PFPC Trust Company. (“PFPCTC”), located at 8800 Tinicum Boulevard, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA 19153. PFPCTC holds the assets of the Funds pursuant to a custodian agreement dated              , 2007 (the “Custodian Agreement”). Under the Custodian Agreement, PFPCTC: (a) maintains a separate account or accounts in the name of each Fund; (b) holds and transfers portfolio securities on account of each Fund; (c) accepts receipts and makes disbursements of money on behalf of each Fund; (d) collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of each Fund’s portfolio securities; and (e) makes periodic reports to the Company’s Board of Directors concerning the Funds’ operations. PFPCTC is authorized to select one or more banks or trust companies to serve as sub-custodian on behalf of the Funds, provided that PFPCTC remains responsible for the performance of all of its duties under the Custodian Agreement and holds the Funds harmless from the acts and omissions of any sub-custodian. For its services to the Funds under the Custodian Agreement, PFPCTC receives a fee of at the annual rate of              % of each Fund’s average daily net assets, plus transaction fees.

 

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Transfer Agency Agreements

PFPC, 301 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809, an affiliate of PFPC Distributors, serves as the transfer and dividend disbursing agent for the Funds pursuant to a transfer agency agreement dated                  , 2007, (the “Transfer Agency Agreement”), under which PFPC: (a) issues and redeems shares of each Fund; (b) addresses and mails all communications by the Funds to record owners of the shares, including reports to shareholders, dividend and distribution notices and proxy materials for its meetings of shareholders; (c) maintains shareholder accounts and, if requested, sub-accounts; and (d) makes periodic reports to the Company’s Board of Directors concerning the operations of the Funds. PFPC may, on 30 days’ notice to the Company, assign its duties as transfer and dividend disbursing agent to any other affiliate of PNC Bank Corp. For its services to the Funds under the Transfer Agency Agreement, PFPC receives a fee at the annual rate of $                      per account in the Fund, with a minimum monthly fee of $                      per class payable monthly on a pro rata basis, exclusive of out-of-pocket expenses, and also receives reimbursement of its out-of-pocket expenses.

PFPC also provides services relating to the implementation of the Company’s Anti-Money Laundering Program. The Company pays an annual fee, ranging from $3,000 – $50,000, based on the number of open accounts in each portfolio of the Company. In addition, PFPC provides services relating to the implementation of the Funds’ Customer Identification Program, including verification of required customer information and the maintenance of records with respect to such verification. The Funds will pay PFPC $2.25 per customer verification and $0.02 per month per record result maintained.

Administration and Accounting Agreement

PFPC serves as administrator to the Funds pursuant to administration and accounting services agreements dated                  with respect to the Funds, (the “Administration Agreement”). PFPC has agreed to furnish to the Funds statistical and research data, clerical, accounting and bookkeeping services, and certain other services required by the Funds. In addition, PFPC has agreed to prepare and file various reports with the appropriate regulatory agencies and prepare materials required by the SEC or any state securities commission having jurisdiction over the Funds. The Administration Agreement provides that PFPC shall be obligated to exercise care and diligence in the performance of its duties, to act in good faith and to use its best efforts, within reasonable limits, in performing services thereunder. PFPC shall be responsible for failure to perform its duties under the Administration Agreement arising out of its willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard. For its services to the Funds, PFPC is entitled to receive a fee calculated at an annual rate of:

 

   

             % of each Fund’s first $          million of average daily net assets; and

 

   

             % of each Fund’s average daily net assets in excess of $          million.

The minimum monthly fee will be $              for each of the Funds, exclusive of out-of-pocket expenses.

The Administration Agreements provide that PFPC shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Company or a Fund in connection with

 

- 36 -


the performance of the agreement, except a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard by it of its duties and obligations thereunder.

On June 1, 2003, the Company entered into a regulatory administration services agreement with PFPC. Under this agreement, PFPC has agreed to provide regulatory administration services to the Company. These services include the preparation and coordination of the Company’s annual post-effective amendment filing and supplements to the Funds’ registration statement, the preparation and assembly of board meeting materials, and certain other services necessary to the Company’s regulatory administration. PFPC receives an annual fee based on the average daily net assets of the portfolios of the Company.

DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS

Distribution Agreement and Plans of Distribution

Investor Class

PFPC Distributors, whose principal business address is 760 Moore Road, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406, serves as the distributor of the Funds pursuant to the terms of a distribution agreement, dated as of January 2, 2001, as supplemented (the “Distribution Agreement”). Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement and the related Plans of Distribution, as amended, for the Investor Class (together, the “Plans”), which were adopted by the Company in the manner prescribed by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, PFPC Distributors will use appropriate efforts to solicit orders for the sale of each Fund’s shares. Payments to PFPC Distributors under the Plans are to compensate it for distribution assistance and expenses assumed and activities intended to result in the sale of shares of the Investor Class. As compensation for its distribution services, PFPC Distributors receives, pursuant to the terms of the Distribution Agreement, a distribution fee under the Plans, to be calculated daily and paid monthly by the Investor Class of each of the Funds, at the annual rate set forth in the Investor Class Prospectus.

Among other things, the Plans provide that: (1) PFPC Distributors shall be required to submit quarterly reports to the Directors of the Company regarding all amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made, including commissions, advertising, printing, interest, carrying charges and any allocated overhead expenses; (2) the Plans will continue in effect only so long as they are approved at least annually, and any material amendment thereto is approved, by the Company’s Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or any agreements related to the Plans, acting in person at a meeting called for said purpose; (3) the aggregate amount to be spent by each Fund on the distribution of the Fund’s shares of the Investor Class under the Plans shall not be materially increased without shareholder approval; and (4) while the Plans remain in effect, the selection and nomination of the Company’s Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) shall be committed to the discretion of such Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company.

 

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Mr. Sablowsky, a Director of the Company, had an indirect interest in the operation of the Plans by virtue of his position with Oppenheimer Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock Co., Inc., a broker-dealer.

Class A and Class C

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement and the related Plans of Distribution for Class A and Class C Shares (together, the “Plans”), which were adopted by the Company in the manner prescribed by Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, PFPC Distributors will use appropriate efforts to solicit orders for the sale of each Fund’s shares. Payments to PFPC Distributors under the Plans are to compensate it for distribution assistance and expenses assumed and activities intended to result in the sale of Class A or Class C shares. As compensation for its distribution services, PFPC Distributors receives, pursuant to the terms of the Distribution Agreement, a distribution fee under the Plans, to be calculated daily and paid monthly by the Class A and the Class C, respectively, of each of the Funds, at the annual rate set forth in the Class A and Class C Prospectus.

Among other things, the Plans provide that: (1) PFPC Distributors shall be required to submit quarterly reports to the Directors of the Company regarding all amounts expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made, including commissions, advertising, printing, interest, carrying charges and any allocated overhead expenses; (2) the Plans will continue in effect only so long as they are approved at least annually, and any material amendment thereto is approved, by the Company’s Directors, including a majority of those Directors who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plans or any agreements related to the Plans, acting in person at a meeting called for said purpose; (3) the aggregate amount to be spent by each Fund on the distribution of the Fund’s shares of the Class A or the Class C under the Plans shall not be materially increased without shareholder approval; and (4) while the Plans remain in effect, the selection and nomination of the Company’s Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) shall be committed to the discretion of such Directors who are not “interested persons” of the Company.

Mr. Sablowsky, a Director of the Company, had an indirect interest in the operation of the Plans by virtue of his position with Oppenheimer Co., Inc., formerly Fahnestock Co., Inc., a broker-dealer.

Administrative Services Agent

PFPC Distributors provides certain administrative services to the Institutional Class and Investor Class (as of January 1, 2002) of each Fund that are not provided by PFPC, pursuant to an Administrative Services Agreement, dated as of January 2, 2001, as supplemented, between the Company and PFPC Distributors. These services include furnishing data processing and clerical services, acting as liaison between the Funds and various service providers and

 

- 38 -


coordinating the preparation of annual, semi-annual and quarterly reports. As compensation for such administrative services, PFPC Distributors is entitled to receive an annual fee of $              per Fund from the Funds.

FUND TRANSACTIONS

Subject to policies established by the Board of Directors and applicable rules, the Adviser is responsible for the execution of portfolio transactions and the allocation of brokerage transactions for the Funds. In executing portfolio transactions, the Adviser seeks to obtain the best price and most favorable execution for the Funds, taking into account such factors as the price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size of the order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of the firm involved. While the Adviser generally seeks reasonably competitive commission rates, payment of the lowest commission or spread is not necessarily consistent with obtaining the best price and execution in particular transactions.

No Fund has any obligation to deal with any broker or group of brokers in the execution of portfolio transactions. The Adviser may, consistent with the interests of the Funds and subject to the approval of the Board of Directors, select brokers on the basis of the research, statistical and pricing services they provide to the Funds and other clients of the Adviser. Information and research received from such brokers will be in addition to, and not in lieu of, the services required to be performed by the Adviser under its respective contracts. A commission paid to such brokers may be higher than that which another qualified broker would have charged for effecting the same transaction, provided that the Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in terms either of the transaction or the overall responsibility of the Adviser to a Fund and its other clients and that the total commissions paid by a Fund will be reasonable in relation to the benefits to a Fund over the long-term.

Investment decisions for each Fund and for other investment accounts managed by the Adviser are made independently of each other in the light of differing conditions. However, the same investment decision may be made for two or more of such accounts. In such cases, simultaneous transactions are inevitable. Purchases or sales are then averaged as to price and allocated as to amount according to a formula deemed equitable to each such account. While in some cases this practice could have a detrimental effect upon the price or value of the security as far as a Fund is concerned, in other cases it is believed to be beneficial to a Fund.

 

- 39 -


PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION

You may purchase shares through an account maintained by your brokerage firm and you may also purchase shares directly by mail or wire. The Company reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of a Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Company and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing that Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. A shareholder will also bear any market risk or tax consequences as a result of a payment in securities. The Company has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the 1940 Act so that each Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund. A shareholder will bear the risk of a decline in market value and any tax consequences associated with a redemption in securities.

Under the 1940 Act, the Company may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the “NYSE”) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which the SEC restricts trading on the NYSE or determines an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Company may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)

Shares of the Company are subject to redemption by the Company, at the redemption price of such shares as in effect from time to time, including, without limitation: (1) to reimburse a Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder as provided in the Prospectuses from time to time; (2) if such redemption is, in the opinion of the Company’s Board of Directors, desirable in order to prevent the Company or any Fund from being deemed a “personal holding company” within the meaning of the Code; (3) or if the net income with respect to any particular class of common stock should be negative or it should otherwise be appropriate to carry out the Company’s responsibilities under the 1940 Act.

Automatic Investment Plan

The Automatic Investment Plan enables investors to make regular (monthly or quarterly) investments ($50 minimum) in Institutional Class shares of any Fund through an automatic withdrawal from your designated bank account by simply completing the Automatic Investment Plan application. Please call the Transfer Agent at (888) 261-4073 to enroll. By completing the enrollment form, you authorize the Funds’ Custodian to periodically draw money from your designated account, and to invest such amounts in account(s) with the fund(s) specified. The transaction will be automatically processed to your mutual fund account on or about the first business day of the month or quarter you designate.

 

- 40 -


If you elect the Automatic Investment Plan, please be aware that: (1) the privilege may be revoked without prior notice if any check is not paid upon presentation; (2) the Funds’ Custodian is under no obligation to notify you as to the non-payment of any check, and (3) this service may be modified or discontinued by the Funds’ Custodian upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to you prior to any payment date, or may be discontinued by you by written notice to the Transfer Agent at least ten (10) days before the next payment date.

