As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 28, 2019

Securities Act File No. 333-224044

1940 Act File No. 811-23333

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-2

 
 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2

[X]

[X]

 

Post-Effective Amendment No. ___

 

and

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

[X]
  Amendment No. 2 [X]

 

  Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

  c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

  414-299-2270

(Registrant’s Telephone Number)

 

Terrance P. Gallagher

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

  Copy to:

Joshua B. Deringer, Esq.

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

215-988-2700

 

  APPROXIMATE DATE OF PROPOSED PUBLIC OFFERING:
AS SOON AS PRACTICABLE AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE
OF THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT.  

 

If any securities being registered on this form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan, check the following box. [X]

 

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

 

[X] when declared effective pursuant to section 8(c)

 

 

 

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 

TITLE OF SECURITIES BEING
REGISTERED (1)
PROPOSED MAXIMUM AGGREGATE
OFFERING PRICE (2)
AMOUNT OF
REGISTRATION FEE (3)
Shares of Beneficial Interest $600,000,000 $72,598.80

 

(1) The Registrant has been granted exemptive relief by the Securities and Exchange Commission permitting the Registrant to offer multiple classes of common shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”). This registration statement relates to the maximum aggregate offering of 60,000,000  Shares. The offering currently includes the following classes: “Class A Shares” and “Class I Shares.” In the future, other classes of Shares may be registered and included in the offering.

 

(2) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457 under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

(2) $124.50 has been previously paid.

 

 

 

Cliffwater CORPORATE Lending Fund

PROSPECTUS

 

Class A Shares CCLDX

Class I Shares CCLFX

 

March 4, 2019

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) is a Delaware statutory trust registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund intends to operate as an interval fund. The Fund operates under an Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated March 21, 2018 (the “Declaration of Trust”). Cliffwater LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Manager”) of the Fund. The Investment Manager is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Fund intends to qualify and elect to be treated as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

Total Offering

  Class A Shares Class I Shares Total
Public Offering Price (1) Current Net Asset Value Current Net Asset Value $600,000,000
Sales Charge (2) as a percentage of purchase amount 5.00% 0.00%  
Proceeds to Fund (3) Current Net Asset Value, less applicable Sales Charge Current Net Asset Value Up to $600,000,000

 

(1) The Shares will be offered at an initial public offering price of $10 per Share. Following the initial day of operations, Shares will be sold at a public offering price equal to the then-current net asset value per Share. See “The Offering.”

 

(2) Investments in Class A Shares of the Fund are sold subject to a sales charge of up to 5.00% of the investment. For some investors, the sales charge may be waived or reduced. The full amount of the sales charges may be reallowed to brokers or dealers participating in the offering. Your financial intermediary may impose additional charges when you purchase Shares of the Fund. See “Fund Summary - The Offering.”

 

(3) The Fund’s initial offering expenses are described under “FUND FEES AND EXPENSES” below. The total of expenses of issuance and distribution are estimated to be $153,307.

 

The primary investment objective of the Fund is to seek consistent current income, while the Fund’s secondary objective is capital preservation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets (net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in loans to companies (“corporate loans”). The Fund’s corporate loan investments are made through a combination of: (i) investing in loans to companies that are originated directly by a non-bank lender (for example, traditional direct lenders include insurance companies, business development companies, asset management firms (on behalf of their investors), and specialty finance companies) (“direct loans”); (ii) investing in notes or other pass-through obligations representing the right to receive the principal and interest payments on a direct loan (or fractional portions thereof); (iii) purchasing asset-backed securities representing ownership in a pool of direct loans; (iv) investing in companies and/or private investment funds (private funds that are exempt from registration under Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act) that primarily hold direct loans; (v) investments in high yield securities; and (vi) investments in bank loans. The Fund may focus its investment strategy on, and its portfolio of investments may be focused in, a subset of one or more of these types of investments. Most direct loans are not rated by any rating agency, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to issuers of direct loans may generally be less extensive than that available for issuers of registered or exchange listed securities. If they were rated, direct loans likely would be rated as below investment grade quality, often referred to as “junk” loans. See “Investment Objectives and Strategies – Investment Strategies and Overview of Investment Process.” In pursuing its objectives, the Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated to one or more sub-advisers, in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Manager. Each current sub-adviser has been approved by the initial shareholder of the Fund. The Fund’s engagement of a new sub-adviser will be subject to an approval of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act). The Fund’s investment program is speculative and entails substantial risks. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment objectives will be achieved or that its investment program will be successful. Investors should consider the Fund as a supplement to an overall investment program and should invest only if they are willing to undertake the risks involved. Investors could lose some or all of their investment (see “PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS” BEGINNING ON PAGE 19).

 

This prospectus (the “Prospectus”) applies to the public offering of two separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the Fund, designated as Class A Shares and Class I Shares. The Shares will be offered during an initial public offering and in a continuous offering thereafter. The Fund’s distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of the Fund’s Shares, but will use its best efforts to solicit orders for the sale of the Shares. The Shares will generally be offered for purchase on any business day, which is any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for business, in each case subject to any applicable sales charges and other fees, as described herein. The Shares will be issued at net asset value per Share. The minimum initial investment in Class A Shares by any investor is $10,000 and the minimum initial investment in Class I Shares by any investor is $10,000,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below this minimum. The Fund has registered $1,000,000 for sale under the registration statement to which this Prospectus relates. No holder of Shares (each, a “Shareholder”) will have the right to require the Fund to redeem its Shares. The Fund is a closed-end investment company operating as an “interval fund” and, as such, has adopted a fundamental policy to make quarterly repurchase offers, at per-class NAV, of not less than 5% nor more than 25% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares on the repurchase request deadline. If the value of Shares tendered for repurchase exceeds the value the Fund intended to repurchase, the Fund may determine to repurchase less than the full number of Shares tendered. In such event, Shareholders will have their Shares repurchased on a pro rata basis, and tendering Shareholders will not have all of their tendered Shares repurchased by the Fund (see “Repurchase Offers” beginning on page 11 and “ REPURCHASE OFFERS; LIMITED LIQUIDITY ” beginning on page 19).

 

 

 

This Prospectus concisely provides information that you should know about the Fund before investing. You are advised to read this Prospectus carefully and to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including the Fund’s statement of additional information (the “SAI”), dated March 4, 2019, has been filed with the SEC. You may request a free copy of this Prospectus, the SAI, annual and semi-annual reports, when available, and other information about the Fund, and make inquiries without charge by writing to the Fund, c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc., 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, or by calling the Fund toll-free at 1 (888) 442-4420. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus in its entirety. The table of contents of the SAI appears on page 62 of this Prospectus. You may also obtain copies of the SAI, and the annual and semi-annual reports of the Fund, when available, as well as other information about the Fund on the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov). The address of the SEC’s internet site is provided solely for the information of prospective investors and is not intended to be an active link.

 

Shares are an illiquid investment .

 

We do not intend to list the Shares on any securities exchange and we do not expect a secondary market in the Shares to develop.
You should generally not expect to be able to sell your Shares (other than through the limited repurchase process), regardless of how we perform.
Although we are required to implement a Share repurchase program, only a limited number of Shares will be eligible for repurchase by us.
You should consider that you may not have access to the money you invest for an indefinite period of time.
An investment in the Shares is not suitable for you if you have foreseeable need to access the money you invest.
Because you will be unable to sell your Shares or have them repurchased immediately, you will find it difficult to reduce your exposure on a timely basis during a market downturn.
All or a portion of an annual distribution may consist solely of a return of capital (i.e., from your original investment) and not a return of net investment income.

 

No Prior History . The Fund has no operating history and the Shares have no history of public trading.

 

Neither the SEC nor any state securities commission has determined whether this Prospectus is truthful or complete, nor have they made, nor will they make, any determination as to whether anyone should buy these securities. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

You should not construe the contents of this Prospectus and the SAI as legal, tax or financial advice. You should consult with your own professional advisers as to legal, tax, financial, or other matters relevant to the suitability of an investment in the Fund.

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this Prospectus. The Fund has not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. You should not assume that the information provided by this Prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date shown below.

 

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, paper copies of the Fund’s shareholder reports will no longer be sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, the reports will be made available on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. If you hold shares at the Fund’s transfer agent, you may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the Fund electronically by contacting the Fund, c/o UMB Fund Services at 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, or by calling toll-free at 1 (888) 442-4420.  If you own your shares through a financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank), you must contact your financial intermediary. You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge.

 

You can inform the Fund or your financial intermediary, as applicable, that you wish to receive paper copies of your shareholder reports by contacting them directly. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply the Fund and all funds held through your financial intermediary, as applicable.

 

THE FUND’S Principal underwriter IS FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC.

 

The date of this Prospectus is March 4, 2019.

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Page

FUND SUMMARY 5
FUND FEES AND EXPENSES 12
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 14
USE OF PROCEEDS 14
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 14
PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS 19
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 38
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES 42
DISTRIBUTOR 43
DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN 44
ADMINISTRATION 44
CUSTODIAN 45
FUND EXPENSES 45
VOTING 47
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 47
OUTSTANDING SECURITIES 49
TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE 49
TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES 49
TRANSFERS OF SHARES 51
ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING 52
CREDIT FACILITY 52
CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 52
TAXES 53
ERISA AND CODE CONSIDERATIONS 58
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 58
PURCHASING SHARES 59
TERM, DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION 60
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS 60
FISCAL YEAR 60
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL 60
INQUIRIES 61
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 62

 

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FUND SUMMARY

 

This is only a summary and does not contain all of the information that investors should consider before investing in the Fund. Investors should review the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and SAI, especially the information set forth under the heading “Principal Risk Factors.”

 

The Fund and the Shares

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) is a closed-end management investment company structured as an “interval fund” and registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 21, 2018. Cliffwater LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Manager”) of the Fund. The Investment Manager provides day-to-day investment management services to the Fund. The Fund is non-diversified, which means that under the Investment Company Act, it is not limited in the percentage of its assets that it may invest in any single issuer of securities.

 

The Fund is an “interval fund” and, as such, has adopted a fundamental policy to make quarterly repurchase offers, at per-class NAV, of not less than 5% nor more than 25% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares on the repurchase request deadline. The Fund will offer to purchase only a small portion of its Shares each quarter, and there is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares that they desire to sell in any particular repurchase offer. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed, the Fund may repurchase only a pro rata portion of the Shares tendered by each Shareholder. The potential for proration may cause some investors to tender more Shares for repurchase than they wish to have repurchased or result in investors being unable to liquidate all or a given percentage of their investment during the particular repurchase offer.

 

Shares in the Fund provide limited liquidity since Shareholders will not be able to redeem Shares on a daily basis. A Shareholder may not be able to tender its Shares in the Fund promptly after it has made a decision to do so. In addition, with very limited exceptions, Shares are not transferable, and liquidity will be provided only through repurchase offers made quarterly by the Fund. Shares in the Fund are therefore suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment.

 

The Fund has been granted exemptive relief by the SEC permitting it to offer multiple classes of Shares. The Fund currently offers two separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) designated as Class A Shares (“Class A Shares”) and Class I Shares (“Class I Shares”). Class A Shares and Class I Shares are subject to different fees and expenses. In the future, other classes of Shares may be registered and included in this offering.

 

The Fund intends to satisfy the diversification requirements necessary to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), which generally requires that, at the end of each quarter: (1) at least 50% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in (i) cash and cash items (including receivables), Federal Government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies; and (ii) securities of separate issuers, each of which amounts to no more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets (and no more than 10% of the issuer’s outstanding voting shares), and (2) no more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in (i) securities (other than Federal Government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer; (ii) the securities (other than the securities of other regulated investment companies) of two or more issuers which the taxpayer controls and which are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses; or (iii) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships.

 

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Investment Objectives and Strategies

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek consistent current income, while the Fund’s secondary objective is capital preservation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets (net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in loans to companies (“corporate loans”). The Fund’s corporate loan investments are made through a combination of: (i) investing in loans to companies that are originated directly by a non-bank lender (for example, traditional direct lenders include insurance companies, business development companies, asset management firms (on behalf of their investors), and specialty finance companies) (“direct loans”); (ii) investing in notes or other pass-through obligations representing the right to receive the principal and interest payments on a direct loan (or fractional portions thereof); (iii) purchasing asset-backed securities representing ownership in a pool of direct loans; (iv) investing in companies and/or private investment funds (“private funds” that are exempt from registration under Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act) that primarily hold direct loans (the foregoing investments listed in clauses (i) through (iv) are collectively referred to herein as the “Direct Loan Instruments”); (v) investments in high yield securities; and (vi) investments in bank loans. The Fund may focus its investment strategy on, and its portfolio of investments may be focused in, a subset of one or more of these types of investments. The Fund’s investments in private investment funds will be limited to no more than 10% of the Fund’s assets. Most direct loans are not rated by any rating agency, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to issuers of direct loans may generally be less extensive than that available for issuers of registered or exchange listed securities. If they were rated, direct loans likely would be rated as below investment grade quality, often referred to as “junk” loans.

 

The Fund’s corporate loan investments may include secured debt (including first lien senior secured, unitranche and second lien debt) and unsecured debt (including senior unsecured and subordinated debt). First lien senior secured debt has first claim to any underlying collateral of a loan, second lien debt is subordinated in payment and/or lower in lien priority to first lien holders, and unitranche loans are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt into one tranche of debt, generally in a first lien position. In connection with a corporate loan, the Fund may invest in warrants or other equity securities of borrowers and may receive non-cash income features, including payment in kind (“PIK”) interest and original issue discount (“OID”).

 

The Fund will also invest in other public and private credit investments, including U.S. or global high yield securities (also known as “junk bonds”), bank loans, loan participations and assignments, non-performing loans, private and public business development companies (“BDCs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), mezzanine debt (which is typically subordinate to first lien and second lien debt, and in some cases, may be issued together with an equity security, e.g., with attached warrants), and distressed securities. A portion of the Fund’s assets will be invested in cash or cash equivalents; in certain circumstances or market environments, the Fund may hold a larger position in cash or cash equivalents and reduce its investment in credit investments. The Fund also may invest in preferred securities, convertible securities, derivatives (such as options, swaps, futures contracts, forward agreements, reverse repurchase agreements and other similar transactions) for hedging and investment purposes, exchange-traded funds and other investment companies. When the Fund invests in loans and debt securities, the Fund may acquire warrants or other equity securities of borrowers as well. The Fund may also invest in warrants and equity securities directly. The Fund’s equity holdings may be issued by small-, mid- and large-cap companies. The Fund may invest in issuers outside the United States.