TELEPHONE TRANSACTION PROCEDURES

The Company’s telephone transaction procedures include the following measures: (1) requiring the appropriate telephone transaction privilege forms; (2) requiring the caller to provide the names of the account owners, the account social security number and name of the Fund, all of which must match the Company’s records; (3) requiring the Company’s service representative to complete a telephone transaction form, listing all of the above caller identification information; (4) permitting exchanges (if applicable) only if the two account registrations are identical; (5) requiring that redemption proceeds be sent only by check to the account owners of record at the address of record, or by wire only to the owners of record at the bank account of record; (6) sending a written confirmation for each telephone transaction to the owners of record at the address of record within five (5) business days of the call; and (7) maintaining tapes of telephone transactions for six months, if the Company elects to record shareholder telephone transactions. For accounts held of record by broker-dealers (other than PFPC Distributors), financial institutions, securities dealers, financial planners and other industry professionals, additional documentation or information regarding the scope of a caller’s authority is required. Finally, for telephone transactions in accounts held jointly, additional information regarding other account holders is required. Telephone transactions will not be permitted in connection with IRA or other retirement plan accounts or by an attorney-in-fact under a power of attorney.

OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING MAXIMUM SALES CHARGE,

PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

The following information supplements the information in the Prospectuses under the caption “Shareholder Information.” Please see the Prospectuses for more complete information.

Maximum Sales Charges

Class A Shares of each Fund are sold with a maximum sales charge of 5.00%. Using the initial net asset value per share, the maximum offering price of each Fund’s Class A Shares would be as follows:

 

    

Net
Asset

Value

  

Maximum

Sales

Charge

  

Offering

Price to

Public

Sustainable Water Fund

   $ 10.00    5.00%   

Sustainable Climate Fund

     10.00    5.00%   

 

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The actual sales charge that is paid by an investor on the purchase of Class A Shares may differ slightly from the sales charge listed above or in a Fund’s Prospectus due to rounding in the calculations.

Other Purchase Information

If shares of a Fund are held in a “street name” account with an Authorized Dealer, all recordkeeping, transaction processing and payments of distributions relating to the beneficial owner’s account will be performed by the Authorized Dealer, and not by the Fund and its Transfer Agent. Since the Funds will have no record of the beneficial owner’s transactions, a beneficial owner should contact the Authorized Dealer to purchase, redeem or exchange shares, to make changes in or give instructions concerning the account or to obtain information about the account. The transfer of shares in a “street name” account to an account with another dealer or to an account directly with the Fund involves special procedures and will require the beneficial owner to obtain historical purchase information about the shares in the account from the Authorized Dealer.

Right of Accumulation (Class A)

A Class A shareholder qualifies for cumulative quantity discounts if the current purchase price of the new investment plus the shareholder’s current holdings of existing Class A or Class C Shares (acquired by purchase or exchange) of a Fund and Class A Shares of any other Robeco Investment Fund total the requisite amount for receiving a discount. For example, if a shareholder owns shares with a current market value of $65,000 and purchases additional Class A Shares of any Robeco Investment Fund with a purchase price of $45,000, the sales charge for the $45,000 purchase would be              % (the rate applicable to a single purchase of $100,000 but less than $250,000). Class A Shares purchased without the imposition of a sales charge may not be aggregated with Class A and/or Class C Shares purchased subject to a sales charge. Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Funds and any other Robeco Investment Fund purchased (i) by an individual, his spouse and his children, and (ii) by a trustee, guardian or other fiduciary of a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account, will be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for such right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. In addition, Class A and/or Class C Shares of the Funds and Class A and/or Class C Shares of any other Robeco Investment Fund purchased by partners, directors, officers or employees of the same business organization, groups of individuals represented by and investing on the recommendation of the same accounting firm, certain affinity groups or other similar organizations (collectively, “eligible persons”) may be combined for the purpose of determining whether a purchase will qualify for the right of accumulation and, if qualifying, the applicable sales charge level. This right of accumulation is subject to the following conditions: (i) the business organization’s, group’s or firm’s agreement to cooperate in the offering of the Fund’s shares to eligible persons; and (ii) notification to the relevant Fund at the time of purchase that the investor is eligible for this right of accumulation

 

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Statement of Intention (Class A)

If a shareholder anticipates purchasing at least $50,000 of Class A Shares of a Fund alone or in combination with Class A Shares of any other Robeco Investment Fund within a 13-month period, the shareholder may purchase shares of the Fund at a reduced sales charge by submitting a Statement of Intention (the “Statement”). Shares purchased pursuant to a Statement will be eligible for the same sales charge discount that would have been available if all of the purchases had been made at the same time. The shareholder or his Authorized Dealer must inform PFPC Inc. that the Statement is in effect each time shares are purchased. There is no obligation to purchase the full amount of shares indicated in the Statement. A shareholder may include the value of all Class A Shares on which a sales charge has previously been paid as an “accumulation credit” toward the completion of the Statement, but a price readjustment will be made only on Class A Shares purchased within ninety (90) days before submitting the Statement. The Statement authorizes the Transfer Agent to hold in escrow a sufficient number of shares which can be redeemed to make up any difference in the sales charge on the amount actually invested. For purposes of satisfying the amount specified on the Statement, the gross amount of each investment, exclusive of any appreciation on shares previously purchased, will be taken into account.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan

A systematic withdrawal plan (the “Systematic Withdrawal Plan”) is available to shareholders of a Fund whose shares are worth at least $10,000. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan provides for monthly payments to the participating shareholder of any amount not less than $50.

Dividends and capital gain distributions on shares held under the Systematic Withdrawal Plan are reinvested in additional full and fractional shares of the applicable Fund at net asset value. The Transfer Agent acts as agent for the shareholder in redeeming sufficient full and fractional shares to provide the amount of the systematic withdrawal payment. The Systematic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time. PFPC reserves the right to initiate a fee of up to $              per withdrawal, upon thirty (30) days written notice to the shareholder. Withdrawal payments should not be considered to be dividends, yield or income. If periodic withdrawals continuously exceed new purchases and reinvested dividends and capital gains distributions, the shareholder’s original investment will be correspondingly reduced and ultimately exhausted. The maintenance of a withdrawal plan concurrently with purchases of additional Class A or Class C Shares would be disadvantageous because of the sales charge imposed on purchases of Class A Shares or the imposition of a CDSC on redemptions of Class C Shares. The CDSC applicable to Class C Shares redeemed under a systematic withdrawal plan may be waived. See “Shareholder Information” in the Prospectuses. In addition, each withdrawal constitutes a redemption of shares, and any gain or loss realized must be reported for federal and state income tax purposes. A shareholder should consult his or her own tax adviser with regard to the tax consequences of participating in the Systematic Withdrawal Plan. For further information or to request a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, please write or call the Transfer Agent.

 

- 43 -


VALUATION OF SHARES

Subject to the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, the Funds may employ outside organizations, which may use a matrix or formula method that takes into consideration market indices, matrices, yield curves and other specific adjustments in determining the approximate market value of portfolio investments. This may result in the securities being valued at a price that differs from the price that would have been determined had the matrix or formula method not been used. All cash, receivables, and current payables are carried on a Fund’s books at their face value. Other assets, if any, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by the Funds’ Valuation Committee under the direction of the Company’s Board of Directors.

TAXES

General

The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations generally affecting the Funds and their shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Funds or their shareholders, and the discussions here and in the Prospectuses are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Potential investors should consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax situations.

The discussions of the federal tax consequences in the Prospectuses and this Additional Statement are based on the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”) and the laws and regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this Additional Statement. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the statements included herein, and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect with respect to the transactions contemplated herein.

Each Fund qualified during its last taxable year and intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1 of the Code. As such, each Fund generally is exempt from federal income tax on its net investment income and realized capital gains that it distributes to shareholders. To qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company, it must meet three important tests each year.

First, each Fund must derive with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies or net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of each Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities,

 

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securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (as to which the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities of such issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of each Fund’s total assets may be invested in the securities of (1) any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), (2) two or more issuers that the Fund controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or (3) one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

Third, each Fund must distribute an amount equal to at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income, if any, for the year.

Each Fund intends to comply with these requirements. If a Fund were to fail to make sufficient distributions, it could be liable for corporate income tax and for excise tax in respect of the shortfall or, if the shortfall is large enough, the Fund could be disqualified as a regulated investment company. If for any taxable year a Fund were not to qualify as a regulated investment company, all its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions to shareholders. In that event, taxable shareholders would recognize dividend income on distributions to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits and corporate shareholders could be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

The Code imposes a nondeductible 4% excise tax on regulated investment companies that fail to distribute each year an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

State and Local Taxes

Although each Fund expects to qualify as a “regulated investment company” and to be relieved of all or substantially all federal income taxes, depending upon the extent of its activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, a Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities.

Taxation of Certain Investments

The tax principles applicable to transactions in financial instruments and futures contracts and options that may be engaged in by a Fund, and investments in passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”), are complex and, in some cases, uncertain. Such transactions and investments may cause a Fund to recognize taxable income prior to the receipt of cash, thereby requiring the Fund to liquidate other positions, or to borrow money, so as to make sufficient distributions to shareholders to avoid corporate-level tax. Moreover, some or all of the taxable

 

- 45 -


income recognized may be ordinary income or short-term capital gain, so that the distributions may be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

In addition, in the case of any shares of a PFIC in which a Fund invests, the Fund may be liable for corporate-level tax on any ultimate gain or distributions on the shares if the Fund fails to make an election to recognize income annually during the period of its ownership of the shares.

 

- 46 -


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING COMPANY SHARES

The Company has authorized capital of 100 billion shares of common stock at a par value of $0.001 per share. Currently, 77.873 billion shares have been classified into 110 classes as shown in the table below, however, the Company only has 31 active share classes that have begun investment operations. Under the Company’s charter, the Board of Directors has the power to classify and reclassify any unissued shares of common stock from time to time.

 

Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)
  

Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)

A (Growth & Income)

   100   

BBB

   100

B

   100   

CCC

   100

C (Balanced)

   100   

DDD (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Small Cap Value Fund II)

   100

D (Tax-Free)

   100   

EEE (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Small Cap Value Fund II)

   100

E (Money)

   500   

FFF

   100

F (Municipal Money)

   500   

GGG

   100

G (Money)

   500   

HHH

   100

H (Municipal Money)

   500   

III (Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity-Institutional Class)

   100

I (Sansom Money)

   1,500   

JJJ (Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity-Investor Class)

   100

J (Sansom Municipal Money)

   500   

KKK (Robeco Boston Partners Funds)

   100

K (Sansom Government Money)

   500   

LLL (Robeco Boston Partners Funds)

   100

L (Bedford Money)

   1,500   

MMM (n/i numeric Small Cap Value)

   100

M (Bedford Municipal Money)

   500   

NNN (Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth – Institutional Class)

   100

N (Bedford Government Money)

   500   

OOO (Bogle Investment Management Small Cap Growth – Investor Class)

   100

O (Bedford N.Y. Money)

   500   

PPP (Schneider Value Fund)

   100

P (RBB Government)

   100   

QQQ (Institutional Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions)

   2,500

Q

   100   

RRR (Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions)

   2,500

R (Municipal Money)

   500   

SSS (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Retirement Class)

   100

S (Government Money)

   500   

TTT (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class)

   50

T

   500   

UUU (Robeco WPG Small Cap Value Fund – Institutional Fund)

   50

U

   500   

VVV (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class)

   50

V

   500   

WWW (Senbanc Fund)

   50

W

   100   

XXX (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class)

   100

 

- 47 -


Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)
  

Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)

X

   50   

YYY (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio)

   100
     

ZZZ (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund)

   100
     

AAAA (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund)

   100
     

BBBB (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund)

   100
     

CCCC (Free Market International Equity Fund)

   100
     

DDDD (Free Market Fixed Income Fund)

   100
     

EEEE (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Investor Class)

   100
     

FFFF (SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Investor Class)

   100
     

GGGG (SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Institutional Class)

   100
     

HHHH (SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Class A)

   100
     

IIII (SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Class C)

   100
     

JJJJ (SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Investor Class)

   100
     

KKKK (SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Institutional Class

   100
     

LLLL (SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Class A)

   100
     

MMMM (Sustainable Climate Fund – Class C)

   100

Y

   50   

Select (Money)

   700

Z

   50   

Beta 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

AA

   50   

Beta 3 (Government Money)

   1

BB

   50   

Beta 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

CC

   50   

Principal Class (Money)

   700

DD

   100   

Gamma 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

EE

   100   

Gamma 3 (Government Money)

   1

FF (n/i numeric Emerging Growth)

   50   

Gamma 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

GG (n/i numeric Growth)

   50   

Bear Stearns Money

   2,500

HH (n/i numeric Mid Cap)

   50   

Bear Stearns Municipal Money

   1,500

II (Baker 500 Growth Fund)

   100   

Bear Stearns Government Money

   1,000

JJ (Baker 500 Growth Fund)

   100   

Delta 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

KK

   100   

Epsilon 1 (Money)

   1

LL

   100   

Epsilon 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

MM

   100   

Epsilon 3 (Government Money)

   1

NN

   100   

Epsilon 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

OO

   100   

Zeta 1 (Money)

   1

PP

   100   

Zeta 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

QQ (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Large Cap)

   100   

Zeta 3 (Government Money)

   1

RR (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Large Cap)

   100   

Zeta 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

SS (Robeco Boston Partners Adviser Large Cap)

   100   

Eta 1 (Money)

   1

TT (Robeco Boston Partners Investors Mid Cap)

   100   

Eta 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

 

- 48 -


Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)
  

Class of Common Stock

   Number of
Authorized
Shares
(millions)

UU (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional Mid Cap)

   100   

Eta 3 (Government Money)

   1

VV (Robeco Boston Partners Institutional All Cap Value)

   100   

Eta 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

WW (Robeco Boston Partners Investors All Cap Value)

   100   

Theta 1 (Money)

   1

YY (Schneider Capital Small Cap Value)

   100   

Theta 2 (Municipal Money)

   1

ZZ

   100   

Theta 3 (Government Money)

   1

AAA

   100   

Theta 4 (N.Y. Money)

   1

The classes of common stock have been grouped into separate “families.” There are eight families that currently have operating portfolios, including: the Sansom Street Family, the Bedford Family, the Schneider Capital Management Family, the Robeco Investment Funds Family, the Bogle Investment Management Family, the Hilliard Lyons Family, the Bear Stearns Family, the Marvin & Palmer Family and the Abundance Technologies Family. The Bedford Family and the Sansom Street Family represent interests in the Money Market Portfolio; the Robeco Investment Funds Family represents interests in eight non-money market portfolios; the Bogle Investment Management Family represents interests in one non-money market portfolio; the Schneider Capital Management Family represents interests in two non-money market portfolios; the Hilliard Lyons Family represents interests in one non-money market portfolio; the Bear Stearns Family represents interests in two non-money market portfolio; the Marvin & Palmer Family represents interests in one non-money portfolio; and the Abundance Technologies Family represents interest in three non-money market portfolios.

Each share that represents an interest in a Fund has an equal proportionate interest in the assets belonging to such Fund with each other share that represents an interest in such Fund, even where a share has a different class designation than another share representing an interest in that Fund. Shares of the Company do not have preemptive or conversion rights. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus, shares of the Company will be fully paid and non-assessable.

The Company does not currently intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders except as required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law. The Company’s amended By-Laws provide that shareholders owning at least ten percent of the outstanding shares of all classes of Common Stock of the Company have the right to call for a meeting of shareholders to consider the removal of one or more directors. To the extent required by law, the Company will assist in shareholder communication in such matters.

Holders of shares of each class of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by class on all matters, except where otherwise required by law. Further, shareholders of the Company will vote in the aggregate and not by portfolio except as otherwise required by law or when the Board of Directors determines that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular portfolio. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any

 

- 49 -


matter required to be submitted by the provisions of such Act or applicable state law, or otherwise, to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Company shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of each portfolio affected by the matter. Rule 18f-2 further provides that a portfolio shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each portfolio in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the portfolio. Under Rule 18f-2 the approval of an investment advisory agreement or distribution agreement or any change in a fundamental investment objective or fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a portfolio only if approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such portfolio. However, the Rule also provides that the ratification of the selection of independent public accountants and the election of directors are not subject to the separate voting requirements and may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of an investment company voting without regard to a portfolio. Shareholders of the Company are entitled to one vote for each full share held (irrespective of class or portfolio) and fractional votes for fractional shares held. Voting rights are not cumulative and, accordingly, the holders of more than 50% of the aggregate shares of common stock of the Company may elect all of the Directors.

Notwithstanding any provision of Maryland law requiring a greater vote of shares of the Company’s common stock (or of any class voting as a class) in connection with any corporate action, unless otherwise provided by law (for example by Rule 18f-2 discussed above), or by the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws, the Company may take or authorize such action upon the favorable vote of the holders of more than 50% of all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock voting without regard to class (or portfolio).

Shareholder Approvals. As used in this SAI and in the Prospectuses, “shareholder approval” and a “majority of the outstanding shares” of the Funds means, with respect to the approval of the advisory agreement. Distribution Plan or a change in the Fund’s investment objective or a fundamental investment limitation, the lesser of (1) 67% of the shares of the Funds represented at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Funds are present in person or by proxy, or (2) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Funds.

MISCELLANEOUS

Counsel

The law firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, 18 th and Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-6996, serves as independent counsel to the Company and the Disinterested Directors.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firms

                                              , serves as the Funds’ independent registered public accounting firm, and in that capacity will audit the Funds financial statements beginning with the fiscal year ending August 31, 2008.

 

- 50 -


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The Funds have not commenced investment operations as of the date of this SAI and therefore do not have audited financial statements.

 

- 51 -


APPENDIX A

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES RATINGS

Short-Term Credit Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s short-term issue credit rating is a current opinion of the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation having an original maturity of no more than 365 days. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Standard & Poor’s for short-term issues:

“A-1” – Obligations are rated in the highest category and indicate that 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” – The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is satisfactory. Obligations are somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in the higher rating categories.

“A-3” – Obligor has 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” – An obligation is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Ratings of “B1”, “B-2” and “B-3” may be assigned to indicate finer distinction within the “B” category.

“C” – Obligations are currently vulnerable to nonpayment and are dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“D” – Obligations are in payment default. This rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks - Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower

 

A-1


capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign Currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations. Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments. Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

“P-1” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

“P-2” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

“P-3” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

“NP” – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Fitch, Inc. / Fitch Ratings Ltd. (“Fitch”) short-term ratings scale applies to foreign currency and local currency ratings. A short-term rating has a time horizon of less than 13 months for most obligations, or up to three years for U.S. public finance, in line with industry standards, to reflect unique risk characteristics of bond, tax, and revenue anticipation notes that are commonly issued with terms up to three years. Short-term ratings thus place greater emphasis on the liquidity necessary to meet financial commitments in a timely manner. The following summarizes the rating categories used by Fitch for short-term obligations:

“F1” – Securities possess the highest credit quality. This designation indicates the strongest capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

“F2” – Securities possess good credit quality. This designation indicates a satisfactory capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, but the margin of safety is not as great as in the case of the higher ratings.

“F3” – Securities possess fair credit quality. This designation indicates that the capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate; however, near term adverse changes could result in a reduction to non investment grade.

 

A-2


“B” – Securities possess speculative credit quality. This designation indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

“C” – Securities possess high default risk. Default is a real possibility. This designation indicates a capacity for meeting financial commitments which is solely reliant upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

“D” – Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

“NR” – This designation indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issuer or issue.

“WD” – This designation indicates that the rating has been withdrawn and is no longer maintained by Fitch.

The following summarizes the ratings used by Dominion Bond Rating Service Limited (“DBRS”) for commercial paper and short-term debt:

“R-1 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (high)” is of the highest credit quality, and indicates an entity possessing unquestioned ability to repay current liabilities as they fall due. Entities rated in this category normally maintain strong liquidity positions, conservative debt levels, and profitability that is both stable and above average. Companies achieving an “R-1 (high)” rating are normally leaders in structurally sound industry segments with proven track records, sustainable positive future results, and no substantial qualifying negative factors. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for an “R-1 (high)”, few entities are strong enough to achieve this rating.

“R-1 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (middle)” is of superior credit quality and, in most cases, ratings in this category differ from “R-1 (high)” credits by only a small degree. Given the extremely tough definition DBRS has established for the “R-1 (high)” category, entities rated “R-1 (middle)” are also considered strong credits, and typically exemplify above average strength in key areas of consideration for the timely repayment of short-term liabilities.

“R-1 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-1 (low)” is of satisfactory credit quality. The overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt and profitability ratios are not normally as favorable as with higher rating categories, but these considerations are still respectable. Any qualifying negative factors that exist are considered manageable, and the entity is normally of sufficient size to have some influence in its industry.

“R-2 (high)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (high)” is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality. The ability to repay obligations as they mature remains acceptable, although the overall strength and outlook for key liquidity, debt, and profitability ratios is not as strong as credits rated in the “R-1 (low)” category. Relative to the latter category, other shortcomings often include areas such as stability, financial flexibility, and the relative size and market position of the entity within its industry.

“R-2 (middle)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (middle)” is considered to be of adequate credit quality. Relative to the “R-2 (high)” category, entities rated “R-2 (middle)” typically have some combination of higher volatility, weaker debt or liquidity positions, lower future cash flow capabilities, or are negatively impacted by a weaker industry. Ratings in this category would be more vulnerable to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

A-3


“R-2 (low)” – Short-term debt rated “R-2 (low)” is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality, typically having some combination of challenges that are not acceptable for an “R-2 (middle)” credit. However, “R-2 (low)” ratings still display a level of credit strength that allows for a higher rating than the “R-3” category, with this distinction often reflecting the issuer’s liquidity profile.

“R-3” – Short-term debt rated “R-3” is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality, one step up from being speculative. While not yet defined as speculative, the R-3 category signifies that although repayment is still expected, the certainty of repayment could be impacted by a variety of possible adverse developments, many of which would be outside the issuer’s control. Entities in this area often have limited access to capital markets and may also have limitations in securing alternative sources of liquidity, particularly during periods of weak economic conditions.

“R-4” – Short-term debt rated R-4 is speculative. R-4 credits tend to have weak liquidity and debt ratios, and the future trend of these ratios is also unclear. Due to its speculative nature, companies with R-4 ratings would normally have very limited access to alternative sources of liquidity. Earnings and cash flow would typically be very unstable, and the level of overall profitability of the entity is also likely to be low. The industry environment may be weak, and strong negative qualifying factors are also likely to be present.

“R-5” – Short-term debt rated R-5 is highly speculative. There is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to repay the obligations on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity. In some cases, short term debt rated R-5 may have challenges that if not corrected, could lead to default.

“D” – A security rated “D” implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment or the issuer has made it clear that it will be missing such a payment in the near future. In some cases, DBRS may not assign a “D” rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the “D” rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued, or reinstated by DBRS.

Long-Term Credit Ratings

The following summarizes the ratings used by Standard & Poor’s for long-term issues:

“AAA” – An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

“AA” – An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

 

A-4


“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.

Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.

“BB” – An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions which could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“B” – An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB,” but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“CCC” – An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

“CC” – An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

“C” – A subordinated debt or preferred stock obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “C” rating may be used to cover a situation where a bankruptcy petition has been filed or similar action taken, but payments on this obligation are being continued. A “C” also will be assigned to a preferred stock issue in arrears on dividends or sinking fund payments, but that is currently paying.