 

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The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Manager and one or more sub-advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Manager. The Investment Manager seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by delegating the management of a substantial portion of Fund assets to a group of experienced Sub-Advisers with expertise in managing portfolios of direct loans, Direct Loan Instruments, and/or other corporate loans.

 

The Sub-Advisers, on behalf of the Fund, will originate and/or invest in a wide range of Direct Loan Instruments and/or other corporate loans, with a focus on U.S. middle market corporate loans, and related Direct Loan Instruments. For these purposes, “middle market corporate loans” generally refers to direct loans made to a company with annual earnings (as measured by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or “EBITDA”) between approximately $10 million and $100 million.

 

The Investment Manager intends to select as Sub-Advisers a combination of investment advisers with expertise in managing portfolios of direct loans and Direct Loan Instruments, and/or other corporate loans with different styles to reduce the Fund’s risk exposure to any one investment style and minimize overlap among Sub-Advisers. In reviewing a Sub-Adviser’s investment style, the Investment Manager may consider a Sub-Adviser’s preference for (i) various loan terms, (ii) structure or industry, (iii) borrower size ( e.g. , lower middle market vs. upper middle market), (iv) sponsored or non-sponsored borrower (where “sponsored borrower” refers to companies with the backing of a financial sponsor, e.g. , with investment from a private equity fund, and “non-sponsored borrower” refers to companies without the backing of a financial sponsor), and (v) loan seniority ( e.g. , senior secured vs. second lien).

 

While the Investment Manager delegates a substantial portion of the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets to a combination of Sub-Advisers, the Investment Manager retains overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund’s investment portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Investment Manager will determine the portion of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser based upon long-term fundamental policies, existing market conditions, and Sub-Adviser circumstances. The Investment Manager may exercise its discretion to manage a portion of Fund assets directly for any reason, including to modify the Fund’s exposure to a particular investment or market-related risk created by a Sub-Adviser, to invest the Fund’s assets pending allocation to a Sub-Adviser, or to establish positions in securities and strategies it deems appropriate for meeting the Fund’s investment objectives. The engagement of each current Sub-Adviser has been approved by the Board and the initial Shareholder of the Fund. The engagement of a new Sub-Adviser will be subject to Board approval and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act).

 

There is no limit on the duration, maturity or credit quality of any investment in the Fund’s portfolio. The Fund may invest in sub-investment grade debt securities or “junk” debt securities and non-rated debt securities. These investments could constitute a material percentage of the Fund’s holdings at any given point in time. The Fund may leverage its investments by “borrowing,” including borrowings through one or more special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”) that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund. Certain Fund investments may be held by these SPVs. The Fund anticipates engaging in borrowing during its first year of operation. The Fund may borrow cash for a number of reasons, including without limitation, in connection with its investment activities, to make distributions, to satisfy repurchase requests from Shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity. Borrowing, including any borrowing through any SPVs that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund, will be limited to 33.33% of the Fund’s assets (50% of its net assets). The Fund may invest directly in foreign debt and equity securities, including those from emerging markets, issued in both U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. It is not anticipated that investments in foreign securities and/or emerging markets will constitute a significant portion of the Fund’s investments. The Fund’s allocations among assets will vary over time in response to changing market opportunities. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

 

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Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund may change its investment objectives and any of its investment policies, restrictions, strategies, and techniques without Shareholder approval. The investment objectives of the Fund are not a fundamental policy of the Fund and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) without the vote of a majority (as defined by the Investment Company Act) of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. The Fund will notify Shareholders of any changes to its investment objectives or any of its investment policies, restrictions or strategies.

The Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers

As Investment Manager, Cliffwater LLC provides day-to-day investment management services to the Fund, including selecting Sub-Advisers and determining the amount of the Fund’s assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. Its principal place of business is located at 4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor, Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6623. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). As of September 30, 2018, approximately $69.6 billion of assets were under the advisement (includes discretionary and non-discretionary accounts) of the Investment Manager and its affiliates.

 

Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Manager will be primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Manager. Currently, Audax Management Company (NY), LLC, Beach Point Capital Management LP, Benefit Street Partners, LLC, Crescent Capital Group LP and TCP Partners, LLC serve as Sub-Advisers to the Fund. See “Management of the Fund.” The engagement of each current Sub-Adviser has been approved by the Board and the initial Shareholder of the Fund. The engagement of the new Sub-Adviser will be subject to Board approval and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act).

The Administrator

 

The Fund has retained UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator”) to provide it with certain administrative services, including performing all actions related to the issuance and repurchase of Shares of the Fund.  The Fund compensates the Administrator for these services and reimburses the Administrator for certain of its out-of-pocket expenses.  See “ Fees and Expenses ” below.

 

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Fees and Expenses The Fund bears its own operating expenses (including, without limitation, its offering expenses not paid by the Investment Manager).  A more detailed discussion of the Fund’s expenses can be found under “ FUND EXPENSES.”  
  Management Fees .  The Fund pays the Investment Manager a management fee (the “Investment Management Fee”) at an annual rate of 1.00%, payable monthly in arrears, accrued daily based upon the Fund’s average daily net assets. In addition to the Investment Management Fee, the Fund pays each Sub-Adviser a sub-advisory fee on the portion of Fund assets managed by the Sub-Adviser.  The portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers will range from 0.65% to 1.00 of the allocable portion of the Fund’s assets managed by such Sub-Adviser. See “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES.” The Investment Management Fee paid to the Investment Manager and the portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers will be paid out of the Fund’s assets.  Such management fees are paid before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders.
 

Administration Fee. The Fund pays the Administrator a minimum monthly administration fee of $2,500, or $30,000 on an annualized basis (the “Administration Fees”). The Administration Fees are paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund, and therefore, decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund. The Fund also reimburses the Administrator for certain out-of-pocket expenses and pays the Administrator a fee for transfer agency services. See “ ADMINISTRATION.”

 

The Fund has been granted exemptive relief by the SEC permitting the Fund to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund is permitted to pay as compensation up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares (the “Distribution and Servicing Fee”) to the Fund’s Distributor or other qualified recipients under the Distribution and Service Plan. The Distribution and Servicing Fee will be paid out of the Fund’s assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund . For purposes of determining the Distribution and Servicing Fee only, the value of the Fund’s assets will be calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses, including, without limitation, the Distribution and Servicing Fee payable. Class I Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Servicing Fee. See “ DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN ”.

 

The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”). Because taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 3.00% (including the 0.75% distribution and servicing fee) for Class A Shares and 2.25% for Class I Shares. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in place at the time of the Waiver and the current Expense Limit. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement has an initial two-year term, which ends on March 4, 2021, and will automatically continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods thereafter. The Investment Manager may not terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement during the initial term. After the initial term, (i) the Board may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement upon 30 days’ written notice, and (ii) the Investment Manager may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement effective as of the end of the then current term upon 30 days’ written notice. The Sub-Advisers to the Fund are not a party to the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement. See “FUND EXPENSES.”

 

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The Offering The minimum initial investment in the Fund by any investor in Class A Shares is $10,000, the minimum initial investment in the Fund by any investor in Class I Shares is $10,000,000, and the minimum additional investment in the Fund by any Shareholder is $5,000.  However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below these minimums.
  The Shares will be offered during an initial public offering and in a continuous offering thereafter.  Shares will generally be offered for purchase on any day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business (each, a “Business Day”), except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion.  Once a prospective investor’s purchase order is received, a confirmation is sent to the investor. Potential investors should send subscription funds by wire transfer pursuant to instructions provided to them by the Fund.  Subscriptions are generally subject to the receipt of cleared funds on or prior to the acceptance date set by the Fund and notified to prospective investors.
  A prospective investor must submit a completed investor application on or prior to the acceptance date set by the Fund.  The Fund reserves the right to reject, in its sole discretion, any request to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time.  The Fund also reserves the right to suspend or terminate offerings of Shares at any time at the Board’s discretion.  
  Investments in Class A Shares of the Fund may be subject to a sales charge of up to 5.00% of the subscription amount. The full amount of the sales charge may be reallowed to brokers or dealers participating in the offering.  Your financial intermediary may impose additional charges when you purchase Shares of the Fund.
Distribution Policy The Fund plans to make quarterly distributions of substantially all of its net investment income. Distributions cannot be assured, and the amount of each distribution is likely to vary. Distributions will be paid at least annually in amounts representing substantially all of the net investment income not previously distributed in a quarterly distribution and net capital gains, if any, earned each year.  The Fund is not a suitable investment for any investor who requires regular dividend income.
  Each Shareholder whose Shares are registered in its own name will automatically be a participant under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment program (the “DRIP”) and have all income dividends and/or capital gains distributions automatically reinvested in Shares priced at the then-current net asset value (“NAV”) unless such Shareholder, at any time, specifically elects to receive income dividends and/or capital gains distributions in cash. A Shareholder receiving Shares under the DRIP instead of cash distributions may still owe taxes and, because Fund Shares are generally illiquid, may need other sources of funds to pay any taxes due. In the event that Shareholders submit elections in aggregate to receive more than the cap amount of such a distribution in cash, any such cap amount will be pro-rated among those electing Shareholders.  Inquiries concerning income dividends and/or capital gains distributions should be directed to the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 1 (888) 442-4420 or 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212.

 

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Repurchase Offers

The Fund intends to provide a limited degree of liquidity to the Shareholders by conducting quarterly offers to repurchase its Shares at their NAV on the date on which the repurchase price for Shares is determined (the “Valuation Date”). Each repurchase offer will be for no less than 5% nor more than 25% of the Fund’s Shares outstanding. If the value of Shares tendered for repurchase exceeds the value the Fund intended to repurchase, the Fund may determine to repurchase less than the full number of Shares tendered. In such event, Shareholders will have their Shares repurchased on a pro rata basis, and tendering Shareholders will not have all of their tendered Shares repurchased by the Fund. Shareholders tendering Shares for repurchase will be asked to give written notice of their intent to do so by the date specified in the notice describing the terms of the applicable repurchase offer, which date will be no more than fourteen (14) days prior to the Valuation Date. See “ TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE ” and “TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES.”

Risk Factors The Fund is subject to substantial risks — including market risks and strategy risks.  The Fund will also be subject to the risks associated with the investment strategies employed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers, which may include credit risks, prepayment risks, valuation risks, and interest rate risks. While the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers will attempt to moderate any risks, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment activities will be successful or that the investors will not suffer losses. There may also be certain conflicts of interest relevant to the management of the Fund, arising out of, among other things, activities of the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers and their affiliates and employees with respect to the management of accounts for other clients as well as the investment of proprietary assets. Prospective investors should review carefully the “PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS” section of this Prospectus.  An investment in the Fund should only be made by investors who understand the risks involved and who are able to withstand the loss of the entire amount invested.
  Accordingly, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment, and you should invest in the Fund only if you can sustain a complete loss of your investment. Past results of the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers, their respective principals, and the Fund are not indicative of future results. See “ PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS .”
Summary of Taxation The Fund has elected to be treated and qualify as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) for federal income tax purposes. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income tax, provided that when it is a RIC, it distributes out all of its income and gains each year.  See “ TAXES .”

 

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FUND FEES AND EXPENSES

 

The following tables describe the aggregate fees and expenses that the Fund expects to incur and that the Shareholders can expect to bear, either directly or indirectly, through the Fund’s investments. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section titled “Purchasing Shares” beginning on page 59 of this Prospectus.

 

  Class A Shares Class I Shares
SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTION EXPENSES:    
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) (as a percentage of subscription amount) (1) 5.00% 0.00%
ANNUAL EXPENSES (AS A PERCENTAGE OF NET ASSETS ATTRIBUTABLE TO SHARES) (2)    
Management Fees (3) 1.70% 1.70%
Distribution and Servicing Fee (4) 0.75% 0.00%
Fees and Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds (5) 0.00% 0.00%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses (5) 0.00% 0.00%
Other Expenses (5) 0.62% 0.62%
Total Annual Expenses 3.07% 2.32%
Less: Amount Paid or Absorbed Under Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement (6) (0.07)% (0.07)%
Net Annual Expenses (6) 3.00% 2.25%

 

 
(1) Investors in Class A Shares may be charged a sales charge of up to 5.00% of the subscription amount.

 

(2) This table summarizes the expenses of the Fund and is designed to help investors understand the costs and expenses they will bear, directly or indirectly, by investing in the Fund. For purposes of determining net assets in fee table calculations, derivatives are valued at market value. This table assumes estimated average net assets of approximately $200 million.

 

(3) Management Fees include the Investment Management Fee paid to the Investment Manager at an annual rate of 1.00% payable monthly in arrears, accrued daily based upon the Fund’s average daily net assets. Management Fees also include portfolio management fees of the Sub-Advisers. The fees the Sub-Advisers charge the Fund are based on the Sub-Adviser’s sub-advisory agreement. The portfolio management fees paid to a Sub-Adviser will range from 0.65% to 1.00% of the allocable portion of the Fund’s assets managed by such Sub-Adviser. The Investment Management Fee paid to the Investment Manager and the portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers will be paid out of the Fund’s assets. Such management fees are paid before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders.

 

(4) The Fund has been granted exemptive relief by the SEC permitting it to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a distribution and service plan for Class A Shares.  Investors will pay a Distribution and Servicing Fee of up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares to the Fund’s Distributor or other qualified recipients.  Payment of the Distribution and Servicing Fee is governed by the Distribution and Service Plan for Class A Shares, which, pursuant to the conditions of the Fund’s exemptive order issued by the SEC, has been adopted by the Fund with respect to Class A Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act.  Class I Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Servicing Fee.  See " DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN ."

 

(5) Fees and Interest Payments on Borrowed Funds, “Other Expenses” (as defined below), and Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses represent estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

 

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(6) The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of the Class A Shares  and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”). Because taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 3.00% (including the 0.75% distribution and servicing fee) for Class A Shares and 2.25% for Class I Shares. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in place at the time of the Waiver and the current Expense Limit. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement has an initial two-year term, which ends on March 4, 2021, and will automatically continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods thereafter. The Investment Manager may not terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement during the initial term. After the initial term, (i) the Board may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement upon 30 days’ written notice, and (ii) the Investment Manager may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement effective as of the end of the then current term upon 30 days’ written notice. The Sub-Advisers to the Fund are not a party to the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement.

 

The purpose of the table above is to assist prospective investors in understanding the various fees and expenses Shareholders will bear directly or indirectly. “Other Expenses,” as shown above, is an estimate based on anticipated investments in the Fund and anticipated expenses for the current fiscal year of the Fund’s operations, and includes, among other things, professional fees and other expenses that the Fund will bear, including initial and ongoing offering costs and fees and expenses of the Administrator and custodian. For a more complete description of the various fees and expenses of the Fund, see “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES,” “ADMINISTRATION,” “FUND EXPENSES,” and “PURCHASING SHARES.”