“D” – An obligation rated “D” is in payment default. The “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless Standard & Poor’s believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

Plus (+) or minus (-) – The ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

A-5


“NR” – This indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that Standard & Poor’s does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

Local Currency and Foreign Currency Risks – Country risk considerations are a standard part of Standard & Poor’s analysis for credit ratings on any issuer or issue. Currency of repayment is a key factor in this analysis. An obligor’s capacity to repay foreign currency obligations may be lower than its capacity to repay obligations in its local currency due to the sovereign government’s own relatively lower capacity to repay external versus domestic debt. These sovereign risk considerations are incorporated in the debt ratings assigned to specific issues. Foreign currency issuer ratings are also distinguished from local currency issuer ratings to identify those instances where sovereign risks make them different for the same issuer.

The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for long-term debt:

“Aaa” – Obligations rated “Aaa” are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk.

“Aa” – Obligations rated “Aa” are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

“A” – Obligations rated “A” are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

“Baa” – Obligations rated “Baa” are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

“Ba” – Obligations rated “Ba” are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

“B” – Obligations rated “B” are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

“Caa” – Obligations rated “Caa” are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

“Ca” – Obligations rated “Ca” are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

“C” – Obligations rated “C” are the lowest rated class of bonds and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from “Aa” through “Caa.” The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.

 

A-6


The following summarizes long-term ratings used by Fitch:

“AAA” – Securities considered to be of the highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in case of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

“AA” – Securities considered to be of very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

“A” – Securities considered to be of 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 changes in circumstances or in economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

“BBB” – Securities considered to be of good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that there is currently expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity. This is the lowest investment grade category.

“BB” – Securities considered to be speculative. “BB” ratings indicate that there is a possibility of credit risk developing, particularly as the result of adverse economic change over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met. Securities rated in this category are not investment grade.

“B” – Securities considered to be highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that significant credit risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is contingent upon a sustained, favorable business and economic environment.

“CCC,” “CC” and “C” – Securities have high default risk. Default is a real possibility, and capacity for meeting financial commitments is solely reliant upon sustained, favorable business or economic developments. A “CC” rating indicates that default of some kind appears probable. “C” ratings signal imminent default.

“RD” – Indicates an entity has failed to make due payments (within the applicable grace period) on some but not all material financial obligations, but continues to honor other classes of obligations.

“D” – Indicates an entity or sovereign that has defaulted on all of its financial obligations.

Plus (+) or minus (-) may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to the “AAA” category or to categories below “CCC”.

“NR” indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the associated issue or issuer.

 

A-7


The following summarizes the ratings used by DBRS for long-term debt:

“AAA” – Long-term debt rated “AAA” is of the highest credit quality, with exceptionally strong protection for the timely repayment of principal and interest. Earnings are considered stable, the structure of the industry in which the entity operates is strong, and the outlook for future profitability is favorable. There are few qualifying factors present which would detract from the performance of the entity. The strength of liquidity and coverage ratios is unquestioned and the entity has established a creditable track record of superior performance. Given the extremely high standard which DBRS has set for this category, few entities are able to achieve a “AAA” rating.

“AA” – Long-term debt rated “AA” is of superior credit quality, and protection of interest and principal is considered high. In many cases they differ from long-term debt rated “AAA” only to a small degree. Given the extremely restrictive definition DBRS has for the “AAA” category, entities rated “AA” are also considered to be strong credits, typically exemplifying above-average strength in key areas of consideration and unlikely to be significantly affected by reasonably foreseeable events.

“A” – Long-term debt rated “A” is of satisfactory credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is still substantial, but the degree of strength is less than that of “AA” rated entities. While “A” is a respectable rating, entities in this category are considered to be more susceptible to adverse economic conditions and have greater cyclical tendencies than higher-rated securities.

“BBB” – Long-term debt rated “BBB” is of adequate credit quality. Protection of interest and principal is considered acceptable, but the entity is fairly susceptible to adverse changes in financial and economic conditions, or there may be other adverse conditions present which reduce the strength of the entity and its rated securities.

“BB” – Long-term debt rated “BB” is defined to be speculative and non-investment grade, where the degree of protection afforded interest and principal is uncertain, particularly during periods of economic recession. Entities in the “BB” range typically have limited access to capital markets and additional liquidity support. In many cases, deficiencies in critical mass, diversification, and competitive strength are additional negative considerations.

“B” – Long-term debt rated “B” is highly speculative and there is a reasonably high level of uncertainty as to the ability of the entity to pay interest and principal on a continuing basis in the future, especially in periods of economic recession or industry adversity.

“CCC”, CC” and “C” – Long-term debt rated in any of these categories is very highly speculative and is in danger of default of interest and principal. The degree of adverse elements present is more severe than long-term debt rated “B.” Long-term debt rated below “B” often have features which, if not remedied, may lead to default. In practice, there is little difference between these three categories, with “CC” and “C” normally used for lower ranking debt of companies for which the senior debt is rated in the “CCC” to “B” range.

“D” – A security rated “D” implies the issuer has either not met a scheduled payment of interest or principal or that the issuer has made it clear that it will miss such a payment in the near future. In some

 

A-8


cases, DBRS may not assign a “D” rating under a bankruptcy announcement scenario, as allowances for grace periods may exist in the underlying legal documentation. Once assigned, the “D” rating will continue as long as the missed payment continues to be in arrears, and until such time as the rating is suspended, discontinued or reinstated by DBRS.

(“high”, “low”) – Each rating category is denoted by the subcategories “high” and “low”. The absence of either a “high” or “low” designation indicates the rating is in the “middle” of the category. The “AAA” and “D” categories do not utilize “high”, “middle”, and “low” as differential grades.

Municipal Note Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s U.S. municipal note rating reflects the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes maturing beyond three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. The following criteria will be used in making that assessment:

 

   

Amortization schedule-the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

 

   

Source of payment-the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

Note rating symbols are as follows:

“SP-1” – The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a strong capacity to pay principal and interest. Those issues determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service are given a plus (+) designation.

“SP-2” – The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

“SP-3” – The issuers of these municipal notes exhibit speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Moody’s uses three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade. These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and are divided into three levels – “MIG-1” through “MIG-3”. In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated “SG”, or speculative grade. MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation. The following summarizes the ratings used by Moody’s for these short-term obligations:

“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.

 

A-9


“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.

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned; a long- or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating. The first element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments. The second element represents Moody’s evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand (“demand feature”), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or “VMIG” rating.

When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated “NR”, e.g., “Aaa/NR” or “NR/VMIG-1”.

VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue’s specific structural or credit features.

“VMIG-1” – This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“VMIG-2” – This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“VMIG-3” – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

“SG” – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

Fitch uses the same ratings for municipal securities as described above for other short-term credit ratings.

About Credit Ratings

A Standard & Poor’s issue credit rating is a current opinion of 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 issue credit rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a financial obligation, inasmuch as it does not comment as to market price or suitability for a particular investor.

 

A-10


Moody’s credit ratings must be construed solely as statements of opinion and not as statements of fact or recommendations to purchase, sell or hold any securities.

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. Fitch credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving their money back in accordance with the terms on which they invested. Fitch’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign (including supranational and sub-national), financial, bank, insurance, municipal and other public finance entities and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.

DBRS credit ratings are not buy, hold or sell recommendations, but rather the result of qualitative and quantitative analysis focusing solely on the credit quality of the issuer and its underlying obligations.

 

A-11


APPENDIX B

[To Be Added]

 

B-1


THE RBB FUND, INC.

PEA 114

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

Item 23. EXHIBITS

 

(a)   Articles of Incorporation.
  (1)    Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (2)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (3)    Articles of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (4)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (5)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 3 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 27, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (6)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 4 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 1, 1990, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (7)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (8)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 22, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (9)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (10)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 13 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1993, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (11)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.

 

C-1


  (12)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (13)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (14)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 22 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 19, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (15)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 31, 1995.
  (16)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (17)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 11, 1996.
  (18)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
  (19)    Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (20)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (21)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (22)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (23)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (24)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (25)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (26)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 29, 1999.
  (27)    Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
  (28)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
  (29)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.
  (30)    Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2000.

 

C-2


  (31)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001.
  (32)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Boston Partners Bond Fund - Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund - Investor Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.
  (33)    Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant ( Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class and Boston Partners Bond Fund - Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.
  (34)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Schneider Value Fund ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2002.
  (35)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Institutional Liquidity Fund for Credit Unions and Liquidity Fund for Credit Union Members ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003.
  (36)    Articles of Amendment to Charter of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004.
  (37)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant (( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 93 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 4, 2005.
  (38)    Certificate of Correction of Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005.
  (39)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class, Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class, Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class ) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 95 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 2005.
  (40)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Senbanc Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (41)    Articles of Amendment of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Retirement Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
  (42)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005.
  (43)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 104 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (44)    Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  (45)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (46)    Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.

 

C-3


  

(47)

   Articles of Amendment of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
  

(48)

   Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
  

(49)

   Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(50)

   Articles Supplementary of Registrant (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund – Investor Class) are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.113 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on July 13, 2007.
  

(51)

   Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) are filed herewith.

(b)

   By-Laws.
  

(1)

   By-Laws, as amended are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004.

(c)

   Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders.
  

(1)

   See Articles VI, VII, VIII, IX and XI of Registrant’s Articles of 1 Incorporation dated February 17, 1988 which are incorporated herein by reference to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 24, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(2)

   See Articles II, III, VI, XIII, and XIV of Registrant’s By-Laws as amended through August 25, 2004, which are incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 89 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 30, 2004.

(d)

   Investment Advisory Contracts.
  

(1)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Money Market) between Registrant and Provident Institutional Management Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(2)

   Sub-Advisory Agreement (Money Market) between Provident Institutional Management Corporation and Provident National Bank, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(3)

   Assumption Agreement (Money Market Fund) between PNC Bank, N.A. and BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (formerly PNC Institutional Management Corporation) dated April 29, 1998 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  

(4)

   Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
  

(5)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003.

 

C-4


  (6)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (7)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003.
  (8)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 8, 2003.
  (9)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (10)    Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
  (11)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (12)    Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Growth Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (13)    Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Emerging Growth Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (14)    Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (15)    Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (16)    Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund ) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (17)    Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Growth Fund ) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
  (18)    Amendment No. 1 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
  (19)    Amendment No. 2 to Investment Advisory Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund) between Registrant and Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
  (20)    Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 98 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 30, 2005.

 

C-5


 

(21)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Senbanc Fund) dated August 31, 2005 between Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005.
 

(22)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
 

(23)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
 

(24)

   Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) dated April 29, 2005 between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
 

(25)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio ) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
 

(26)

   Interim Investment Advisory and Administration Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
 

(27)

   Investment Advisory and Administration Agreement (Money Market Portfolio ) between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
 

(28)

   Investment Advisory Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
 

(29)

   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund ) between Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
 

(30)

   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
 

(31)

   Form of Investment Advisory Agreement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
 

(32)

   Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) dated October 9, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.
 

(32)

   Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) dated October 9, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.
 

(33)

   Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) dated October 10, 2006, between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.

 

C-6


  

(34)

   Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement (Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund and Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund) dated October 24, 2006 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.
  

(35)

   Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Small Cap Value Fund) dated October 24, 2006 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.
  

(36)

   Form of Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(37)

   Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management is filed herewith.
  

(38)

   Form of Contractual Fee Waiver Agreement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
  

(39)

   Assumption Agreement (Robeco Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II, Robeco Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund, Robeco Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Boston Partners Asset Management and Robeco Investment Management, Inc. dated January 1, 2007 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
  

(40)

   Assumption Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Small Cap Value Fund) between Weiss, Peck, & Greer Investments and Robeco Investment Management, Inc. dated January 1, 2007 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.

(e)

   Underwriting Contracts.
  

(1)

   Distribution Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated as of January 2, 2001 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001.
  

(2)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  

(3)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  

(4)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  

(5)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  

(6)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005.
  

(7)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005.

 

C-7


  

(8)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005.
  

(9)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund - Retirement Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  

(10)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  

(11)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  

(12)

   Distribution Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(13)

   Form of Distribution Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  

(14)

   Form of Distribution Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(15)

   Form of Distribution Agreement Supplement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.

(f)

   Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts.
  

(1)

   Fund Office Retirement Profit-Sharing and Trust Agreement, dated as of October 24, 1990, as amended is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1997.
  

(2)

   Form of Amendment No. 1 to Fund Office Retirement Profit Sharing Plan and Trust Reflecting EGTRRA is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.

(g)

   Custodian Agreements.
  

(1)

   Custodian Agreement between Registrant and Provident National Bank dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(2)

   Sub-Custodian Agreement among The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., the Registrant and Provident National Bank, dated as of July 13, 1992, relating to custody of Registrant’s foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 8 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 22, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(3)

   Amendment No. 1 to Custodian Agreement dated August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(4)

   Custodian Contract between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 21 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 28, 1994, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.

 

C-8


 

(5)

   Custody Agreement (n/i Micro Cap Fund, n/i Growth Fund and n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value) between Registrant and Custodial Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
 

(6)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement between Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association dated October 16, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996.
 

(7)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
 

(8)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Bond Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997.
 

(9)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
 

(10)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
 

(11)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) between Registrant and PNC Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
 

(12)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement ( n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Custodial Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
 

(13)

   Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund - formerly Long Short Equity) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
 

(14)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
 

(15)

   Letter Agreement among Registrant, The Chase Manhattan Bank and PFPC Trust Company, dated as of July 2, 2001, relating to custody of Registrant’s foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.
 

(16)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
 

(17)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
 

(18)

   Custodian Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund ) between Registrant and Mellon Bank N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.

 

C-9


  

(19)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  

(20)

   Custodian Agreement among Registrant, PFPC Trust Company and Citibank, N.A., dated as of September 13, 2005, relating to custody of Registrant’s foreign securities is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2005.
  

(21)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  

(22)

   Custodian Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(23)

   Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  

(24)

   Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  

(25)

   Form of Custodian Agreement Supplement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.

(h)

   Other Material Contracts.
  

(1)

   Transfer Agency Agreement (Sansom Street) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(2)

   Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(3)

   Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Sansom Street Government Obligations Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(4)

   Shareholder Services Plan (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(5)

   Transfer Agency Agreement (Bedford Money Market) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation, dated as of August 16, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  

(6)

   Transfer Agency Agreement and Supplements (Bradford, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta and Theta) between Registrant and Provident Financial Processing Corporation dated as of November 5, 1991 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.

 

C-10


  (7)    Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company and PFPC Inc. dated February 1, 1995 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 6, 1995.
  (8)    Supplement to Transfer Agency and Service Agreement between Registrant, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Inc. and PFPC dated April 10, 1995 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 28 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 6, 1995.
  (9)    Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated December 15, 1994 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 29 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 25, 1995.
  (10)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (n/i Micro Cap Fund, n/i Growth Fund and n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 14, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (11)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Micro Cap Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc . dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (12)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (13)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated April 24, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (14)    Transfer Agreement and Service Agreement between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 37 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 30, 1996.
  (15)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated October 16, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
  (16)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund, Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996.
  (17)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 41 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 27, 1996.
  (18)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (19)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (20)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. dated, May 30, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (21)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.

 

C-11


  (22)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (23)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Institutional Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (24)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Investor Class) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (25)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Micro Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (26)    Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. dated as of May 29, 1998 and relating to the n/i family of funds, Schneider Small Cap Value Fund and Institutional Shares of the Boston Partners Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 56 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 25, 1998.
  (27)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional Class) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (28)    Administrative and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional and Investor Classes) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (29)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Institutional and Investor Classes) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (30)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (31)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (32)    Co-Administration Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Funds Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (33)    Administrative Services Agreement (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (34)    Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
  (35)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity) - Institutional Shares) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.

 

C-12


  (36)    Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
  (37)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (38)    Administrative Services Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (39)    Non 12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth - Investor Shares) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (40)    Agreement between E*TRADE Group, Inc., Registrant and Registrant’s principal underwriter is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999.
  (41)    Fee Waiver Agreement for n/i numeric investors Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999.
  (42)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999.
  (43)    Solicitation Agreement between n/i numeric Investors and Shareholder Communications Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 69 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 1, 1999.
  (44)    Administrative Services Assignment Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated January 2, 2001 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 15, 2001.
  (45)    Transfer Agency Supplement (Bear Stearns Money Market Family) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 75 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 4, 2001.
  (46)    Form of Transfer Agency Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (47)    Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 15, 2002.
  (48)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (49)    Transfer Agency Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (50)    Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 2002.

 

C-13


  (51)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (52)    Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (53)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Boston Partners Funds - Investor Shares) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (54)    Amended and Restated Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan (Numeric Funds) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 82 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 5, 2003.
  (55)    Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Customer Identification Program) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003.
  (56)    Regulatory Administration Services Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2003.
  (57)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund, Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund, and Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (58)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (59)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (60)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (61)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (62)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (63)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (64)    Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (65)    Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.

 

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  (66)    Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund – Institutional Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (67)    Non-12b-1 Shareholder Services Plan and Related Form of Shareholder Servicing Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund – Retirement Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on August 19, 2005.
  (68)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (69)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (70)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (71)    Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (72)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  (73)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  (74)    Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  (75)    Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement ( Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No.33-20827) filed on December 14, 2006.
  (76)    Escrow Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant, PFPC Trust Company, and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
  (77)    Interim Delegation Agreement (Money Market Portfolio) between Registrant, PFPC Inc., and BlackRock Institutional Management Corp. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
  (78)    Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (79)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (80)    Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement ( Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.

 

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  (81)    Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (82)    Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (83)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (84)    Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement ( Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (85)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (86)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (87)    Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (88)    Form of Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, Free Market Fixed-Income Fund ) between Registrant and PFPC Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (89)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
  (90)    Form of Administrative Services Agreement Supplement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
  (91)    Form of Transfer Agency Agreement Supplement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
  (92)    Form of Amended Schedule A to Regulatory Administration Services Agreement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.
(i)   (1)    Opinion and Consent of Counsel is filed herewith
  (2)    Consent of Counsel to be filed is filed herewith
(j)   (1)    None.
(k)   None.

 

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(l)   Initial Capital Agreements.
  (1)    Subscription Agreement, relating to Classes A through N, is incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 12, 1988, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (2)    Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Classes O and P is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990.
  (3)    Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Planco Financial Services, Inc., relating to Class Q is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 5 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1990.
  (4)    Subscription Agreement between Registrant and Counsellors Securities Inc. relating to Classes R, S, and Alpha 1 through Theta 4 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (5)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class FF (n/i Micro Cap Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (6)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class GG (n/i Growth Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (7)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Numeric Investors, L.P. relating to Class HH (n/i Mid Cap Fund (formerly Growth & Value)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 16, 1996.
  (8)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes QQ, RR and SS (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
  (9)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes TT and UU (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 46 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 25, 1997.
  (10)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management L.P. relating to Classes VV and WW (Boston Partners Bond Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997.
  (11)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company relating to Class YY (Schneider Small Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (12)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. relating to Classes DDD and EEE (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (13)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management relating to Classes III and JJJ (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (14)    Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Provident Distributors, Inc. relating to Class MMM (n/i Small Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.

 

C-17


  (15)    Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L. P. relating to Classes KKK and LLL (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long-Short Equity)) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.
  (16)    Purchase Agreement (Bogle Small Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 30, 1999.
  (17)    Purchase Agreement (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, L.P. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (18)    Purchase Agreement (Schneider Value Fund) between Registrant and Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (19)    Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG Core Bond Fund ) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (20)    Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (21)    Purchase Agreement (Robeco WPG Tudor Fund) between Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 96 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 6, 2005.
  (22)    Purchase Agreement (Senbanc Fund) between Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisers is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (23)    Purchase Agreement (Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio) between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on February 28, 2007.
  (24)    Purchase Agreement (Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund ) between between Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (25)    Form of Purchase Agreement (Marvin & Palmer Large Cap Growth Fund) between Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.
  (26)    Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market U.S. Equity Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (27)    Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market International Equity Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (28)    Form of Purchase Agreement (Free Market Fixed-Income Fund) between Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
  (29)    Form of Purchase Agreement ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund ) between Registrant and Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.

 

C-18


(m)   Rule 12b-1 Plan.
  (1)    Plan of Distribution (Sansom Street Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (2)    Plan of Distribution (Bedford Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on March 23, 1989, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (3)    Amendment No. 1 to Plans of Distribution (Classes A through Q) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 24, 1991, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (4)    Plan of Distribution (Zeta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (5)    Plan of Distribution (Eta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refiled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (6)    Plan of Distribution (Theta Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 7 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 15, 1992, and refilled electronically with Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 30, 1998.
  (7)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Large Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
  (8)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Mid Cap Value Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 45 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 9, 1997.
  (9)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Bond Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 51 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 8, 1997.
  (10)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Small Cap Value Fund II (formerly Micro Cap Value) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 53 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on April 10, 1998.
  (11)    Amendment to Plans of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 14, 1998.
  (12)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Long/Short Equity Fund (formerly Market Neutral) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 12, 1998.
  (13)    Plan of Distribution (Principal Money Market) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 29, 1998.
  (14)    Plan of Distribution (Boston Partners Fund (formerly Long Short Equity) - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on May 19, 1999.

 

C-19


  (15)    Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Boston Partners All-Cap Value Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 1, 2002.
  (16)    Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Senbanc Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005.
  (17)    Plan of Distribution pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco Core Bond Fund - Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 99 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on September 27, 2005.
  (18)    Agreement between Registrant, Bear Stearns Securities Corp. and PFPC Distributors, Inc. dated as of November 17, 2005 is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 29, 2005.
  (19)    Plan of Distribution Agreement pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund f/k/a/ Robeco WPG Large Cap Growth Fund – Investor Class) is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 13, 2007.
(n)   Rule 18f-3 Plan.
  (1)    Amended Rule 18f-3 Plan is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 13, 2007.
(p)   Code of Ethics.
  (1)    Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 110 to Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 29, 2006.
  (2)    Code of Ethics of Boston Partners Asset Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (3)    Code of Ethics of Numeric Investors LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (4)    Code of Ethics of Schneider Capital Management Company is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (5)    Code of Ethics of Bogle Investment Management, L.P. incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (6)    Code of Ethics of PFPC Distributors, Inc is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (7)    Code of Ethics of Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 105 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on October 30, 2006.
  (8)    Code of Ethics of J.J.B. Hilliard W.L. Lyons, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on November 25, 2005.
  (9)    Code of Ethics of Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 103 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on July 18, 2006.
  (10)    Code of Ethics of Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 109 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on December 15, 2006.

 

C-20


(11)    Code of Ethics of Abundance Technologies, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement (No. 33-20827) filed on June 1, 2007.
(12)    Code of Ethics of Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. to be filed by amendment.

Item 24. PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH REGISTRANT

None.

Item 25. INDEMNIFICATION

Sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Article VIII of Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended, incorporated herein by reference as Exhibits (a)(1) and (a)(3), provide as follows:

Section 1. To the fullest extent that limitations on the liability of directors and officers are permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law, no director or officer of the Corporation shall have any liability to the Corporation or its shareholders for damages. This limitation on liability applies to events occurring at the time a person serves as a director or officer of the Corporation whether or not such person is a director or officer at the time of any proceeding in which liability is asserted.

Section 2. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its currently acting and its former directors to the fullest extent that indemnification of directors is permitted by the Maryland General Corporation Law. The Corporation shall indemnify and advance expenses to its officers to the same extent as its directors and to such further extent as is consistent with law. The Board of Directors may by law, resolution or agreement make further provision for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents to the fullest extent permitted by the Maryland General Corporation law.