 

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that all distributions are reinvested at NAV and that the percentage amounts listed under annual expenses remain the same in the years shown (except that the example reflects the expense limitation for the 1 Year period and the first two years of the 3 Years, 5 Years and 10 Years periods in the example). The assumption in the hypothetical example of a 5% annual return is the same as that required by regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) applicable to all registered investment companies. The assumed 5% annual return is not a prediction of, and does not represent, the projected or actual performance of the Shares.

 

EXAMPLE

 

Class A Shares

 

You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on the Imposition of the 5.0% Sales Charge and a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return:

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

  $79 $139 $202 $371

 

Class I Shares

 

You Would Pay the Following Expenses Based on

a $1,000 Investment in the Fund, Assuming a 5% Annual Return:

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

  $23 $72 $123 $265

 

The example is based on the annual fees and expenses of Class A Shares and Class I Shares set out in the table above and should not be considered a representation of future expenses. Actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. Moreover, the rate of return of the Fund may be greater or less than the hypothetical 5% return used in the example. A greater rate of return than that used in the example would increase the dollar amount of the asset-based fees paid by the Fund.

 

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FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

 

Because the Fund has no performance history as of the date of this Prospectus, there are no financial highlights for the Fund.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

The proceeds from continuous offering of the Fund’s Shares, not including the amount of any sales charges and the Fund’s fees and expenses (including, without limitation, offering expenses not paid by the Investment Manager), will be invested by the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s investment objectives and strategies as soon as practicable and not later than six months after receipt, subject to market conditions, the availability of suitable investments, and the extent proceeds are held in cash to pay dividends or expenses, satisfy repurchase offers or for temporary defensive purposes.

 

Delays in fully investing the Fund’s assets may occur, for example, because of the time required to complete certain transactions in corporate loans and the Sub-Advisers’ ability to find suitable investments may be delayed. While the Fund’s investments are expected to be partially-invested within three months, the aforementioned delays may inhibit the Fund from being fully-invested at all times. A delay in the anticipated use of proceeds could lower returns and reduce the Fund's distributions to Shareholders. Pending such use, the Fund may take temporary defensive measures and invest a portion of proceeds in cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments, prime commercial paper, repurchase agreements, municipal bonds, bank accounts, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and other high-quality debt instruments maturing in one year or less from the time of investment. In addition, subject to applicable law, the Fund may maintain a portion of its assets in cash or short-term securities or money market funds to meet operational needs or to maintain liquidity. The Fund may be prevented from achieving its objective during any period in which the Fund’s assets are not substantially invested in accordance with its principal investment strategies.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

 

The Fund’s primary investment objective is to seek consistent current income, while the Fund’s secondary objective is capital preservation. The Fund uses a “multi-manager” approach whereby the Fund’s assets are allocated among the Investment Manager and one or more sub-advisers (each, a “Sub-Adviser” and together, the “Sub-Advisers”), in percentages determined at the discretion of the Investment Manager. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

 

Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund may change its investment objectives and any of its investment policies, restrictions, strategies, and techniques without Shareholder approval. The investment objectives of the Fund are not a fundamental policy of the Fund and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) without the vote of a majority (as defined by the Investment Company Act) of the Fund’s outstanding Shares. The Fund will notify Shareholders of any changes to its investment objectives or any of its investment policies, restrictions, strategies or techniques.

 

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND OVERVIEW OF INVESTMENT PROCESS

 

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets (net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in loans to companies (“corporate loans”). The Fund’s corporate loan investments are made through a combination of: (i) investing in loans to companies that are originated directly by a non-bank lender (for example, traditional direct lenders include insurance companies, business development companies, asset management firms (on behalf of their investors), and specialty finance companies) (“direct loans”); (ii) investing in notes or other pass-through obligations representing the right to receive the principal and interest payments on a direct loan (or fractional portions thereof); (iii) purchasing asset-backed securities representing ownership in a pool of direct loans; and (iv) investing in companies and/or private investment funds (private funds that are exempt from registration under Sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(7) of the Investment Company Act) that primarily hold direct loans (the foregoing investments listed in clauses (i) through (iv) are collectively referred to herein as the “Direct Loan Instruments”); (v) investments in high yield bonds; and (vi) investments in bank loans. The Fund may focus its investment strategy on, and its portfolio of investments may be focused in, a subset of one or more of these types of investments. The Fund’s investments in private investment funds will be limited to no more than 10% of the Fund’s assets. The Investment Manager seeks to achieve the Fund’s investment objectives by delegating the management of a substantial portion of Fund assets to a group of experienced Sub-Advisers with expertise in managing portfolios of direct loans, Direct Loan Instruments, and/or other corporate loans. The Sub-Advisers, on behalf of the Fund, will originate and/or invest in a wide range of Direct Loan Instruments and/or other corporate loans, with a focus on U.S. middle market corporate loans, and related Direct Loan Instruments. For these purposes, “middle market corporate loans” generally refers to direct loans made to a company with annual earnings (as measured by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or “EBITDA”) between approximately $10 million and $100 million. The Investment Manager intends to select as Sub-Advisers a combination of investment advisers with expertise in managing portfolios of direct loans and Direct Loan Instruments (such investment advisers with direct loans and Direct Loan Instruments expertise referred to herein as “direct lending managers”) and other corporate loans with different styles to reduce the Fund’s risk exposure to any one investment style (such as a preference for various loan terms, structure or industry, borrower size ( e.g. , lower middle market vs. upper middle market), sponsored or non-sponsored borrower (where “sponsored borrower” refers to companies with the backing of a financial sponsor, e.g. , with investment from a private equity fund, and “non-sponsored borrower” refers to companies without the backing of a financial sponsor), and loan seniority ( e.g. , senior secured vs. second lien)) and minimize overlap among Sub-Advisers. The engagement of each current Sub-Adviser has been approved by the Board and the initial Shareholder of the Fund. The engagement of a new Sub-Adviser will be subject to Board approval and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act).

 

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While the Investment Manager delegates a substantial portion of the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets to a combination of Sub-Advisers, the Investment Manager retains overall supervisory responsibility for the general management and investment of the Fund’s investment portfolio. On an ongoing basis, the Investment Manager will determine the portion of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser based upon long-term fundamental policies, existing market conditions, and Sub-Adviser circumstances. The Investment Manager may exercise its discretion to manage a portion of Fund assets directly for any reason, including to modify the Fund’s exposure to a particular investment or market-related risk created by a Sub-Adviser, to invest the Fund’s assets pending allocation to a Sub-Adviser, or to establish positions in securities and strategies it deems appropriate for meeting the Fund’s investment objectives.

 

Key Characteristics of Direct Loans

 

Direct loans typically consist of intermediate- to long-term borrowings by companies that are originated directly by lenders without the traditional intermediary role of a bank or broker. Traditional direct lenders include insurance companies, business development companies, asset management firms (on behalf of their investors), and specialty finance companies.

 

Direct loans are commonly structured to include fixed payment schedules and extensive contractual rights and remedies. Direct loans generally pay interest on a monthly or quarterly basis, typically with maturities between three and seven years. Direct loans are priced primarily on a floating rate basis, with interest rates calculated on the basis of a fixed interest rate spread over a specified base rate. Consequently, the total rate of interest typically is variable, floating up or down with the specified base rate. While the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, is the most commonly used base rate, the U.S. prime rate also may be used. Loan terms may include a yield enhancement device commonly referred to as a “LIBOR Floor.” This feature sets a minimum rate to be used as the LIBOR or prime rate component of the loan’s interest rate calculation. Relative to the interest spreads on liquid credit asset classes (such as bank loans), the interest spread on direct loans is generally higher, reflecting their lack of liquidity, non-rated status, and level of credit risk equivalent to or greater than that of non-investment grade loans and bonds. Direct loan pricing is influenced by several factors, including the borrower’s size, whether the borrower is private equity-backed, the position of the loan in the capital structure, and general market conditions.

 

Like bank loans, most direct loans are not rated by any rating agency, will not be registered with the SEC or any state securities commission and will not be listed on any national securities exchange. The amount of public information available with respect to issuers of direct loans may generally be less extensive than that available for issuers of registered or exchange listed securities. If they were rated, direct loans likely would be rated as below investment grade quality. Loans rated below investment grade quality, which are often referred to as “junk” loans, are generally regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics and may carry a greater risk with respect to a borrower’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The Adviser does not view ratings as the determinative factor in its investment decisions and relies more upon its credit analysis abilities than upon ratings. Borrowers may have outstanding debt obligations that are rated below investment grade by a rating agency. A high percentage of senior loans held by the Fund may be rated, if at all, below investment grade by independent rating agencies. Direct loans often are collateralized by a security interest against some or all of the borrower’s tangible and intangible assets, although some direct loans are unsecured. Examples of the types of secured loans include first lien, unitranche, and second lien. A lender in a first lien senior secured loan will have a first priority secured claim on all tangible and intangible assets of the borrower, including the proceeds of any sale of assets, should the borrower default on its obligations under such first lien senior secured loan. Such claim would rank senior in the capital structure of the borrower ahead of the claims of all junior, subordinated and/or unsecured creditors.

 

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First lien senior secured loans typically do not include equity co-investments, warrants, or payment-in-kind, or “PIK”, payment terms. However, securities ranking more junior in a borrower’s capital structure may include some or all of these attributes. Any equity co-investments, warrants or PIK instruments held may include certain risks that are not applicable to more senior types of securities. These risks include the possibility of being unsecured with respect to a claim on such investments if the portfolio company were to go bankrupt or being paid less (or a complete loss of capital) upon such bankruptcy than otherwise would have been paid had such investment been in the form of a senior loan.

 

A potential additional component of return on direct loans is upfront or closing fees. These yield enhancements could also come in the form of a discount to the purchase price. When in discount form, this component is a form of deferred income that will be realized over time or upon final repayment of the loan. Such upfront fees, original issue discount (or “OID”), or closing fees serve to enhance the return on the investment.

 

Middle market companies are typical borrowers of direct loans, although the companies can range from the lower middle market (companies with approximately $10 million to $25 million in EBITDA) to upper middle market (companies with approximately $75 million to $100 million in EBITDA). Companies with annual EBITDA larger than $100 million are generally thought to achieve lower costs of financing by raising capital via the public and quasi-public debt markets, either through high yield bonds or broadly syndicated leveraged bank loans. Various inputs regarding a borrower usually are considered by the lender when deciding whether to make a direct loan, including the borrower’s industry, market position, tangible and intangible assets, earnings, cash flows, management team, capital structure, and sponsor(s) (if the company is externally sponsored).

 

Fund’s Target Investment Portfolio

 

The Investment Manager will allocate to each Sub-Adviser a portion of the Fund’s assets to invest and may retain a portion of the Fund’s assets to invest directly. Each Sub-Adviser has discretion to invest its portion of the Fund’s assets as it deems appropriate, subject to any investment guidelines agreed upon with the Investment Manager. While each Sub-Adviser is subject to the oversight of the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager does not attempt to coordinate or manage the day-to-day investments of the Sub-Advisers.

 

The Fund’s corporate loan investments may include secured debt (including first lien senior secured, unitranche and second lien debt) and unsecured debt (including senior unsecured and subordinated debt). First lien senior secured debt has first claim to any underlying collateral of a loan, second lien debt is subordinated in payment and/or lower in lien priority to first lien holders, and unitranche loans are loans that combine both senior and subordinated debt into one tranche of debt, generally in a first lien position. In connection with a corporate loan, the Fund may invest in warrants or other equity securities of borrowers and may receive non-cash income features, including PIK interest and OID.

 

The Fund’s remaining assets will be invested mostly in other public and private credit investments, including U.S. or global high yield securities (also known as “junk bonds”), bank loans, loan participations and assignments, non-performing loans, private and public business development companies (“BDCs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), mezzanine debt (which is typically subordinate to first lien and second lien debt, and in some cases, may be issued together with an equity security, e.g., with attached warrants), and distressed securities. In order to manage the Fund’s liquidity, a portion of the Fund’s assets will be invested in cash or cash equivalents; however, in certain circumstances or market environments, the Fund may hold a larger position in cash or cash equivalents and reduce its investment in credit investments. The Fund also may invest in preferred securities, convertible securities, derivatives (such as options, swaps, futures contracts, forward agreements, reverse repurchase agreements and other similar transactions) for hedging and investment purposes, exchange-traded funds and other investment companies. When the Fund invests in loans and debt securities, the Fund may acquire warrants or other equity securities of borrowers as well. The Fund may also invest in warrants and equity securities directly. The Fund’s equity holdings may be issued by small-, mid- and large-cap companies. The Fund may invest in issuers outside the United States.

 

The Investment Manager believes the Fund’s investment strategy favors a modest amount of leverage consistent with the statutory limitations. Accordingly, the Fund intends to utilize leverage from borrowings, including borrowings through one or more special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”) that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund, to enhance yield within the 300% asset coverage (up to 50% of the Fund’s net assets) requirements of an interval fund. Certain Fund Investments may be held by these SPVs. The Fund anticipates engaging in borrowings and utilizing leverage during its first twelve months of operations. The Fund is authorized to borrow cash in connection with its investment activities, to satisfy repurchase requests from Fund shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity. Borrowings will be limited to 33.33% of the Fund’s assets (50% of its net assets).

 

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Direct Lending, Multi-Manager Strategy

 

After the 2008 financial crisis, the Investment Manager became actively involved in direct lending research. It has been recommending direct lending investments to its advisory clients since 2011 and has actively managed a publicly-traded BDC portfolio since August 2014. The Investment Manager has dedicated significant resources to developing its expertise in the direct lending marketplace and cultivating relationships with direct lending managers that it believes to be top-tier. The Investment Manager intends to bring to the management of the Fund its expertise, experience, and access in the direct lending market.

 

Based on its research, the Investment Manager believes that the direct lending marketplace is multi-factored, with each factor offering different levels of prospective income and credit risk. Three factor examples are borrower size ( e.g. , lower middle market vs. upper middle market), sponsored or non-sponsored borrower (where “sponsored borrower” refers to companies with the backing of a financial sponsor, e.g. , with investment from a private equity fund, and “non-sponsored borrower” refers to companies without the backing of a financial sponsor), and loan seniority ( e.g. , senior secured vs. second lien). Direct lending managers frequently specialize along these factors, offering investment styles that exhibit different levels of expected return (yield) and risk. The Investment Manager’s research also shows that there is no single investment style that is demonstrably better than others, and the Investment Manager believes that a superior outcome can be achieved when experienced direct lending managers of different styles are combined. Therefore, the Investment Manager employs a multi-manager structure for the Fund whereby the Investment Manager selects as Sub-Advisers a combination of direct lending managers with different styles to reduce the Fund’s risk exposure to any one investment style and minimize overlap among Sub-Advisers.