Section 3. No provision of this Article shall be effective to protect or purport to protect any director or officer of the Corporation against any liability to the Corporation or its security holders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

Section 4. References to the Maryland General Corporation Law in this Article are to the law as from time to time amended. No further amendment to the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall decrease, but may expand, any right of any person under this Article based on any event, omission or proceeding prior to such amendment. Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Sections 2 and 3 of the Assumption Agreement between PNC Bank, N.A. (“PNC”) and BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (“BIMC”), dated April 29, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d)(3), provide for the indemnification of BIMC and PNC against certain losses.

Section 13 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Numeric Investors, LLC (“Numeric”), each dated November 12, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(12), (d)(13), (d)(14) and (d)(15), provides for the indemnification of Numeric against certain losses.

 

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Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between Registrant and Boston Partners Asset Management, LLC (“Boston Partners”), each dated October 25, 2002 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibits (d)(4), (d)(5), (d)(7), (d)(8), and (d)(10), provides for the indemnification of Boston Partners against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Bogle Investment Management, L.P. (“Bogle”), dated September 15, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (d) (9) provides for the indemnification of Bogle against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreements between the Registrant and Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments is incorporated herein by reference as exhibits (d)(20), (d)(22) and (d)(23) provides for the indemnification of Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments against certain losses.

Section 9 of the Distribution Agreement between Registrant and PFPC Distributors, Inc. (“PFPC”), dated January 2, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference to exhibit (e)(1) provides for the indemnification of PFPC Distributors against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J. J. B. Hilliard, W. L. Lyons (“Hilliard”) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(21) provides for the indemnification of Hilliard against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc., (“Bear Stearns”), on behalf of the Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio , is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(25) provides for the indemnification of Bear Stearns against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc., (“Bear Stearns”), on behalf of the Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund f/k/a/ Bear Stearns Enhanced Yield Fund, is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(28) provides for the indemnification of Bear Stearns against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., (“Marvin & Palmer Associates”) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(29) provides for the indemnification of Marvin & Palmer Associates against certain losses.

Section 12 of the Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Abundance Technologies, Inc., (“Abundance”) is incorporated herein by reference as exhibit (d)(30) provides for the indemnification of Abundance against certain losses.

Item 26. BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS.

 

   1.   

BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation:

 

BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation (“BIMC”) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”). Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. has a 49.80% economic interest and a 45% voting interest in BlackRock and The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has approximately a 34% economic and voting interest in BlackRock. BIMC’s principal business address is 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809. BIMC is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser for registered investment companies. Information as to the directors and officers of BIMC is as follows:

      Name and Position with BIMC    Other Company    Position With Other Company
     

Paul L. Audet

Managing Director and Director

  

BlackRock Provident Institutional Funds

Wilmington, DE

   Treasurer

 

C-22


  

BlackRock Funds

Wilmington, DE

   Treasurer
  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Director
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Director
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director
  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director

Steven E. Buller

Chief Financial Officer and

Managing Director

  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director

Laurence J. Carolan

Managing Director and

Director

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director

Robert P. Connolly

Managing Director, General

Counsel and Secretary

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary
  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary

 

C-23


  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director, General Counsel & Secretary
  

BlackRock Investments, Inc.

New York, NY

   General Counsel & Secretary

Laurence D. Fink

Chief Executive Officer

  

BlackRock Funds

Wilmington, DE

   President & Trustee
  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Chief Executive Officer
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Chairman & CEO
  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   Chairman & CEO
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   Chairman & CEO
  

BlackRock Investments, Inc.

New York, NY

   Chairman & CEO
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Chief Executive Officer
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Chairman & CEO
  

BlackRock HPB Management LLC

New York, NY

   Director

Charles S. Hallac

Vice Chairman

  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Chairman, BlackRock Solutions.

Robert S. Kapito

Vice Chairman and Director

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Vice Chairman & Director

 

C-24


  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   Vice Chairman & Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Chairman
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Vice Chairman & Director
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Chairman & Director
  

BlackRock Investments, Inc.

New York, NY

   Director
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Chairman & Director

Kevin M. Klingert

Managing Director and

Director

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director

John P. Moran

Managing Director, Treasurer

and Director

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director & Director
  

BlackRock Investments, Inc.

New York, NY

   President

Barbara G. Novick

Vice Chairman

  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Charman, Account Management Group, BlackRock, Inc.

 

C-25


Ralph L. Schlosstein

President and Director

  

BlackRock Provident Institutional Funds

Wilmington, DE

   Chairman & President
  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   President & Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   President & Director
  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   President & Director
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   President & Director
  

BlackRock Investments, Inc.

New York, NY

   Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   President & Director
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   President & Director
  

BlackRock HPB Management LLC

New York, NY

   Director

Keith T. Anderson

Vice Chairman

  

BlackRock Capital Management, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock Advisors, Inc.

Wilmington, DE

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock International, Ltd.

Edinburgh, Scotland

   Managing Director
  

BlackRock (Japan), Inc.

New York, NY

   Managing Director

 

C-26


    

Mark G. Steinberg

Managing Director and Director

   None.    None
  

Susan L. Wagner

Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer

  

BlackRock, Inc.

New York, NY

   Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer
2.   

Numeric Investors LLC:

 

The sole business activity of Numeric Investors LLC (“Numeric”), One Memorial Drive, 9 th Floor, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, is to serve as an investment adviser. Numeric is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Information as to the directors and officers of Numeric is as follows:

   Name and Position with Numeric    Other Company    Position With Other Company
  

P. Andrews McLane

Member of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

  

TA Associates

Boston, MA

   Senior Managing Director and Member of the Executive Committee of Board
  

Michael Wilson

Member of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

  

TA Associates

Boston, MA

   Managing Director
  

Peter Carman

Member of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

   Retired    None
  

Michael Even

President and Chief Executive

Officer

Member of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

   None    None
  

Langdon B. Wheeler

Chief Investment Officer

Chairman of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

   None    None
  

Raymond J. Joumas

Managing Director and

Chief Financial Officer

Member of the Board of

Directors of Numeric

   None    None

 

C-27


  

Robert E. Furdak

Managing Director

   None    None   
  

Ed Goldfarb

Managing Director

   None    None   
  

Arup Datta

Managing Director

   None    None   
  

Shanta Puchtler

Managing Director

   None    None   
3.   

Bogle Investment Management, LP:

 

The sole business activity of Bogle Investment Management, LP (“Bogle”), 2310 Washington Street, Suite 310, Newton Lower Falls, MA 02462, is to serve as an investment adviser. Bogle is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

The directors and officers have not held any positions with other companies during the last two fiscal years.

4.   

Schneider Capital Management Company:

 

The sole business activity of Schneider Capital Management Company (“Schneider”), 460 E. Swedesford Road, Suite 1080, Wayne, PA 19087, is to serve as an investment adviser. Schneider is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Information as to the directors and officers of Schneider is as follows:

   Name and Position with Schneider    Other Company    Position With Other Company
  

Arnold C. Schneider, III

President and Chief Investment Officer

   Turnbridge Management Partners Corp.    President
  

Steven J. Fellin

Sr. Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

   Turnbridge Management Partners Corp.    Vice President
5.   

Robeco Investment Management , Inc.

 

The sole business activity of Robeco Investment Management, Inc. LLC (“RIM”), 909 Third Avenue, New York 10022, is to serve as an investment adviser.

 

RIM is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser to domestic and foreign institutional investors, investment companies, commingled trust funds, private investment partnerships and collective investment vehicles. Information as to the directors and officers of Robeco Investment Management, Inc. is as follows:

   Name and Position with RIM    Other Company   

Position With Other Company

  

William J. Kelly

Chief Executive Officer

     

 

C-28


Mary Ann Iudice

Chief Compliance Officer

     

Roland Toppen

Senior Managing Director,

Chief Financial Officer

     

William George Butterly

Senior Managing Director,

General Counsel

     

James Ramsey

Senior Managing Director,

Fixed Income

   PIMCO    Senior Vice President

Joseph F. Feeney

Senior Managing Director,

Equity

     

Paul Heathwood

Senior Managing Director, Sales and Marketing

     

Davis Barr Clayson

Senior Managing Director,

Client Services

     

George Moeller

Director

     

Franciscus L. Kusse

Director

     

Cornelis Korthout

Director

     

 

C-29


6.   

Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors:

 

Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is located at 501 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors is a division of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. (“Hilliard”). Hilliard is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is also a registered broker-dealer. Hilliard is wholly-owned by The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

 

Information as to the directors and officers of Hilliard is as follows:

   Name and Position with Hilliard    Other Company    Position With Other Company
  

James M. Rogers

Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and

Director

   None    None
  

James R. Allen

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

   None    None
  

Paul J. Moretti

Executive Vice President and

Chief Financial Officer

   None    None
  

William S. Demchak

Director

  

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

 

Blue Mountain Credit Alternatives, Ltd

  

Vice Chairman

 

Director

      Blackrock, Inc.    Director
  

Joseph C. Guyaux

Director

  

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

 

Duquesne Light Holdings, Inc.

 

Private Export Funding Corp.

 

Highmark, Inc.

  

President

 

Director

 

Director

 

Director

  

Joan L. Gulley

Director

   PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.    Executive Vice President
  

John R. Bugh

Executive Vice President

   None    None

 

C-30


   

Carmella Miller

Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and Director

   None    None

 

  7.   

Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc.

 

Bear Stearns Asset Management Inc. (“BSAM”) serves as the investment adviser to the Bear Stearns CUFS MLP Mortgage Portfolio and the Bear Stearns Enhanced Income Fund. BSAM is located at 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179. BSAM is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. BSAM’s Form ADV is available on the SEC’s website.

 

Information as to the directors and officers of BSAM is as follows:

     Name and Position with BSAM    Other Company    Position With Other Company
    

Richard A. Marin,

Director/Chairman of the Board/Chief Executive Officer/President/Senior Managing Director

   Beehive Ventures, LLC    Director/Manager/General Partner
        Big Red Venture Fund    Director
        Cayuga MBA Fund    Director/Investor
        eMarketer, Inc.    Director
        Network Storage Solutions    Director
        Restricted Stock Solutions, Inc.    Director
        Touch Pak, Inc.    Director
    

John W. Geissinger,

Director/Chief Investment Officer/Senior Managing Director

   None    None
    

Rajan Govindan,

Director/Chief Operating Officer/Senior Managing Director

   None    None
    

Barbara A. Keller,

Secretary/Chief Compliance Officer

   Compliance Science, Inc.    Director
    

Mary Kay Scucci,

Chief Financial Officer

   None    None
    

Laurence S. Godin,

Executive Vice President/General Counsel/Senior Managing Director

   None    None

 

C-31


  8.   

Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc.:

 

The sole business activity of Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., 1201 N. Market Street, Suite 2300, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1165, is to serve as an investment adviser. Marvin & Palmer Associates is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Marvin & Palmer Associates indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.

     Name and Position with Marvin & Palmer Associates    Name of Other Company    Position With Other Company
    

David F. Marvin

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

  

Cash Management Policy Board

Office of the State Treasurer

820 Silver Lake Boulevard

Suite 100

Dover, Delaware 19901

 

Wilmington College

Board of Trustees

320 DuPont Highway

New Castle, Delaware 19720

  

Board Member

Trustee

    

Stanley Palmer

President

   None    None
    

Karen T. Buckley

Chief Financial Officer

   None    None
    

The Rt. Hon. Lord Moore, P.C.

Director

  

The Monitor Company

Michelin House

81 Fulham Road

London

United Kingdom

 

Rolls-Royce Pension Fund Trustees

Moor Lane

Derby, DE24 8BJ

United Kingdom

  

European Chairman and Director

Chairman

    

The Hon. Charles J. Pilliod, Jr.

Director

  

The University of Akron

University of Akron Foundation

302 Buchtel Common

Akron, Ohio 44325-6220

   Board Member

 

C-32


   

Madelyn B. Smith

Director

  

Badgley Funds Inc.

Badgley, Phelps and Bell

1420 Fifth Avenue

Suite 3200

Seattle, Washington 98101-2349

 

University of Puget Sound

Endowment Committee

1500 North Warner Street

Tacoma, Washington 98416

 

Bellarmine Preparatory School

Retirement Board

2300 S. Washington

Tacoma, Washington 98405-1399

  

Director

 

 

 

 

 

Committee Member

 

 

 

 

Board Member

 

  9.   

Abundance Technologies, Inc.:

 

The sole business activity of Abundance Technologies, Inc., 3700 Park 42 Drive, Suite 105A

Cincinnati, OH 45241, is to serve as an investment adviser. Abundance Technologies is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

 

Below is a list of each executive officer and director of Abundance Technologies indicating each business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature in which each such person has been engaged within the last two years, for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, partner or trustee.

    

Name and Position with

Abundance Technologies

   Name of Other Company    Position With Other Company
    

Mark E Matson

President/CEO

   Abundance Horizons LLC    50% owner
    

Michelle Matson

Vice President/ Secretary

   none   
    

A. Lawain McNeil

Vice President

   none   

 

  10.   

Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc.

 

The sole business activity of Sustainable Asset Management USA, Inc. (“SAM US”), 909 Third Avenue, New York 10022, is to serve as an investment adviser.

 

SAM US is registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as an investment adviser to domestic and foreign institutional investors, investment companies, commingled trust funds, private investment partnerships and collective investment vehicles. Information as to the directors and officers of SAM US is as follows:

     Name and Position with SAM US    Other Company    Position With Other Company
    

Hugo Steensma

Managing Director & Director

   SAM Group Holding AG    Representative USA
    

Reto Ringger

Director & Chairman

   SAM Group Holding AG    Director & Chief Executive Officer
    

Marc Paul Joye

Director, Treasurer & Chief Compliance Officer

   SAM Group Holding AG    Chief Financial Officer
    

William George Butterly

General Counsel

   Robeco Investment Management, Inc.    Senior Managing Director, General Counsel
        Robeco Investment Management (UK) Limited    Chief Legal Officer
        Robeco Institutional Asset Management US Inc.    Chief Legal Officer

Item 27 . Principal Underwriter

 

  (a) PFPC Distributors, Inc. (“the Distributor”) is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer and is a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers. As of April 23, 2007, the Distributor acted as principal underwriter for the following investment companies:

AFBA 5 Star Funds, Inc.

Aston Funds

Atlantic Whitehall Funds Trust

BHR Institutional Funds

CRM Mutual Fund Trust

E.I.I. International Property Fund

E.I.I. Realty Securities

GuideStone Funds

Highland Floating Rate Fund

Highland Floating Rate Advantage Fund

 

C-33


Highland Funds I

Kalmar Pooled Investment Trust

Matthews Asian Funds

Metropolitan West Funds

New Alternatives Fund

Old Westbury Funds

PAX World Funds Series Trust I

The RBB Fund, Inc.

Stratton Multi-Cap Fund

Stratton Monthly Dividend REIT Shares, Inc.

The Stratton Funds, Inc.

Sterling Capital Small Cap Value Fund

The Torray Fund

Van Wagoner Funds

Wilshire Mutual Funds, Inc.

Wilshire Variable Insurance Trust

Distributed by BB&T AM Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:

BB&T Funds

Distributed by BlackRock Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:

BlackRock Funds

BlackRock Bond Allocation Target Shares

BlackRock Liquidity Funds

International Dollar Reserve Fund I, Ltd.

Distributed by MGI Funds Distributors, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:

MGI Funds

Distributed by Northern Funds Distributors, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC Distributors, Inc.:

Northern Funds

Northern Institutional Funds

 

  (b) The Distributor is a Massachusetts corporation located at 760 Moore Road, King of Prussia, PA 19406. The Distributor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFPC, Inc. and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a publicly traded company.

The following is a list of the directors and executive officers of the Distributor:

 

Name

  

Position(s) with Distributor

Brian Burns

   Chairman; Director;
   President; Chief Executive Officer

 

C-34


Michael Denofrio    Director
Nicholas Marsini    Director
Rita G. Adler    Chief Compliance Officer
John Munera    Anti-Money Laundering Officer
Jodi Jamison    Chief Legal Officer
Bradley A. Stearns    Secretary; Clerk
Julie Bartos    Assistant Secretary; Assistant Clerk
Charlene Wilson    Treasurer; Chief Financial Officer;
   Financial & Operations Principal
Maria Schaffer    Assistant Treasurer; Controller
Bruno Di Stefano    Vice President
Susan K. Moscaritolo    Vice President

Item 28. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS

 

  (1) PFPC Trust Company (assignee under custodian agreement), 8800 Tinicum Boulevard, Suite 200, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19153 (records relating to its functions as sub-adviser and custodian).

 

  (2) PFPC Distributors, Inc., 760 Moore Road, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 19406. (records relating to its functions as distributor).

 

  (3) BlackRock Institutional Management Corporation, Bellevue Corporate Center, 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser, sub-adviser and administrator).

 

  (4) PFPC Inc., Bellevue Corporate Center, 103 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent).

 

  (5) Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, 18th and Cherry Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 (Registrant’s Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws and Minute Books).

 

  (6) Numeric Investors LLC, 1 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (7) Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (formerly Boston Partners Asset Management, L.L.C.), 28 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02111 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (8) Schneider Capital Management Co., 460 East Swedesford Road, Suite 1080, Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (9) Bogle Investment Management, L.P., 57 River Street, Suite 206, Wellesley, Massachusetts 02481 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (10) Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., Funds Management Department, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (records relating to its function as co-administrator for investment portfolios advised by Numeric Investors, LLC)

 

  (12) Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (formerly Weiss, Peck & Greer Investments), 909 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10022 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

 

(13)

Hilliard Lyons Research Advisors, a division of J. J. B. Hilliard, W. L. Lyons, Inc., 501 South 4 th Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (14) Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

C-35


  (15) Marvin & Palmer Associates, Inc., 1201 N. Market Street, Suite 2300, Wilmington, Delaware 19801-1165 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

 

  (16) Abundance Technologies, Inc., 3700 Park 42 Drive, Suite 105A, Cincinnati, OH 45241 (records relating to its function as investment adviser).

Item 29. MANAGEMENT SERVICES

None.

Item 30. UNDERTAKINGS

 

  (a) Registrant hereby undertakes to hold a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of considering the removal of directors in the event the requisite number of shareholders so request.

 

  (b) Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish each person to whom a prospectus is delivered a copy of Registrant’s latest annual report to shareholders upon request and without charge.

 

C-36


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 has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to its Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Wilmington, and State of Delaware on the 16th day of July, 2007.

 

THE RBB FUND, INC.
By:  

/s/ Edward J. Roach

  Edward J. Roach
  President and Treasurer

Pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act, this Post-Effective Amendment to Registrant’s Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

 

SIGNATURE

    

TITLE

  

DATE

/s/ Edward J. Roach

Edward J. Roach

     President (Principal Executive Officer) and Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)    July 16, 2007

*J. Richard Carnall

J. Richard Carnall

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Francis J. McKay

Francis J. McKay

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Marvin E. Sternberg

Marvin E. Sternberg

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Julian A. Brodsky

Julian A. Brodsky

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Arnold M. Reichman

Arnold M. Reichman

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Robert Sablowsky

Robert Sablowsky

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Robert Straniere

Robert Straniere

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Nicholas A. Giordano

Nicholas A. Giordano

     Director    July 16, 2007

*Mark A. Sargent

Mark A. Sargent

     Director    July 16, 2007

*By:

 

/s/ Edward J. Roach

Edward J. Roach

Attorney-in-Fact

        July 16, 2007

 

C-37


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Francis J. McKay, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 9, 2000

 

 

/s/ Francis J. McKay

  Francis J. McKay


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Marvin E. Sternberg, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 9, 2000

 

 

/s/ Marvin E. Sternberg

  Marvin E. Sternberg


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Julian Brodsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 9, 2000

 

 

/s/ Julian Brodsky

  Julian Brodsky


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Arnold Reichman, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 9, 2000

 

 

/s/ Arnold Reichman

  Arnold Reichman


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Sablowsky, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: November 9, 2000

 

 

/s/ Robert Sablowsky

  Robert Sablowsky


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, J. Richard Carnall, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 10, 2002

 

 

/s/ J. Richard Carnall

  J. Richard Carnall


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Robert Straniere, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: June 8, 2006

 

 

/s/ Robert Straniere

  Robert Straniere


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Mark A. Sargent, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 21, 2006

 

 

/s/ Mark A. Sargent

  Mark A. Sargent


THE RBB FUND, INC.

(the “Company”)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know All Men by These Presents, that the undersigned, Nicholas A. Giordano, hereby constitutes and appoints Edward J. Roach and Michael P. Malloy, his true and lawful attorneys, to execute in his name, place, and stead, in his capacity as Director or officer, or both, of the Company, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith, and to file the same with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and 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 said attorneys being hereby ratified and approved.

DATED: September 21, 2006

 

 

/s/ Nicholas A. Giordano

  Nicholas A. Giordano


PEA 114

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

EXHIBIT     

DESCRIPTION

(a)(51)      Articles Supplementary of Registrant ( SAM Sustainable Water Fund, SAM Sustainable Climate Fund )
(d)(37)      Contractual Fee Wavier Agreement (Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund) between Registrant and Robeco Investment Management
(i)(1)      Opinion and Consent of Counsel
(i)(2)      Consent of Counsel

Exhibit (a)(51)

THE RBB FUND, INC.

ARTICLES SUPPLEMENTARY

THE RBB FUND, INC., a Maryland corporation having its principal office in Baltimore, Maryland (hereinafter called the “Corporation”), hereby certifies to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland that:

FIRST: In accordance with the requirements of Section 2-208 of the Maryland General Corporation Law, the Board of Directors of the Corporation has classified: 1) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class FFFF shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund Investor Class, 2) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class GGGG shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund Institutional Class, 3) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class HHHH shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund Class A Shares, 4) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class IIII shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund Class C Shares, 5) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class JJJJ shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund Investor Class, 6) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class KKKK shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund Institutional Class, 7) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class LLLL shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund Class A Shares and 8) One Hundred Million (100,000,000) authorized but unclassified and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as Class MMMM shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund Class C Shares, pursuant to the following resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation on July 3, 2007:

RESOLVED , that pursuant to the authority expressly given to the Board of Directors in Article VI, Section (4) of the Corporation’s Charter, the Board hereby classifies authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock of the Corporation, par value $.001 per share, and hereby fixes and determines the rights, preferences, restrictions and other matters relating to such classes of Common Stock as follows:


1. Class FFFF Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class FFFF shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Investor Class.

2. Class GGGG Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class GGGG shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Institutional Class.

3. Class HHHH Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class HHHH shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Class A Shares.

4. Class IIII Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class IIII shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Water Fund – Class C Shares.

5. Class JJJJ Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class JJJJ shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Investor Class.

6. Class KKKK Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class KKKK shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Institutional Class.

7. Class LLLL Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class LLLL shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Class A Shares.

8. Class MMMM Shares . One Hundred Million (100,000,000) of the authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of the Corporation (par value $.001 per share) are hereby classified and designated as Class MMMM shares of Common Stock representing interests in the SAM Sustainable Climate Fund – Class C Shares.