 

By using a multi-manager approach, the Investment Manager seeks to construct an overall portfolio of corporate loans for the Fund that offers reduced investment risk exposure as compared to a fund that has only a single adviser or Sub-Adviser. The Investment Manager also believes that the employment of multiple Sub-Advisers gives the Fund greater flexibility in tactically changing characteristics of the Fund to better take advantage of investment opportunities and may reduce risk. Most of the Sub-Advisers will manage a portion of Fund assets to be invested in Direct Loan Instruments as selected by the Sub-Adviser. The portion of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser will be determined by the Investment Manager based upon long term fundamental policies, existing market conditions and Sub-Adviser circumstances, and may be changed at any time by the Investment Manager.

 

The Investment Manager believes that using multiple Sub-Advisers may benefit the Fund in the following ways:

 

1. Direct lending managers generally create portfolios with a limited number of individual borrowers, often fewer than fifty, which is much fewer than the number of individual borrowers that the Investment Manager believes represents a well-diversified portfolio. Combining several direct lending managers as Sub-Advisers may multiply the number of individual borrowers to a level where any single borrower represents a small fraction of total assets.

 

2. Direct lending managers have different styles. For example, some focus on senior secured debt while others specialize in second lien or subordinated debt. Some direct lending managers prefer only borrowers backed by private equity firms ( i.e. , sponsored borrowers) while others lend to non-sponsored borrowers. Direct lending managers also differ in the size of borrower that they seek. Some direct lending managers focus on smaller borrowers, seeking higher yields in exchange for the greater effort and cost these loans present. Other style factors can be a consideration, including geography and industry specialization. The Investment Manager believes that the Fund may benefit from a diversity of styles, something that it believes cannot be found within a single direct lending manager.

 

3. Direct loans are not fungible. Their origination and disposition can be uncertain and dependent upon both market and direct lending manager circumstances. Given that the opportunities for a single direct lending manager to originate and dispose of direct loans will vary over time, having access to multiple direct lending managers may enable the Fund to more easily adjust its level of investment in direct loans by tactically allocating assets among the Sub-Advisers depending on the amount of opportunities available to a Sub-Adviser at any given time.

 

4. The Fund will be able to adjust its future allocations among the Sub-Advisers to the extent a Sub-Adviser is not performing as expected or adverse circumstances are affecting a specific Sub-Adviser, which may be particularly beneficial given the illiquid nature of the Fund’s assets.

 

5. Tactical opportunities within the direct loan marketplace may be best implemented by changing allocations among the Sub-Advisers given their differing individual investment styles. For example, shifting allocations between senior and subordinated loans to take advantage of changing market conditions could be effectuated by reallocating Fund assets between Sub-Advisers focused on senior secured lending and others focused on subordinated or second lien lending.

 

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In addition to monitoring the Sub-Advisers themselves, the Investment Manager will monitor the overall composition of the Fund’s portfolio as Direct Loan Instrument and other corporate loan investments are made by the Sub-Advisers (e.g., how much is invested in senior secured loans vs. subordinated or second lien loans). The Investment Manager intends to actively manage the allocations among the Sub-Advisers to take advantage of tactical opportunities given the differing individual investment styles of the Sub-Advisers. For example, changes in desired allocations between senior and subordinated loans to take advantage of changing market conditions could be effectuated by shifting allocations of Fund assets among Sub-Advisers focused on senior secured loans and others focused on subordinated or second lien loans.

 

Investment Manager Selection and Monitoring of Sub-Advisers

 

The Investment Manager is responsible for hiring, terminating, and replacing Sub-Advisers, subject to the Board’s oversight and, if required, approval. The engagement of a new Sub-Adviser will be subject to Board approval and an approval by the holders of a majority of outstanding Shares (as defined in the Investment Company Act). The Investment Manager’s selection of Sub-Advisers will be critical to the operation and performance of the Fund. The following summarizes the (a) investment due diligence process used by the Investment Manager when determining to hire an investment adviser as a Sub-Adviser to the Fund and (b) the ongoing oversight, monitoring and supervision performed by the Investment manager when determining to continue an investment adviser as a Sub-Adviser to the Fund or to replace and terminate such Sub-Adviser. The investment due diligence process outlined below is the same process that was used by the Investment Manager to select the initial Sub-Advisers of the Fund.

 

The Investment Manager’s selection of sub-advisers will be critical to the operation and performance of the Fund. The Investment Manager looks to identify skilled investment advisory firms to serve as Sub-Advisers to the Fund. The Investment Manager will follow a systematic process for selecting Sub-Advisers. The Investment Manager’s first step is to identify the universe of direct lending managers and other corporate loan managers. The second step is an initial review of such managers and the assignment by the Investment Manager of an A, B, or C-rating. In the Investment Manager’s rating system, a C-rating is assigned to those managers that the Investment Manager determines are not institutional quality, a B-rating is assigned to those managers that the Investment Manager determines are institutional quality, but possess some perceived weaknesses such that the Investment Manager does not believe they should be recommended for approval, and an A-rating is assigned to those managers that the Investment Manager determines are potentially of high, institutional quality and are appropriate to move on to more comprehensive due diligence. The Investment Manager’s more comprehensive due diligence process for A-rated managers comprises two independent phases: investment due diligence and operations due diligence.

 

The Investment Manager’s investment due diligence process begins with an assessment of the manager’s organization, including the quality of personnel and resources. A review of the manager’s investment process follows, focusing on strategy, origination, underwriting, loan detail, workout capabilities, and investment monitoring. The Investment Manager also reviews the manager’s methods for portfolio construction and use of financing, including the expected mix of loans in the portfolio, such as the loans’ seniority in the capital structure, industry, and borrower profile ( e.g. , sponsored vs. non-sponsored), the portfolio’s financing sources and terms of financing, and an assessment of the appropriateness of fees and expenses. Finally, the Investment Manager reviews the manager’s track record by collecting detailed past performance data and comparing it with that achieved by other direct lending managers to determine if the manager has been successful in originating, underwriting and working out loans and if the manager has met its return targets in differing credit environments. The Investment Manager also places special emphasis on a manager’s credit loss history. As part of the investment due diligence process, the Investment Manager also interviews senior members of the manager’s investment team during onsite visits to the manager’s office and conducts third party confidential reference checks. In addition, meetings by a research group comprising research professionals of the Investment Manager are held to report progress and gain a broad range of opinion by other research professionals.

 

In its operations due diligence process, the Investment Manager first examines how the manager’s operational activities are organized and the manager’s governance and compliance structure. The Investment Manager looks for a strong business management structure that includes business professionals and processes focused on legal, regulatory and compliance, as well as sound business risk management practices, including liability insurance and disaster recovery plans. Next, the Investment Manager evaluates the manager’s operations and technology systems and the personnel carrying them out to assess whether experienced operating staff is managing non-investment functions and duties are segregated to ensure proper controls. The Investment Manager also reviews the manager’s compliance program and other key processes and procedures, including those in the areas of valuation and financing to determine whether they are structured to mitigate risk. Finally, the Investment Manager conducts a review of the manager’s outside service providers such as administrators, auditors and third party valuation experts, to determine if they meet industry standards.

 

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On an ongoing basis, the Investment Manager will determine the portion of Fund assets allocated to each Sub-Adviser based upon long-term fundamental policies, existing market conditions and Sub-Adviser circumstances. The Investment Manager will review the performance of each Sub-Adviser’s underlying portfolio investments and will evaluate each Sub-Adviser’s absolute and relative returns (where the Sub-Adviser’s returns are evaluated against market indices and various peer universes). The Investment Manager also will continue to evaluate each Sub-Adviser’s organizational stability, investment team and compliance program and will monitor changes in personnel, investment strategy, compliances policies, valuation policies, and any other developments that could negatively impact the organization or the Sub-Adviser’s services to the Fund. At least once a year, the Investment Manager will re-underwrite its investment and operations due diligence on each Sub-Adviser. The results of such due diligence processes will be reviewed by the Investment Manager’s Investment Policy Committee to determine whether any changes in the selection of Sub-Advisers may be appropriate.

 

Other Information Regarding Investment Strategy

 

The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategy in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such times, the Investment Manager may determine that a large portion of the Fund’s assets should be invested in cash or cash equivalents, including money market instruments, prime commercial paper, repurchase agreements, municipal bonds, bank accounts, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and other high-quality debt instruments maturing in one year or less from the time of investment. In these and in other cases, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Investment Manager may invest the Fund’s cash balances in any investments it deems appropriate.

 

The frequency and amount of portfolio purchases and sales (known as the “portfolio turnover rate”) may vary from year to year. It is anticipated that the Fund’s annual portfolio turnover rate will ordinarily be between 25% and 50% for direct loans and 50% to 100% for all other investments, with an overall portfolio turnover rate anticipated to be between 50% to 100%. The portfolio turnover rate is not expected to exceed 100%, but may vary from year to year and will not be a limiting factor when the Investment Manager deems portfolio changes appropriate. The Fund may engage in short-term trading strategies, and securities may be sold without regard to the length of time held when, in the opinion of the Investment Manager, investment considerations warrant such action. These policies may have the effect of increasing the annual rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund. If securities are not held for the applicable holding periods, dividends paid on them will not qualify for the advantageous federal tax rates.

 

PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS

 

All investments carry risks to some degree. The Fund cannot guarantee that its investment objective will be achieved or that its strategy of investing in the Fund will be successful. An investment in the Fund involves substantial risks, including the risk that the entire amount invested may be lost.

 

GENERAL RISKS

 

LIMITED OPERATING HISTORY.   The Fund was organized on March 21, 2018. It had not yet commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus and has no operating history. The Fund may not succeed in meeting its objective, and its NAV may decrease. As a new Fund, there is no assurance that the Fund will grow or maintain an economically viable size, which may result in increased Fund expenses or a determination to liquidate the Fund.

 

MINIMAL CAPITALIZATION.   The Fund is not obligated to raise any specific amount of capital prior to commencing operations. There is a risk that the amount of capital actually raised by the Fund through the offering of its shares may be insufficient to achieve profitability or allow the Fund to realize its investment objective. An inability to raise additional capital may adversely affect the Fund’s financial condition, liquidity and results of operations, as well as its compliance with regulatory requirements. Further, if the Fund is unable to raise sufficient capital, Shareholders may bear higher expenses due to a lack of economies of scale.

 

REPURCHASE OFFERS; LIMITED LIQUIDITY.   The Fund is a closed-end investment company structured as an “interval fund” and, as such, has adopted a fundamental policy to make quarterly repurchase offers, at per-class NAV, of not less than 5% and not more than 25% of the Fund’s outstanding Shares on the repurchase request deadline. The Fund will offer to purchase only a small portion of its Shares each quarter, and there is no guarantee that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares that they desire to sell in any particular repurchase offer. If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed, the Fund may repurchase only a pro rata portion of the Shares tendered by each Shareholder. The potential for proration may cause some investors to tender more Shares for repurchase than they wish to have repurchased or result in investors being unable to liquidate all or a given percentage of their investment during in the particular repurchase offer.

 

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Shares in the Fund provide limited liquidity since Shareholders will not be able to redeem Shares on a daily basis. A Shareholder may not be able to tender its Shares in the Fund promptly after it has made a decision to do so. In addition, with very limited exceptions, Shares are not transferable, and liquidity will be provided only through repurchase offers made quarterly by the Fund. Shares in the Fund are therefore suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment.

 

The Fund’s repurchase policy will have the effect of decreasing the size of the Fund over time from what it otherwise would have been. Such a decrease may therefore force the Fund to sell assets it would not otherwise sell. It may also reduce the investment opportunities available to it and cause its expense ratio to increase.

 

Notices of each repurchase offer are sent to shareholders at least 21 days before the “Repurchase Request Deadline” (i.e., the date by which Shareholders can tender their Shares in response to a repurchase offer). The Fund determines the NAV applicable to repurchases no later than the fourteen (14) days after the Repurchase Request Deadline (or the next business day, if the 14 th day is not a business day)(the “Repurchase Pricing Date”). The Fund expects to distribute payment to Shareholders between one and three business days after the Repurchase Pricing Date and will distribute payment no later than seven (7) calendar days after such date. If a Shareholder tenders all of its Shares (or a portion of its Shares) in connection with a repurchase offer made by the Fund, that tender may not be rescinded by the Shareholder after the Repurchase Request Deadline. Because the NAV applicable to a repurchase is calculated 14 days after the Repurchase Request Deadline, a Shareholder will not know its repurchase price until after it has irrevocably tendered its Shares. See “ TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE” and “TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES.” Shareholders may be subject to market risk in relation to the tender of their Shares for repurchase because like other market investments, the value of the Fund’s Shares may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, between the date a repurchase offer terminates and the repurchase date. Likewise, because the Fund’s investments may include securities denominated in foreign currencies, changes in currency values between the date a repurchase offer terminates and the repurchase date may also adversely affect the value of the Fund’s shares.

 

DISTRIBUTION POLICY . The Fund’s distribution policy is to make quarterly distributions of substantially all of its net investment income. Distributions cannot be assured, and the amount of each distribution is likely to vary. Distributions will be paid at least annually in amounts representing substantially all of the net investment income not previously distributed in a quarterly distribution and net capital gains, if any, earned each year. All or a portion of an annual distribution may consist solely of a return of capital ( i.e. , from your original investment) and not a return of net investment income. Shareholders should not assume that the source of a distribution from the Fund is net investment income. Shareholders should note that return of capital will reduce the tax basis of their shares and potentially increase the taxable gain, if any, upon disposition of their shares.

 

BORROWING, USE OF LEVERAGE. The Fund may leverage its investments by “borrowing,” including making borrowings through one or more special purpose vehicles (“SPVs”) that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund. Certain Fund investments may be held by these SPVs. The use of leverage increases both risk of loss and profit potential. The Fund is subject to the Investment Company Act requirement that an investment company satisfy an asset coverage requirement of 300% of its indebtedness, including amounts borrowed (including through one or more SPVs that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund), measured at the time the investment company incurs the indebtedness (the “Asset Coverage Requirement”). This means that at any given time the value of the Fund’s total indebtedness may not exceed one-third the value of its total assets (including such indebtedness). The interests of persons with whom the Fund (or SPVs that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund) enters into leverage arrangements will not necessarily be aligned with the interests of the Fund’s Shareholders and such persons will have claims on the Fund’s assets that are senior to those of the Fund’s Shareholders. In addition to the risks created by the Fund’s use of leverage, the Fund is subject to the additional risk that it would be unable to timely, or at all, obtain leverage borrowing. The Fund might also be required to de-leverage, selling securities at a potentially inopportune time and incurring tax consequences. Further, the Fund’s ability to generate income from the use of leverage would be adversely affected.