FURTHER RESOLVED, that a description of the shares so classified with the preferences, conversion and other rights, voting powers, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption as set or changed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation is as set forth in Article VI, section (6) of the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation and as set forth elsewhere in the Charter of the Corporation with respect to stock of the Corporation generally, and as follows:

 

-2-


1. To the full extent permitted by applicable law, the Corporation may, without the vote of the shares of any class of capital stock of the Corporation then outstanding and if so determined by the Board of Directors:

(A)(1) sell and convey the assets belonging to Class FFFF, Class GGGG, Class HHHH, Class IIII, Class JJJJ, Class KKKK, Class LLLL or Class MMMM Common Stock (each a “Class”) to another trust or corporation that is a management investment company (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) and is organized under the laws of any state of the United States for consideration, which may include the assumption of all outstanding obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to such Class and which may include securities issued by such trust or corporation. Following such sale and conveyance, and after making provision for the payment of any liabilities belonging to such Class that are not assumed by the purchaser of the assets belonging to such Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of such Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Charter of the Corporation to the contrary, the redemption price may be paid in any combination of cash or other assets belonging to such Class, including but not limited to the distribution of the securities or other consideration received by the Corporation for the assets belonging to such Class upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation;

(2) sell and convert the assets belonging to a Class into money and, after making provision for the payment of all obligations, taxes and other liabilities, accrued or contingent, belonging to such Class, the Corporation may, at its option, redeem all outstanding shares of such Class at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation; or

(3) combine the assets belonging to a Class with the assets belonging to any one or more other classes of capital stock of the Corporation if the Board of Directors reasonably determines that such combination will not have a material adverse effect on the stockholders of any class of capital stock of the Corporation participating in such combination. In connection with any such combination of assets, the shares of the Class then outstanding may, if so determined by the Board of Directors, be converted into shares of any other class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation with respect to which conversion is permitted by applicable law, or may be redeemed, at the option of the Corporation, at the net asset value thereof as determined by the Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of applicable law, less such redemption fee or other charge, or conversion cost, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors upon such conditions as the Board of Directors deems, in its sole discretion, to be appropriate and consistent with

 

-3-


applicable law and the Charter of the Corporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles Supplementary or the Articles of Incorporation to the contrary, any redemption price, or part thereof, paid pursuant to this section may be paid in shares of any other existing or future class or classes of capital stock of the Corporation; and

(B) without limiting the foregoing, at its option, redeem shares of the Classes for any other reason if the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interest of the Corporation to do so. Any such redemption shall be at the net asset value of such shares of such Class being redeemed less such redemption fee or other charge, if any, as may be fixed by resolution of the Board of Directors and shall be made and effective upon such terms and in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Directors at such time.

2. The shares of Class FFFF Common Stock, Class GGGG Common Stock, Class HHHH Common Stock, Class IIII Common Stock, Class JJJJ Common Stock, Class KKKK Common Stock, Class LLLL Common Stock and Class MMMM Common Stock will be issued without stock certificates.

SECOND: The shares aforesaid have been duly classified by the Board of Directors of the Corporation pursuant to authority and power contained in the Charter of the Corporation.

THIRD: (1) Immediately before the classification of additional authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of Common Stock as Class FFFF, Class GGGG, Class HHHH, Class IIII, Class JJJJ, Class KKKK, Class LLLL and Class MMMM Common Stock:

(a) the Corporation had the authority to issue one hundred billion (100,000,000,000) shares of its Common Stock and the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes was one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000); and

(b) the number of authorized shares of each class was as follows:

 

Class A    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class B    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class C    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class D    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class E    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class F    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class G    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-4-


Class H    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class I    -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class J    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class K    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class L    -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class M    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class N    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class O    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class P    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Q    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class R    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class S    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class T    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class U    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class V    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class W    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class X    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Y    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Z    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class AA    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class BB    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CC    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class DD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-5-


Class EE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class FF    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class GG    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class HH    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class II    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class JJ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class KK    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class LL    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class MM    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class NN    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class OO    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class PP    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class QQ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class RR    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class SS    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class TT    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class UU    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class VV    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class WW    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class YY    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class ZZ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class AAA    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class BBB    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CCC    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-6-


Class DDD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class EEE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class FFF    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class GGG    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class HHH    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class III    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class JJJ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class KKK    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class LLL    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class MMM    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class NNN    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class OOO    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class PPP    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class QQQ    -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class RRR    -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class SSS    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class TTT    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class UUU    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class VVV    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class WWW    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class XXX    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class YYY    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class ZZZ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-7-


Class AAAA    -    fifty billion (50,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class BBBB    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CCCC    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class DDDD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class EEEE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Select    -    seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Principal Money    seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Gamma 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Gamma 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Gamma 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Bear Stearns Money    -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

Class Bear Stearns

Municipal Money

   -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

Class Bear Stearns

Government Money

   -    one billion (1,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Delta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-8-


Class Zeta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

for a total of seventy-seven billion seventy-three million (77,073,000,000) shares classified into separate classes of Common Stock.

(2) After the classification of additional authorized, unissued and unclassified shares of Common Stock as Class FFFF, Class GGGG, Class HHHH, Class IIII, Class JJJJ, Class KKKK, Class LLLL and Class MMMM Common Stock:

(a) the Corporation has the authority to issue one hundred billion (100,000,000,000) shares of its Common Stock and the aggregate par value of all the shares of all classes is one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000); and

(b) the number of authorized shares of each class is now as follows:

 

Class A    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class B    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class C    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class D    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-9-


Class E    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class F    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class G    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class H    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class I    -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class J    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class K    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class L    -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class M    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class N    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class O    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class P    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Q    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class R    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class S    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class T    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class U    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class V    -    five hundred million (500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class W    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class X    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Y    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Z    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class AA    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-10-


Class BB    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CC    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class DD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class EE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class FF    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class GG    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class HH    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class II    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class JJ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class KK    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class LL    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class MM    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class NN    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class OO    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class PP    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class QQ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class RR    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class SS    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class TT    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class UU    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class VV    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class WW    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class YY    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class ZZ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

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Class AAA    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class BBB    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CCC    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class DDD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class EEE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class FFF    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class GGG    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class HHH    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class III    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class JJJ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class KKK    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class LLL    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class MMM    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class NNN    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class OOO    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class PPP    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class QQQ    -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class RRR    -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class SSS    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class TTT    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class UUU    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class VVV    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class WWW    -    fifty million (50,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

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Class XXX    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class YYY    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class ZZZ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class AAAA    -    fifty billion (50,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class BBBB    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class CCCC    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class DDDD    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class EEEE    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class FFFF    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class GGGG    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class HHHH    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class IIII    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class JJJJ    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class KKKK    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class LLLL    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class MMMM    -    one hundred million (100,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Select    -    seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Beta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Principal Money    seven hundred million (700,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Gamma 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Gamma 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-13-


Class Gamma 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

Class Bear Stearns

Money

   -    two billion five hundred million (2,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Bear Stearns Municipal Money    -    one billion five hundred million (1,500,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

Class Bear Stearns

Government Money

   -    one billion (1,000,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Delta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Epsilon 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Zeta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Eta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 1    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 2    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 3    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;
Class Theta 4    -    one million (1,000,000), par value $.001 per share;

 

-14-


for a total of seventy-seven billion eight hundred seventy-three million (77,873,000,000) shares classified into separate classes of Common Stock.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The RBB Fund, Inc. has caused these presents to be signed in its name and on its behalf by its President and witnessed by its Secretary on the 3rd day of July, 2007.

 

            THE RBB FUND, INC.
WITNESS:      
By:  

/s/ Jennifer Rogers

    By:  

/s/ Edward J. Roach

  Jennifer Rogers       Edward J. Roach
  Secretary       President

 

-15-


CERTIFICATE

THE UNDERSIGNED, President of The RBB Fund, Inc., who executed on behalf of said Corporation the foregoing Articles Supplementary to the Charter, of which this certificate is made a part, hereby acknowledges that the foregoing Articles Supplementary are the act of the said Corporation and further certifies that, to the best of his knowledge, information and belief, the matters and facts set forth therein with respect to the approval thereof are true in all material respects, under the penalties of perjury.

 

/s/ Edward J. Roach

Edward J. Roach
President and Treasurer

 

-16-

Exhibit (d)(37)

[Robeco Letterhead]

July 3, 2007

Edward J. Roach

President

The RBB Fund, Inc.

Bellevue Park Corporate Center

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, DE 19809

 

Re: Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund

Dear Mr. Roach:

By our execution of this letter agreement (the “Agreement”), intending to be legally bound hereby and effective as of the date noted above, Robeco Investment Management, Inc. (“Robeco”) agrees that in order to maintain the established expense ratio of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund (the “Fund”), of The RBB Fund, Inc., Robeco shall, until further notice, but in no event terminating before December 31, 2007, waive all or a portion of its investment advisory fees and/or reimburse expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items as agreed upon by both parties from time to time) in an aggregate amount equal to the amount by which the Fund’s total operating expenses (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items as agreed upon by both parties from time to time) exceeds a total operating expense ratio (other than brokerage commissions, extraordinary items, interest, taxes and any other items as agreed upon by both parties from time to time) of:

 

   

2.37% (excluding short sale dividend expenses) of the average daily net assets of the Investor Class of the Robeco WPG 130/30 Large Cap Core Fund

Except to the extent of questions arising over miscalculated fees or a good faith dispute over the excluded categories described above, Robeco acknowledges that (1) it shall not be entitled to collect on or make a claim for waived fees at any time in the future, and (2) it shall not be entitled to collect on or make a claim for reimbursed Fund expenses at any time in the future.

 

            ROBECO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, INC.
      By:  

/s/ William G. Butterly,

      Name:   William G. Butterly, III
      Title:   Senior Managing Director

Your signature below acknowledges

acceptance of this Agreement:

     
By:  

/s/ Edward J. Roach

     
  Edward J. Roach      
  President and Treasurer      
  The RBB Fund, Inc.      

Exhibit (i)(1)

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square

18th and Cherry Streets

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 988-2700 (Phone)

(215) 988-2757 (Facsimile)

www.drinkerbiddle.com

July 16, 2007

The RBB Fund, Inc.

Bellevue Park Corporate Center

103 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, Delaware 19809

 

  Re: Shares Registered by Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to Registration
       Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 33-20827)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to The RBB Fund, Inc. (the “Company”) in connection with the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 (the “Amendment”) to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized the issuance and sale by the Company of the following classes and numbers of shares of common stock, $ .001 par value per share (collectively, the “Shares”), with respect to the Company’s SAM Sustainable Water and SAM Sustainable Climate Portfolios:

 

PORTFOLIO

  

CLASS

   AUTHORIZED
SHARES

SAM Sustainable Water

  

FFFF

GGGG

HHHH

IIII

   100 million
100 million
100 million
100 million

SAM Sustainable Climate

  

JJJJ

KKKK

LLLL

MMMM

   100 million
100 million
100 million
100 million

The Amendment seeks to register an indefinite number of the Shares.


We have reviewed the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, ByLaws, resolutions of its Board of Directors, and such other legal and factual matters as we have deemed appropriate. This opinion is based exclusively on the Maryland General Corporation Law and the federal law of the United States of America.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares, when issued for payment as described in the Company’s Prospectuses offering the Shares and in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation for not less than $ .0001 per share, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Company.

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Amendment to the Company’s Registration Statement.

 

Very truly yours,
/s/ Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Exhibit (i)(2)

CONSENT OF COUNSEL

We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the reference to our Firm under the caption “Counsel” in the Statement of Additional Information that is included in Post-Effective Amendment No. 114 to the Registration Statement (No. 33-20827; 811-5518) on Form N-1A of The RBB Fund, Inc., under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, respectively. This consent does not constitute a consent under section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, and in consenting to the use of our name and the references to our Firm under such caption we have not certified any part of the Registration Statement and do not otherwise come within the categories of persons whose consent is required under said section 7 or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.

 

/s/ Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

July 16, 2007