 

Non-Diversified Status. The Fund is a “non-diversified” management investment company. Thus, there are no percentage limitations imposed by the Investment Company Act on the Fund’s assets that may be invested, directly or indirectly, in the securities of any one issuer. Consequently, if one or more securities are allocated a relatively large percentage of the Fund’s assets, losses suffered by such securities could result in a higher reduction in the Fund’s capital than if such capital had been more proportionately allocated among a larger number of securities. The Fund may also be more susceptible to any single economic or regulatory occurrence than a diversified investment company. The Fund intends to satisfy the diversification requirements necessary to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code. See “ TAXES .”

 

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LEGAL, TAX AND REGULATORY.   Legal, tax and regulatory changes could occur that may materially adversely affect the Fund. For example, the regulatory environment for leveraged investors is evolving, and changes in the direct or indirect regulation of leveraged investors may materially adversely affect the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment objective or strategies. Increased regulatory oversight and other legislation or regulation could result. Such legislation or regulation could pose additional risks and result in material adverse consequences to the Fund and/or limit potential investment strategies that would have otherwise been used by the Fund in order to seek to obtain higher returns.

 

DEPENDENCE ON THE INVESTMENT MANAGER . The success of the Fund depends upon the ability of the Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers to develop and implement investment strategies that achieve the investment objective of the Fund. Shareholders will have no right or power to participate in the management or control of the Fund.

 

RELIANCE ON THE SUB-ADVISERS . Although the Fund and the Investment Manager will evaluate regularly each Sub-Adviser to determine whether their respective investment programs are consistent with the Fund’s investment objectives and whether the investment performance is satisfactory, the Investment Manager will not have any control over the investments made by a Sub-Adviser. Even though the Sub-Advisers are subject to certain constraints, the Sub-Advisers may change certain aspects of their investment strategies. The Investment Manager and the Board will engage in the necessary due diligence to ensure that the Fund’s assets are invested with Sub-Advisers which provide reports that will enable them to monitor the Fund’s investments as to their overall performance, sources of income, asset valuations and liabilities; however, there is no assurance that such efforts will necessarily detect fraud, malfeasance, inadequate back office systems or other flaws or problems with respect to the Sub-Adviser’s operations and activities. The Investment Manager will be dependent on information provided by the Sub-Advisers, which if inaccurate could adversely affect the Investment Manager’s ability to manage the Fund’s investment portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives. Furthermore, inaccurate information provided by the Sub-Advisor could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to comply with the requirements needed to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code. See “ PRINCIPAL RISK FACTORS-GENERAL RISKS-NON-QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY.

 

MULTI-MANAGER RISK . Fund performance is dependent upon the success of the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers in implementing the Fund’s investment strategies in pursuit of its investment objectives. To a significant extent, the Fund’s performance will depend on the success of the Investment Manager’s methodology in allocating the Fund’s assets to the Sub-Advisers and its selection and oversight of the Sub-Advisers. The Sub-Advisers selected by the Investment Manager may underperform the market generally or other sub-advisers that could have been selected for the Fund. The Sub-Advisers’ investment styles may not always be complementary, which could adversely affect the performance of the Fund. In addition, the Sub-Advisers invest independently of each other and may pursue investment strategies that “compete” with each other for investment opportunities, which could have the result of increasing an investment’s cost.

 

MANAGEMENT RISK . The net asset value of the Fund changes daily based on the performance of the securities in which it invests. The Investment Manager’s and the Sub-Advisers’ judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of a particular sector and securities or the financial performance of portfolio companies in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

 

APPROVAL OF SUB-ADVISORY RELATIONSHIPS . The Fund and the Investment Manager have entered into sub-advisory relationships with the Sub-Advisers. Such relationships were entered into upon Board approval and upon the approval of a majority (as defined under the Investment Company Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (at such time) pursuant to the Investment Company Act. If the Investment Manager seeks to replace or add a Sub-Adviser, the Investment Manager must obtain Shareholder approval for any new Sub-Adviser identified as attractive candidate for a sub-advisory relationship. If such approval is not received with respect to a particular Sub-Adviser, the Fund will be prohibited from allocating assets to such Sub-Adviser. As a result, there can be no assurance that the Fund or the Investment Manager will be able to retain attractive institutional asset managers to sub-advise the Fund’s assets.

 

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER.    The Fund may sell securities without regard to the length of time they have been held to take advantage of new investment opportunities, when the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser feels either the securities no longer meet its investment criteria or the potential for capital appreciation has lessened, or for other reasons. The Fund’s portfolio turnover rate may vary from year to year. A high portfolio turnover rate (100% or more) increases the Fund’s transaction costs (including brokerage commissions and dealer costs), which would adversely impact the Fund’s performance. Higher portfolio turnover may result in the realization of more short-term capital gains than if the Fund had lower portfolio turnover. The turnover rate will not be a limiting factor, however, if the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser considers portfolio changes appropriate.

 

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LARGE SHAREHOLDER TRANSACTIONS RISK. S hares of the Fund may be offered to certain other investment companies, large retirement plans and other large investors. As a result, the Fund is subject to the risk that those Shareholders may purchase or redeem a large amount of shares of the Fund. In addition, large purchases of Fund shares could adversely affect the Fund’s performance to the extent that the Fund does not immediately invest cash it receives and therefore holds more cash than it ordinarily would. Large Shareholder activity could also generate increased transaction costs and cause adverse tax consequences.

 

NON-QUALIFICATION AS A REGULATED INVESTMENT COMPANY. If for any taxable year the Fund were to fail to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of Subtitle A, Chapter 1, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), all of its taxable income would be subject to tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for distributions. To qualify as a regulated investment company, the Fund must meet three numerical requirements each year regarding (i) the diversification of the assets it holds, (ii) the income it earns, and (iii) the amount of taxable income that it distributes to Shareholders. These requirements and certain additional tax risks associated with investments in the Fund are discussed in “TAXES” in this Prospectus.

 

CYBERSECURITY RISK . Cybersecurity refers to the combination of technologies, processes and procedures established to protect information technology systems and data from unauthorized access, attack or damage. The Fund and its affiliates and third-party service providers are subject to cybersecurity risks. Cyber security risks have significantly increased in recent years and the Fund could suffer such losses in the future. The Fund’s and its affiliates’ and third-party service providers’ computer systems, software and networks may be vulnerable to unauthorized access, computer viruses or other malicious code and other events that could have a security impact. If one or more of such events occur, this potentially could jeopardize confidential and other information, including nonpublic personal information and sensitive business data, processed and stored in, and transmitted through, computer systems and networks, or otherwise cause interruptions or malfunctions in the Fund’s operations or the operations of their respective affiliates and third-party service providers. This could result in significant losses, reputational damage, litigation, regulatory fines or penalties, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s business, financial condition or results of operations. Privacy and information security laws and regulation changes, and compliance with those changes, may result in cost increases due to system changes and the development of new administrative processes. In addition, the Fund may be required to expend significant additional resources to modify the Fund’s protective measures and to investigate and remediate vulnerabilities or other exposures arising from operational and security risks.

 

OPERATIONAL RISK . An investment in the Fund, like any fund, can involve operational risks arising from factors such as processing errors, human errors, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, failures in systems and technology, changes in personnel and errors caused by third-party service providers. The occurrence of any of these failures, errors or breaches could result in a loss of information, regulatory scrutiny, reputational damage or other events, any of which could have a material adverse effect on the Fund. While the Fund seeks to minimize such events through controls and oversight, there may still be failures that could cause losses to the Fund.

 

RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY . The Fund’s business is highly dependent on the communications and information systems of the Investment Manager and/or the Sub-Advisers. In addition, certain of these systems are provided to the Investment Manager and/or the Sub-Advisers by third-party service providers. Any failure or interruption of such systems, including as a result of the termination of an agreement with any such third-party service provider, could cause delays or other problems in the Fund’s activities. This, in turn, could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s operating results.

 

INVESTMENT-RELATED RISKS

 

GENERAL INVESTMENT-RELATED RISKS

 

MARKET RISK . An investment in shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. The value of your shares at any point in time may be worth less than the value of your original investment, even after taking into account any reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

 

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GENERAL ECONOMIC AND MARKET CONDITIONS.   The success of the Fund’s investment program may be affected by general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws, and national and international political circumstances. These factors may affect the level and volatility of securities prices and the liquidity of investments held by the Fund. Unexpected volatility or illiquidity could impair the Fund’s profitability or result in losses.

 

In June 2016, the United Kingdom (“UK”) held a referendum election and voters elected to withdraw from the European Union (“EU”). The United Kingdom formally notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the EU (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) by invoking Article 50 on March 29, 2017, which triggered a two-year period of negotiations on the terms of Brexit and a deadline for the UK and EU to negotiate the withdrawal by March 29, 2019. There is significant uncertainty regarding the potential consequences for Brexit. The political divisions within the UK, as well as those between the UK and the EU, which the referendum vote has highlighted coupled with the uncertain consequences of a Brexit, may have a significant impact upon the UK and European economies as well as the broader global economy. The Funds may be exposed to risks related to Brexit, including volatile trading markets and significant and unpredictable currency fluctuations. Securities issued by companies domiciled in the UK could be subject to changing regulatory and tax regimes. Banking and financial services companies that operate in the UK or EU could be disproportionately impacted by these actions. Further insecurity in EU membership or the abandonment of the euro could exacerbate market and currency volatility and negatively impact investments in securities issued by companies located in EU countries. Brexit also may cause additional member states to contemplate departing the EU, which would likely perpetuate political and economic instability in the region and cause additional market disruption in global financial markets. As a result, markets in the UK, Europe and globally could experience increased volatility and illiquidity, and potentially lower economic growth which in return could potentially have an adverse effect on the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Economic Recession or Downturn Risk . Many of the Fund’s investments may be issued by companies susceptible to economic slowdowns or recessions. Therefore, the Fund’s non-performing assets are likely to increase, and the value of its portfolio is likely to decrease, during these periods. A prolonged recession may result in losses of value in the Fund’s portfolio and a decrease in the Fund’s revenues, net income and NAV. Unfavorable economic conditions also could increase the Fund’s funding costs, limit the Fund’s access to the capital markets or result in a decision by lenders not to extend credit to it on terms it deems acceptable. These events could prevent the Fund from increasing investments and harm the Fund’s operating results.

 

RISKS OF SECURITIES ACTIVITIES.   The Fund will invest and trade in a variety of different securities, and utilize a variety of investment instruments and techniques. Each security and each instrument and technique involves the risk of loss of capital. While the Investment Manager and/or Sub-Advisers will attempt to moderate these risks, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s investment activities will be successful or that the Shareholders will not suffer losses.

 

COUNTERPARTY RISK . Many of the markets in which the Fund effects its transactions are “over the counter” or “inter-dealer” markets. The participants in these markets are typically not subject to credit evaluation and regulatory oversight as are members of “exchange based” markets. These risks may differ materially from those associated with transactions effected on an exchange, which generally are backed by clearing organization guarantees, daily marking to market and settlement, and segregation and minimum capital requirements applicable to intermediaries. Transactions entered into directly between two counterparties generally do not benefit from such protections. This exposes the Fund to the risk that a counterparty will not settle a transaction in accordance with its terms and conditions because of a dispute over the terms of the contract (whether or not bona fide) or because of a credit or liquidity problem, thus causing the Fund to suffer a loss. Such counterparty risk is accentuated in the case of contracts with longer maturities where events may intervene to prevent settlement, or where the Fund has concentrated its transactions with a single or small group of counterparties. The Fund is not restricted from dealing with any particular counterparty or from concentrating its investments with one counterparty. The ability of the Fund to transact business with any one or number of counterparties, the lack of any independent evaluation of such counterparties’ financial capabilities and the absence of a regulated market to facilitate settlement may increase the potential for losses by the Fund.

 

SOURCING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES RISK . The Fund has not identified the potential investments for its portfolio that it will acquire. It cannot be certain that the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers will be able to locate a sufficient number of suitable investment opportunities to allow the Fund to fully implement its investment strategy. In addition, privately negotiated investments in loans and illiquid securities of private middle-market companies require substantial due diligence and structuring, and the Fund may not be able to achieve its anticipated investment pace. These factors increase the uncertainty, and thus the risk, of investing in the Fund. To the extent the Fund is unable to deploy its capital, its investment income and, in turn, the results of its operations, will likely be materially adversely affected.

 

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Competition for Assets Risk . The current lending market in which the Fund participates is competitive and rapidly changing. The Fund may face increasing competition for access to corporate loans and especially direct loans as the lending industry continues to evolve. The Fund may face competition from other institutional lenders such as pooled investment vehicles and commercial banks that are substantially larger and have considerably greater financial and other resources than the Fund. These potential competitors may have higher risk tolerances or different risk assessments than the Fund, which could allow them to consider a wider variety of investments than the Fund and establish relationships with direct lending managers. A direct lending manager may have similar arrangements with other parties, thereby reducing the potential investments of the Fund through such manager. There can be no assurance that the competitive pressures the Fund may face will not erode the Fund’s ability to deploy capital. If the Fund is limited in its ability to invest in corporate and/or direct loans, it may be forced to invest in cash, cash equivalents or other assets that may result in lower returns than otherwise may be available through investments in corporate and direct loans. If the Fund’s access to corporate and/or direct loans is limited, it would also be subject to increased concentration and counterparty risk.

 

The commercial lending business is highly competitive. Without a sufficient number of new qualified loan requests, there can be no assurances that the Fund will be able to compete effectively for corporate and direct loans with other market participants. General economic factors and market conditions, including the general interest rate environment, unemployment rates, and perceived consumer demand may affect borrower willingness to seek corporate and/or direct loans and investor ability and desire to invest in such loans.

 

DEPENDENCE ON KEY PERSONNEL RISK . The Investment Manager and/or a Sub-Adviser may be dependent upon the experience and expertise of certain key personnel in providing services with respect to the Fund’s investments. If the Investment Manager and/or a Sub-Adviser were to lose the services of these individuals, its ability to service the Fund could be adversely affected. As with any managed fund, the Investment Manager and/or the Sub-Adviser may not be successful in selecting the best-performing securities or investment techniques for the Fund’s portfolio, and the Fund’s performance may lag behind that of similar funds. The Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers have informed the Fund that their respective investment professionals are actively involved in other investment activities not concerning the Fund and will not be able to devote all of their time to the Fund’s business and affairs. In addition, individuals not currently associated with the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may become associated with the Fund, and the performance of the Fund may also depend on the experience and expertise of such individuals.

 

Investment Strategy -SPECIFIC INVESTMENT-RELATED RISKS

 

In addition to the risks generally described in this Prospectus and the SAI, the following are some of the specific risks of the investment strategy:

 

DEBT SECURITIES . Under normal market conditions, the Fund expects to primarily invest in debt and debt-related securities. One of the fundamental risks associated with such investments is credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer will be unable to make principal and interest payments on its outstanding debt obligations when due. Adverse changes in the financial condition of an issuer or in general economic conditions (or both) may impair the ability of such issuer to make such payments and result in defaults on, and declines in, the value of its debt. The Fund’s return to Shareholders would be adversely impacted if an issuer of debt securities in which the Fund invests becomes unable to make such payments when due. Other risk factors include interest rate risk (a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of debt securities) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

 

Default Risk . The ability of the Fund to generate income through its loan investments is dependent upon payments being made by the borrower underlying such loan investments. If a borrower is unable to make its payments on a loan, the Fund may be greatly limited in its ability to recover any outstanding principal and interest under such loan.

 

A portion of the loans in which the Fund may invest will not be secured by any collateral, will not be guaranteed or insured by a third party and will not be backed by any governmental authority. The Fund may need to rely on the collection efforts of third parties, which also may be limited in their ability to collect on defaulted loans. The Fund may not have direct recourse against borrowers, may not be able to contact a borrower about a loan and may not be able to pursue borrowers to collect payment under loans. To the extent a loan is secured, there can be no assurance as to the amount of any funds that may be realized from recovering and liquidating any collateral or the timing of such recovery and liquidation and hence there is no assurance that sufficient funds (or, possibly, any funds) will be available to offset any payment defaults that occur under the loans. Loans are credit obligations of the borrowers and the terms of certain loans may not restrict the borrowers from incurring additional debt. If a borrower incurs additional debt after obtaining a loan through a platform, the additional debt may adversely affect the borrower’s creditworthiness generally, and could result in the financial distress, insolvency or bankruptcy of the borrower. This circumstance would ultimately impair the ability of that borrower to make payments on its loans and the Fund’s ability to receive the principal and interest payments that it expects to receive on such loan. To the extent borrowers incur other indebtedness that is secured, the ability of the secured creditors to exercise remedies against the assets of that borrower may impair the borrower’s ability to repay its loans, or it may impair a third party’s ability to collect, on behalf of the Fund, on the loan upon default. To the extent that a loan is unsecured, borrowers may choose to repay obligations under other indebtedness (such as loans obtained from traditional lending sources) before repaying an unsecured loan because the borrowers have no collateral at risk. The Fund will not be made aware of any additional debt incurred by a borrower or whether such debt is secured.

 

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If a borrower files for bankruptcy, any pending collection actions will automatically be put on hold and further collection action will not be permitted absent court approval. It is possible that a borrower’s liability on its loan will be discharged in bankruptcy. In most cases involving the bankruptcy of a borrower with an unsecured loan, unsecured creditors will receive only a fraction of any amount outstanding on the loan, if anything.

 

SECURED DEBT . Secured debt holds the most senior position in the capital structure of a borrower. Secured debt in most circumstances is fully collateralized by assets of the borrower. Thus, it is generally repaid before unsecured bank loans, corporate bonds, subordinated debt, trade creditors, and preferred or common stockholders. However, there is a risk that the collateral securing the Fund’s loans may decrease in value over time, may be difficult to sell in a timely manner, may be difficult to appraise, and may fluctuate in value based upon the success of the business and market conditions, including as a result of the inability of the borrower to raise additional capital. Also, substantial increases in interest rates may cause an increase in loan defaults as borrowers may lack resources to meet higher debt service requirements. In some circumstances, the Fund’s security interest could be subordinated to claims of other creditors. In addition, any deterioration in a borrower’s financial condition and prospects, including any inability on its part to raise additional capital, may result in the deterioration in the value of the related collateral. Consequently, the fact that debt is secured does not guarantee that the Fund will receive principal and interest payments according to the investment terms or at all, or that the Fund will be able to collect on the investment should the Fund be forced to enforce its remedies. Moreover, the security for the Fund’s investments in secured debt may not be recognized for a variety of reasons, including the failure to make required filings by lenders, trustees or other responsible parties and, as a result, the Fund may not have priority over other creditors as anticipated.

 

Secured debt usually includes restrictive covenants, which must be maintained by the borrower. The Fund may have an obligation with respect to certain senior secured term loan investments to make additional loans upon demand by the borrower. Such instruments, unlike certain bonds, usually do not have call protection. This means that such interests, while having a stated term, may be prepaid, often without penalty. The rate of such prepayments may be affected by, among other things, general business and economic conditions, as well as the financial status of the borrower. Prepayment would cause the actual duration of a senior loan to be shorter than its stated maturity.

 

Secured debt typically will be secured by pledges of collateral from the borrower in the form of tangible and intangible assets. In some instances, the Fund may invest in secured debt that is secured only by stock of the borrower or its subsidiaries or affiliates. The value of the collateral may decline below the principal amount of the senior secured term loans subsequent to an investment by the Fund.

 

SECOND LIEN AND SUBORDINATED LOANS . The Fund may invest in secured subordinated loans, including second and lower lien loans. Second lien loans are generally second in line in terms of repayment priority. A second lien loan may have a claim on the same collateral pool as the first lien or it may be secured by a separate set of assets. Second lien loans generally give investors priority over general unsecured creditors in the event of an asset sale. The priority of the collateral claims of third or lower lien loans ranks below holders of second lien loans and so on. Such junior loans are subject to the same general risks inherent to any loan investment, including credit risk, market and liquidity risk, and interest rate risk. Due to their lower place in the borrower’s capital structure and possible unsecured or partially secured status, such loans involve a higher degree of overall risk than senior loans of the same borrower. In addition, the rights the Fund may have with respect to the collateral securing the loans the Fund makes to borrowers with senior debt outstanding may also be limited pursuant to the terms of one or more intercreditor agreements that the Fund may enter into with the holders of such senior debt. Under a typical intercreditor agreement, at any time that obligations that have the benefit of the first priority liens are outstanding, any of the following actions that may be taken in respect of the collateral will be at the direction of the holders of the obligations secured by the first priority liens: (i) the ability to cause the commencement of enforcement proceedings against the collateral; (ii) the ability to control the conduct of such proceedings; (iii) the approval of amendments to collateral documents; (iv) releases of liens on the collateral; and (v) waivers of past defaults under collateral documents. The Fund may not have the ability to control or direct such actions, even if the Fund rights are adversely affected.

 

UNSECURED LOANS . The Fund may make unsecured loans to borrowers, meaning that such loans will not benefit from any interest in collateral of such borrowers. Liens on such a borrower’s collateral, if any, will secure the borrower’s obligations under its outstanding secured debt and may secure certain future debt that is permitted to be incurred by the borrower under its secured loan agreements. The holders of obligations secured by such liens will generally control the liquidation of, and be entitled to receive proceeds from, any realization of such collateral to repay their obligations in full before the Fund. In addition, the value of such collateral in the event of liquidation will depend on market and economic conditions, the availability of buyers and other factors. There can be no assurance that the proceeds, if any, from sales of such collateral would be sufficient to satisfy the Fund’s unsecured loan obligations after payment in full of all secured loan obligations. If such proceeds were not sufficient to repay the outstanding secured loan obligations, then the Fund’s unsecured claims would rank equally with the unpaid portion of such secured creditors’ claims against the borrower’s remaining assets, if any.

 

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Equity Investments . When the Fund invests in loans and debt securities, the Fund may acquire warrants or other equity securities of borrowers as well. The Fund may also invest in warrants and equity securities directly. To the extent the Fund holds equity investments, the Fund will attempt to dispose of them and realize gains upon the disposition of such equity investments. However, the equity interests the Fund receives may not appreciate in value and may decline in value. As a result, the Fund may not be able to realize gains from its equity interests, and any gains that the Fund does realize on the disposition of any equity interests may not be sufficient to offset any other losses the Fund experiences.

 

Warrants are securities that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to purchase equity securities of the company issuing the warrants, or a related company, at a fixed price either on a date certain or during a set period. The price of a warrant tends to be more volatile than, and may not correlate exactly to, the price of the underlying security. If the market price of the underlying security is below the exercise price of the warrant on its expiration date, the warrant will generally expire without value. Investing in warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security, and, thus, can be a speculative investment. The value of a warrant may decline because of a decline in the value of the underlying security, the passage of time, changes in interest rates or in the dividend or other policies of the company whose equity underlies the warrant or a change in the perception as to the future price of the underlying security, or any combination thereof. Warrants do not carry with them the right to dividends or voting rights with respect to the securities that they entitle the holder to purchase, and they do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuer.

 

Private Investment Funds Risk . The Fund may invest in private investment funds that are not registered as investment companies. As a result, the Fund as an investor in these funds would not have the benefit of certain protections afforded to investors in registered investment companies. Investments in private investment funds generally will be illiquid and generally may not be transferred without the consent of the fund. The Fund may be unable to liquidate its investment in a private investment fund when desired (and may incur losses as a result), or may be required to sell such investment regardless of whether it desires to do so. Upon its withdrawal of all or a portion of its interest in a private investment fund, the Fund may receive securities that are illiquid or difficult to value. The Fund may not be able to withdraw from a private investment fund except at certain designated times, thereby limiting the ability of the Fund to withdraw assets from the private fund due to poor performance or other reasons. The fees paid by private investment funds to their advisers and general partners or managing members often are higher than those paid by registered funds and generally include a percentage of gains. The Fund will bear its proportionate share of the management fees and other expenses that are charged by a private investment fund in addition to the management fees and other expenses paid by the Fund.

 

Small and Middle-market Companies . I nvestment in private and small or middle-market companies involves a number of significant risks. Generally, little public information exists about these companies, and the Fund will rely on the ability of the Sub-Advisers’ investment professionals to obtain adequate information to evaluate the potential returns from investing in these companies. If they are unable to uncover all material information about these companies, they may not make a fully informed investment decision, and the Fund may lose money on its investments. Small and middle-market companies may have limited financial resources and may be unable to meet their obligations under their loans and debt securities that the Fund holds, which may be accompanied by a deterioration in the value of any collateral and a reduction in the likelihood of the Fund realizing any guarantees it may have obtained in connection with its investment. In addition, such companies typically have shorter operating histories, narrower product lines and smaller market shares than larger businesses, which tend to render them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns. Additionally, small and middle-market companies are more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons. Therefore, the death, disability, resignation or termination of one or more of these persons could have a material adverse impact on one or more of the portfolio companies in which the Fund invests. Small and middle-market companies also may be parties to litigation and may be engaged in rapidly changing businesses with products subject to a substantial risk of obsolescence.

 

PIK Interest . To the extent that the Fund invests in loans with a payment in kind (“PIK”) interest component and the accretion of PIK interest constitutes a portion of the Fund’s income, the Fund will be exposed to risks associated with the requirement to include such non-cash income in taxable and accounting income prior to receipt of cash, including the following: (i) loans with a PIK interest component may have higher interest rates that reflect the payment deferral and increased credit risk associated with these instruments, and PIK instruments generally represent a significantly higher credit risk than coupon loans; (ii) loans with a PIK interest component may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require continuing judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any associated collateral; (iii) the deferral of PIK interest increases the loan-to-value ratio, which is a fundamental measure of loan risk; and (iv) even if the accounting conditions for PIK interest accrual are met, the borrower could still default when the borrower’s actual payment is due at the maturity of the loan.

 

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Direct Lending Risk . To the extent the Fund is the sole lender in privately offered debt, it may be solely responsible for the expense of servicing that debt, including, if necessary, taking legal actions to foreclose on any security instrument securing the debt ( e.g. , the mortgage or, in the case of a mezzanine loan, the pledge). This may increase the risk and expense to the Fund compared to syndicated or publicly offered debt.

 

Direct Origination Risk . A significant portion of the Fund’s investments may be originated. The results of the Fund’s operations depend on several factors, including the availability of opportunities for the origination or acquisition of target investments, the level and volatility of interest rates, the availability of adequate short and long-term financing, conditions in the financial markets and economic conditions. Further, the Fund’s inability to raise capital and the risk of portfolio company defaults may materially and adversely affect the Fund’s investment originations, business, liquidity, financial condition, results of operations and its ability to make distributions to its Shareholders. In addition, competition for originations of and investments in the Fund’s target investments may lead to the price of such assets increasing or the decrease of interest income from loans originated by the Fund, which may further limit its ability to generate desired returns. Also, as a result of this competition, desirable investments in the Fund’s target investments may be limited in the future, and the Fund may not be able to take advantage of attractive investment opportunities from time to time, as the Fund can provide no assurance that the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers will be able to identify and make investments that are consistent with its investment objective.

 

In addition, the Fund may originate certain of its investments with the expectation of later syndicating a portion of such investment to third parties. Prior to such syndication, or if such syndication is not successful, the Fund’s exposure to the originated investment may exceed the exposure that the relevant Sub-Adviser intended to have over the long-term or would have had had it purchased such investment in the secondary market rather than originating it.

 

“Covenant-Lite” Loans Risk . Although most of the Fund’s loan investments are expected to include both incurrence and maintenance-based covenants, there may be instances in which the Fund invests in covenant-lite loans, which means the obligation contains fewer maintenance covenants than other obligations, or no maintenance covenants, and may not include terms which allow the lender to monitor the performance of the borrower and declare a default if certain criteria are breached. An investment by the Fund in a covenant-lite loan may potentially hinder the ability to reprice credit risk associated with the issuer and reduce the ability to restructure a problematic loan and mitigate potential loss. As a result, the Fund’s exposure to losses may be increased, which could result in an adverse impact on the Fund’s revenues, net income and NAV.

 

Interest Rate Risk . T he Fund is subject to the risks of changes in interest rates. While it is expected that the majority of the Fund’s investments will be in floating rate loans, which typically re-price every 90 days, some of the Fund’s investments may be in fixed rate loans and similar debt obligations. The value of such fixed rate loans are susceptible to general changes in interest rates. A decline in interest rates could reduce the amount of current income the Fund is able to achieve from interest on fixed-income securities and convertible debt. An increase in interest rates could reduce the value of any fixed income securities and convertible securities owned by the Fund. To the extent that the cash flow from a fixed income security is known in advance, the present value ( i.e. , discounted value) of that cash flow decreases as interest rates increase; to the extent that the cash flow is contingent, the dollar value of the payment may be linked to then prevailing interest rates. Moreover, the value of many fixed income securities depends on the shape of the yield curve, not just on a single interest rate. Thus, for example, a callable cash flow, the coupons of which depend on a short rate such as three-month LIBOR, may shorten ( i.e. , be called away) if the long rate decreases. In this way, such securities are exposed to the difference between long rates and short rates.

 

The Fund expects to invest the majority of its assets in variable and floating rate securities. Variable and floating rate securities generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. When the Fund holds variable or floating rate securities, a decrease in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities and the NAV of the Fund’s shares.

 

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LIBOR Risk . Instruments in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR or may be subject to interest caps or floors based on LIBOR. The Fund and issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests may also obtain financing at floating rates based on LIBOR. The underlying collateral of CLOs in which the Fund invests may pay interest at floating rates based on LIBOR. Regulators and law-enforcement agencies from a number of governments, including entities in the United States, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom, have conducted or are conducting civil and criminal investigations into whether the banks that contribute to the British Bankers’ Association, or the “BBA,” in connection with the calculation of daily LIBOR may have been manipulating or attempting to manipulate LIBOR. Several financial institutions have reached settlements with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice Fraud Section and the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority in connection with investigations by such authorities into submissions made by such financial institutions to the bodies that set LIBOR and other interbank offered rates. Additional investigations remain ongoing with respect to other major banks. There can be no assurance that there will not be additional admissions or findings of rate-setting manipulation or that manipulations of LIBOR or other similar interbank offered rates will not be shown to have occurred. ICE Benchmark Administration Limited assumed the role of LIBOR administrator from the BBA on February 1, 2014. Any new administrator of LIBOR may make methodological changes to the way in which LIBOR is calculated or may alter, discontinue or suspend calculation or dissemination of LIBOR. Additional findings of manipulation may decrease the confidence of the market in LIBOR and lead market participants to look for alternative, non-LIBOR based types of financing, such as fixed rate loans or bonds or floating rate loans based on non-LIBOR indices.

 

Recently, regulators in the United Kingdom have called for the LIBOR to be abandoned by the end of 2021. Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could have adverse impacts on newly issued financial instruments and existing financial instruments which reference LIBOR. While some instruments may contemplate a scenario where LIBOR is no longer available by providing for an alternative rate setting methodology, not all instruments may have such provisions, and there is significant uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of any such alternative methodologies. Abandonment of or modifications to LIBOR could lead to significant short-term and long-term uncertainty and market instability. It remains uncertain how such changes would be implemented and the effects such changes would have on the Fund, issuers of instruments in which the Fund invests and financial markets generally.

 

EXTENSION RISK. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of long-term, fixed rate securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.

 

PREPAYMENT RISK. When interest rates decline, fixed income securities with stated interest rates may have their principal paid earlier than expected. This may result in the Fund having to reinvest that money at lower prevailing interest rates, which can reduce the returns of the Fund.

 

REINVESTMENT RISK . Income from the Fund’s portfolio will decline if and when the Fund invests the proceeds from matured, traded or called debt obligations at market interest rates that are below the portfolio’s current earnings rate. For instance, during periods of declining interest rates, an issuer of debt obligations may exercise an option to redeem securities prior to maturity, forcing the Fund to invest in lower-yielding securities. The Fund also may choose to sell higher yielding portfolio securities and to purchase lower yielding securities to achieve greater portfolio diversification because the portfolio managers believe the current holdings are overvalued or for other investment-related reasons. A decline in income received by the Fund from its investments is likely to have a negative effect on dividend levels, NAV and/or overall return of the Fund’s shares.

 

INFLATION/DEFLATION RISK . Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from the Fund’s investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of payments at future dates. As inflation increases, the real value of the Fund’s portfolio could decline. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer default more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

 

ILLIQUID PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS . The Fund is expected to invest in securities that are subject to legal or other restrictions on transfer or for which no liquid market exists. The market prices, if any, for such securities may be volatile and the Fund may not be able to sell them when the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser desires to do so or to realize what the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser perceives to be their fair value in the event of a sale. The sale of restricted and illiquid securities often requires more time and results in higher brokerage charges or dealer discounts and other selling expenses than does the sale of securities eligible for trading on national securities exchanges or in the over the counter markets. Restricted securities may sell at prices that are lower than similar securities that are not subject to restrictions on resale.

 

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Investors acquiring direct loans hoping to recoup their entire principal must generally hold their loans through maturity. Direct loans may not be registered under the Securities Act and are not listed on any securities exchange. Accordingly, those loan investments may not be transferred unless they are first registered under the Securities Act and all applicable state or foreign securities laws or the transfer qualifies for exemption from such registration. A reliable secondary market has yet to develop, nor may one ever develop for direct loans and, as such, these investments should be considered illiquid. Until an active secondary market develops, the Fund intends to primarily hold its direct loans until maturity. The Fund may not be able to sell any of its direct loans even under circumstances when the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser believes it would be in the best interests of the Fund to sell such investments. In such circumstances, the overall returns to the Fund from its direct loans may be adversely affected. Moreover, certain direct loans may be subject to certain additional significant restrictions on transferability. Although the Fund may attempt to increase its liquidity by borrowing from a bank or other institution, its assets may not readily be accepted as collateral for such borrowing.

 

Valuation Risk . Unlike publicly traded common stock which trades on national exchanges, there is no central place or exchange for most of the Fund’s investments to trade. Due to the lack of centralized information and trading, the valuation of loans or fixed-income instruments may carry more risk than that of common stock. Uncertainties in the conditions of the financial market, unreliable reference data, lack of transparency and inconsistency of valuation models and processes may lead to inaccurate asset pricing. In addition, other market participants may value securities differently than the Fund. As a result, the Fund may be subject to the risk that when an instrument is sold in the market, the amount received by the Fund is less than the value of such loans or fixed-income instruments carried on the Fund’s books.

 

Shareholders should recognize that valuations of illiquid assets involve various judgments and consideration of factors that may be subjective. As a result, the NAV of the Fund, as determined based on the fair value of its investments, may vary from the amount ultimately received by the Fund from its investments. This could adversely affect Shareholders whose Shares are repurchased as well as new Shareholders and remaining Shareholders. For example, in certain cases, the Fund might receive less than the fair value of its investment, resulting in a dilution of the value of the Shares of Shareholders who do not tender their Shares in any coincident tender offer and a windfall to tendering Shareholders; in other cases, the Fund might receive more than the fair value of its investment, resulting in a windfall to Shareholders remaining in the Fund, but a shortfall to tendering Shareholders.

 

Focused investment risk . To the extent that the Fund focuses its investments in a particular industry, the Fund’s NAV will be more susceptible to events or factors affecting companies in that industry. These may include, but are not limited to, governmental regulation, inflation, rising interest rates, cost increases in raw materials, fuel and other operating expenses, technological innovations that may render existing products and equipment obsolete, competition from new entrants, high research and development costs, increased costs associated with compliance with environmental or other regulation and other economic, market, political or other developments specific to that industry. Also, the Fund may invest a substantial portion of its assets in companies in related sectors that may share common characteristics, are often subject to similar business risks and regulatory burdens and whose securities may react similarly to the types of events and factors described above, which will subject the Fund to greater risk. The Fund also will be subject to focused investment risk to the extent that it invests a substantial portion of its assets in a particular country or geographic region.

 

Lender Liability Considerations and Equitable Subordination. A number of U.S. judicial decisions have upheld judgments obtained by borrowers against lending institutions on the basis of various evolving legal theories, collectively termed “lender liability.” Generally, lender liability is founded on the premise that a lender has violated a duty (whether implied or contractual) of good faith, commercial reasonableness and fair dealing, or a similar duty owed to the borrower or has assumed an excessive degree of control over the borrower resulting in the creation of a fiduciary duty owed to the borrower or its other creditors or shareholders. Because of the nature of its investments, the Fund may be subject to allegations of lender liability.

 

In addition, under common law principles that in some cases form the basis for lender liability claims, if a lender or bondholder (a) intentionally takes an action that results in the undercapitalization of a borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such borrower, (b) engages in other inequitable conduct to the detriment of such other creditors, (c) engages in fraud with respect to, or makes misrepresentations to, such other creditors or (d) uses its influence as a stockholder to dominate or control a borrower to the detriment of other creditors of such borrower, a court may elect to subordinate the claim of the offending lender or bondholder to the claims of the disadvantaged creditor or creditors, a remedy called “equitable subordination.”

 

Because affiliates of, or persons related to, the Investment Manager and/or a Sub-Adviser may hold equity or other interests in obligors of the Fund, the Fund could be exposed to claims for equitable subordination or lender liability or both based on such equity or other holdings.

 

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Participation on Creditors’ Committees and Boards of Directors . The Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates, on behalf of the Fund or of other funds or accounts they manage, may participate on committees formed by creditors to negotiate with the management of financially troubled companies that may or may not be in bankruptcy. A Sub-Adviser may also seek to negotiate directly with debtors with respect to restructuring issues. In the situation where a representative of a Sub-Adviser chooses to join a creditors’ committee, the representative would likely be only one of many participants, each of whom would be interested in obtaining an outcome that is in its individual best interest. There can be no assurance that the representative would be successful in obtaining results most favorable to the Fund in such proceedings, although the representative may incur significant legal fees and other expenses in attempting to do so. As a result of participation by the representative on such committees, the representative may be deemed to have duties to other creditors represented by the committees, which might thereby expose the Fund to liability to such other creditors who disagree with the representative’s actions.

 

It is possible that a Sub-Adviser and/or its affiliates will be represented on the boards of some of the companies in which the Fund makes investments. Such representation may have the effect of impairing the ability of the relevant Sub-Adviser to sell the Fund’s related securities when, and upon the terms, it might otherwise desire, including as a result of applicable securities laws.

 

Need For Follow-On Investments .  Following an initial investment in a portfolio company, the Fund may make additional investments in that portfolio company as “follow-on” investments, including exercising warrants, options or convertible securities that were acquired in the original or subsequent financing; in seeking to: (i) increase or maintain in whole or in part the Fund’s position as a creditor or the Fund’s equity ownership percentage in a portfolio company; or (ii) preserve or enhance the value of the Fund’s investment. The Fund has discretion to make follow-on investments, subject to the availability of capital resources. Failure to make follow-on investments may, in some circumstances, jeopardize the continued viability of an underlying portfolio company and the Fund’s initial investment, or may result in a missed opportunity for the Fund to increase its participation in a successful operation. Even if the Fund has sufficient capital to make a desired follow-on investment, the relevant Sub-Adviser may elect not to make a follow-on investment because the Sub-Adviser may not want to increase the Fund’s level of risk or because the Sub-Adviser prefers other opportunities for the Fund.

 

High Yield Debt . The Fund may invest in high yield debt (or “junk bonds”). A substantial portion of the high yield debt in which the Fund intends to invest are rated below investment-grade by one or more nationally recognized statistical rating organizations or are unrated but of comparable credit quality to obligations rated below investment-grade, and have greater credit and liquidity risk than more highly rated debt obligations. Lower-rated securities may include securities that have the lowest rating or are in default. High yield debt is generally unsecured and may be subordinate to other obligations of the obligor. The lower rating of high yield debt reflects a greater possibility that adverse changes in the financial condition of the obligor or in general economic conditions (including, for example, a substantial period of rising interest rates or declining earnings) or both may impair the ability of the obligor to make payment of principal and interest. Many issuers of high yield debt are highly leveraged, and their relatively high debt-to-equity ratios create increased risks that their operations might not generate sufficient cash flow to service their debt obligations. In addition, many issuers of high yield debt may be in poor financial condition, experiencing poor operating results, having substantial capital needs or negative net worth or be facing special competitive or product obsolescence problems, and may include companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganizations or liquidation proceedings. High yield debt may be more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and individual corporate developments than would investment grade debt securities. Certain of these securities may not be publicly traded, and therefore, it may be difficult to accurately value certain portfolio securities and to obtain information as to the true condition of the issuers. Overall declines in the below investment-grade bond and other markets may adversely affect such issuers by inhibiting their ability to refinance their debt at maturity. High yield debt is often less liquid than higher rated securities. Because investment in high yield debt involves greater investment risk, achievement of the Fund’s investment objectives will be more dependent on the relevant Sub-Adviser’s analysis than would be the case if the Fund were investing in higher quality debt securities.

 

High yield debt is often issued in connection with leveraged acquisitions or recapitalizations in which the issuers incur a substantially higher amount of indebtedness than the level at which they had previously operated. High yield debt has historically experienced greater default rates than has been the case for investment-grade securities. The Fund may also invest in equity securities issued by entities with unrated or below investment-grade debt.

 

High yield debt may also be in the form of zero-coupon or deferred interest bonds, which are bonds which are issued at a significant discount from face value. The original discount approximates the total amount of interest the bonds will accrue and compound over the period until maturity or the first interest accrual date at a rate of interest reflecting the market rate of the security at the time of issuance. While zero-coupon bonds do not require the periodic payment of interest, deferred interest bonds generally provide for a period of delay before the regular payment of interest begins. Such investments experience greater volatility in market value due to changes in the interest rates than bonds that that provide for regular payments of interest.

 

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Investing in lower-rated securities involves special risks in addition to the risks associated with investments in higher-rated fixed income securities, including a high degree of credit risk. Lower-rated securities may be regarded as predominately speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to meet principal and interest payments. Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers/issues of lower-rated securities may be more complex than for issuers/issues of higher quality debt securities. Securities that are in the lowest rating category are considered to have extremely poor prospects of ever attaining any real investment standing, to have a current identifiable vulnerability to default and/or to be unlikely to have the capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The secondary markets on which lower-rated securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for higher grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading markets could adversely affect and cause large fluctuations in the value of the Fund’s portfolio. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of lower-rated securities, especially in a thinly traded market.

 

The use of credit ratings as the sole method of evaluating lower-rated securities can involve certain risks. For example, credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market value risk of lower-rated securities. Also, credit rating agencies may fail to change credit ratings in a timely fashion to reflect events since the security was rated.

 

Preferred Securities . The Fund may invest in preferred securities. There are various risks associated with investing in preferred securities, including credit risk, interest rate risk, deferral and omission of distributions, subordination to bonds and other debt securities in a company’s capital structure, limited liquidity, limited voting rights and special redemption rights. Interest rate risk is, in general, the risk that the price of a debt security falls when interest rates rise. Securities with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive to interest rate changes. Credit risk is the risk that an issuer of a security may not be able to make principal and interest or dividend payments on the security as they become due. Holders of preferred securities may not receive dividends, or the payment can be deferred for some period of time. In bankruptcy, creditors are generally paid before the holders of preferred securities.

 

Convertible Securities . The Fund may invest in convertible securities. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that have characteristics of both bonds and common stocks and are subject to risks associated with both debt securities and equity securities. Convertible securities are similar to fixed-income securities because they usually pay a fixed interest rate (or dividend) and are obligated to repay principal on a given date in the future. The market value of fixed-income and preferred securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and tends to increase as interest rates decline. Convertible securities have characteristics of a fixed-income security and are particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates when their conversion value is lower than the value of the bond or preferred share. Fixed-income and preferred securities also are subject to credit risk, which is the risk that an issuer of a security may not be able to make principal and interest or dividend payments on the security as they become due. In addition, the Fund may invest in fixed-income and preferred securities rated less than investment grade that are sometimes referred to as high yield. These securities are speculative investments that carry greater risks and are more susceptible to real or perceived adverse economic and competitive industry conditions than higher quality securities. Fixed-income and preferred securities also may be subject to prepayment or redemption risk. If a convertible security held by the Fund is called for redemption, the Fund will be required to surrender the security for redemption, convert it into the issuing company’s common stock or cash or sell it to a third party at a time that may be unfavorable to the Fund. Such securities also may be subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these securities could decrease the Fund’s share price. Convertible securities with a conversion value that is the same as the value of the bond or preferred share have characteristics similar to common stocks. The price of equity securities may rise or fall because of economic or political changes. Stock prices in general may decline over short or even extended periods of time. Market prices of equity securities in broad market segments may be adversely affected by a prominent issuer having experienced losses or by the lack of earnings or such an issuer’s failure to meet the market’s expectations with respect to new products or services, or even by factors wholly unrelated to the value or condition of the issuer, such as changes in interest rates.

 

Bank Loans . The Fund may invest in loans originated by banks and other financial institutions. The loans invested in by the Fund may include term loans and revolving loans, may pay interest at a fixed or floating rate and may be senior or subordinated. Special risks associated with investments in bank loans and participations include (i) the possible invalidation of an investment transaction as a fraudulent conveyance under relevant creditors’ rights laws, (ii) so-called lender-liability claims by the issuer of the obligations, (iii) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations, (iv) the risk that bank loans may not be securities and therefore may not have the protections afforded by the federal securities laws, and (v) limitations on the ability of the Fund to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations. Successful claims in respect of such matters may reduce the cash flow and/or market value of the investment. In addition, the bank loan market may face illiquidity and volatility. There can be no assurance that future levels of supply and demand in bank loan trading will provide an adequate degree of liquidity or the market will not experience periods of significant illiquidity in the future.

 

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In addition to the special risks generally associated with investments in bank loans described above, the Fund’s investments in second-lien and unsecured bank loans will entail additional risks, including (i) the subordination of the Fund’s claims to a senior lien in terms of the coverage and recovery from the collateral and (ii) with respect to second-lien loans, the prohibition of or limitation on the right to foreclose on a second-lien or exercise other rights as a second-lien holder, and with respect to unsecured loans, the absence of any collateral on which the Fund may foreclose to satisfy its claim in whole or in part. In certain cases, therefore, no recovery may be available from a defaulted second-lien or unsecured loan. The Fund’s investments in bank loans of below investment grade companies also entail specific risks associated with investments in non-investment grade securities.

 

Loan participations and assignments . The Fund may acquire interests in loans either directly (by way of sale or assignment) or indirectly (by way of participation). The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a lender under the credit agreement with respect to the debt obligation; however, its rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution. Participation interests in a portion of a debt obligation typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating out the interest, not with the borrower. In purchasing participations, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the borrower with the terms of the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the borrower, and the Fund may not directly benefit from the collateral supporting the debt obligation in which it has purchased the participation. As a result, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the borrower and the institution selling the participation. A selling institution voting in connection with a potential waiver of a default by a borrower may have interests different from those of the Fund, and the selling institution might not consider the interests of the Fund in connection with its vote. Notwithstanding, most participation agreements with respect to loans provide that the selling institution may not vote in favor of any amendment, modification or waiver that forgives principal, interest or fees, reduces principal, interest or fees that are payable, postpones any payment of principal (whether a scheduled payment or a mandatory prepayment), interest or fees or releases any material guarantee or collateral without the consent of the participant (at least to the extent the participant would be affected by any such amendment, modification or waiver). In addition, many participation agreements with respect to loans that provide voting rights to the participant further provide that if the participant does not vote in favor of amendments, modifications or waivers, the selling institution may repurchase such participation at par.

 

Non-Performing Loans . The Fund may invest in non-performing and sub-performing loans which often involve workout negotiations, restructuring and the possibility of foreclosure. These processes are often lengthy and expensive. In addition, the Fund’s investments may include securities and debt obligations of financially distressed issuers, including companies involved in bankruptcy or other reorganization and liquidation proceedings. As a result, the Fund’s investments may be subject to additional bankruptcy related risks, and returns on such investments may not be realized for a considerable period of time.

 

PRIVATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES (“BDCs”) . The Fund may invest in private BDCs. BDCs are a type of closed-end investment company regulated under the Investment Company Act. BDCs typically invest in and lend to small and medium-sized private and certain public companies that may not have access to public equity or debt markets for capital raising. BDCs invest in such diverse industries as healthcare, chemical and manufacturing, technology and service companies. At least 70% of a BDC’s investments must be made in private and certain public U.S. businesses, and BDCs are required to make available significant managerial assistance to their portfolio companies. Unlike corporations, BDCs are not taxed on income distributed to their shareholders provided they comply with the applicable requirements of the Code.

 

Investments in BDCs may be subject to a high degree of risk. BDCs typically invest in small and medium-sized private and certain public companies that may not have access to public equity or debt markets for capital raising. As a result, a BDC’s portfolio typically will include a substantial amount of securities purchased in private placements, and its portfolio may carry risks similar to those of a private equity or venture capital fund. Securities that are not publicly registered may be difficult to value and may be difficult to sell at a price representative of their intrinsic value. Small and medium-sized companies also may have fewer lines of business so that changes in any one line of business may have a greater impact on the value of their stock than is the case with a larger company. To the extent a BDC focuses its investments in a specific sector, the BDC will be susceptible to adverse conditions and economic or regulatory occurrences affecting the specific sector or industry group, which tends to increase volatility and result in higher risk. Investments in BDCs are subject to various risks, including management’s ability to meet the BDC’s investment objective and to manage the BDC’s portfolio when the underlying securities are redeemed or sold, during periods of market turmoil and as investors’ perceptions regarding a BDC or its underlying investments change. Private BDCs are illiquid investments, and there is no guarantee the Fund will be able to liquidate or sell its private BDC investments.

 

Certain BDCs may use leverage in their portfolios through borrowings or the issuance of preferred stock. While leverage may increase the yield and total return of a BDC, it also subjects the BDC to increased risks, including magnification of any investment losses and increased volatility. In addition, a BDC’s income may fall if the interest rate on any borrowings of the BDC rises.

 

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The Investment Company Act generally limits the amount the Fund can invest in any one closed-end fund, including BDCs, to 3% of the closed-end fund’s total outstanding stock. As a result, the Fund may hold a smaller position in a BDC than if it were not subject to this restriction. To comply with the Investment Company Act, the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may be required to vote shares of a BDC held by the Fund in the same general proportion as shares held by other shareholders of the BDC.

 

ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES RISK . Asset-backed securities often involve risks that are different from or more acute than risks associated with other types of debt instruments. For instance, asset-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates. In addition, the underlying assets are subject to prepayments that shorten the securities’ weighted average maturity and may lower their return. Asset-backed securities are also subject to risks associated with their structure and the nature of the assets underlying the security and the servicing of those assets. Payment of interest and repayment of principal on asset-backed securities is largely dependent upon the cash flows generated by the assets backing the securities and, in certain cases, supported by letters of credit, surety bonds or other credit enhancements. The values of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools, and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. Furthermore, debtors may be entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws with respect to the assets underlying these securities, which may give the debtor the right to avoid or reduce payment. In addition, due to their often complicated structures, various asset-backed securities may be difficult to value and may constitute illiquid investments. If many borrowers on the underlying loans default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in asset-backed securities.

 

An investment in subordinated (residual) classes of asset-backed securities is typically considered to be an illiquid and highly speculative investment, as losses on the underlying assets are first absorbed by the subordinated classes. The risks associated with an investment in such subordinated classes of asset-backed securities include credit risk, regulatory risk pertaining to the Fund’s ability to collect on such securities and liquidity risk.

 

COLLATERALIZED LOAN OBLIGATIONS (“CLOs”) AND COLLATERALIZED DEBT OBLIGATIONS (“CDOs”) . The Fund may invest in CLOs and CDOs. CLOs and CDOs are created by the grouping of certain private loans and other lender assets/collateral into pools. A sponsoring organization establishes a special purpose vehicle to hold the assets/collateral and issue securities. Interests in these pools are sold as individual securities. Payments of principal and interest are passed through to investors and are typically supported by some form of credit enhancement, such as a letter of credit, surety bond, limited guaranty or senior/subordination. Payments from the asset pools may be divided into several different tranches of debt securities, offering investors various maturity and credit risk characteristics. Some tranches entitled to receive regular installments of principal and interest, other tranches entitled to receive regular installments of interest, with principal payable at maturity or upon specified call dates, and other tranches only entitled to receive payments of principal and accrued interest at maturity or upon specified call dates. Different tranches of securities will bear different interest rates, which may be fixed or floating.

 

Investors in CLOs and CDOs bear the credit risk of the assets/collateral. Tranches are categorized as senior, mezzanine, and subordinated/equity, according to their degree of credit risk. If there are defaults or the CDO’s collateral otherwise underperforms, scheduled payments to senior tranches take precedence over those of mezzanine tranches, and scheduled payments to mezzanine tranches take precedence over those to subordinated/equity tranches. Senior and mezzanine tranches are typically rated, with the former receiving S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”) ratings of A to AAA and the latter receiving ratings of B to BBB. The ratings reflect both the credit quality of underlying collateral as well as how much protection a given tranche is afforded by tranches that are subordinate to it.

 

Because the loans held in the pool often may be prepaid without penalty or premium, CLOs and CDOs can be subject to higher prepayment risks than most other types of debt instruments. Prepayments may result in a capital loss to the Fund to the extent that the prepaid securities purchased at a market discount from their stated principal amount will accelerate the recognition of interest income by the Fund, which would be taxed as ordinary income when distributed to the Shareholders. The credit characteristics of CLOs and CDOs also differ in a number of respects from those of traditional debt securities. The credit quality of most CLOs and CDOs depends primarily upon the credit quality of the assets/collateral underlying such securities, how well the entity issuing the securities is insulated from the credit risk of the originator or any other affiliated entities, and the amount and quality of any credit enhancement to such securities.

 

CLOs and CDOs are typically privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws, which means less information about the security may be available as compared to publicly offered securities and only certain institutions may buy and sell them. As a result, investments in CLOs and CDOs may be characterized by the Fund as illiquid securities. An active dealer market may exist for CLOs and CDOs that can be resold in Rule 144A transactions, but there can be no assurance that such a market will exist or will be active enough for the Fund to sell such securities.

 

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In addition to the typical risks associated with fixed-income securities and asset-backed securities, CLOs and CDOs carry other risks including, but not limited to: (i) the possibility that distributions from collateral securities will not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the risk that the collateral may default, decline in value or quality, or be downgraded by a rating agency; (iii) the Fund may invest in tranches of CLOs and CDOs that are subordinate to other tranches, diminishing the likelihood of payment; (iv) the structure and complexity of the transaction and the legal documents could lead to disputes with the issuer or unexpected investment results; (v) risk of forced “fire sale” liquidation due to technical defaults such as coverage test failures; and (vi) the manager of the CLO or CDO may perform poorly.

 

STRUCTURED PRODUCTS . The CLOs and other CDOs in which the Fund may invest are structured products. Holders of structured products bear risks of the underlying assets and are subject to counterparty risk.

 

The Fund may have the right to receive payments only from the structured product and generally does not have direct rights against the issuer or the entity that sold the assets to be securitized. While certain structured products enable the investor to acquire interests in a pool of securities without the brokerage and other expenses associated with directly holding the same securities, investors in structured products generally pay their share of the structured product’s administrative and other expenses. Although it is difficult to predict whether the prices of assets underlying structured products will rise or fall, these prices (and, therefore, the prices of structured products) will be influenced by the same types of political and economic events that affect issuers of securities and capital markets generally. If the issuer of a structured product uses shorter-term financing to purchase longer-term securities, the issuer may be forced to sell its securities at below-market prices if it experiences difficulty in obtaining short-term financing, which may adversely affect the value of the structured products owned by the Fund.

 

Certain structured products may be thinly traded or have a limited trading market. CLOs, CDOs and credit-linked notes are typically privately offered and sold.

 

MEZZANINE DEBT . A portion of the Fund’s debt investments may be made in certain high yield securities known as mezzanine investments, which are subordinated debt securities that may be issued together with an equity security ( e.g. , with attached warrants). Those mezzanine investments may be issued with or without registration rights. Mezzanine investments can be unsecured and generally subordinate to other obligations of the issuer. The expected average life of the Fund’s mezzanine investments may be significantly shorter than the maturity of these investments due to prepayment rights. Mezzanine investments share all of the risks of other high yield securities and are subject to greater risk of loss of principal and interest than higher-rated securities. They are also generally considered to be subject to greater risk than securities with higher ratings in the case of deterioration of general economic conditions. Because investors generally perceive that there are greater risks associated with the lower-rated securities, the yields and prices of those securities may tend to fluctuate more than those for higher-rated securities. The Fund does not anticipate a market for its mezzanine investments, which can adversely affect the prices at which these securities can be sold. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions about lower-rated securities, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may be a contributing factor in a decrease in the value and liquidity of those lower-rated securities. Mezzanine securities are often even more subordinated than other high yield debt, as they often represent the most junior debt security in an issuer’s capital structure.

 

DISTRESSED SECURITIES . Certain of the companies in whose securities the Fund may invest may be in transition, out of favor, financially leveraged or troubled, or potentially troubled, and may be or have recently been involved in major strategic actions, restructurings, bankruptcy, reorganization or liquidation. The characteristics of these companies can cause their securities to be particularly risky, although they also may offer the potential for high returns. These companies’ securities may be considered speculative, and the ability of the companies to pay their debts on schedule could be affected by adverse interest rate movements, changes in the general economic factors affecting a particular industry or specific developments within the companies. Such investments can result in significant or even total losses. In addition, the markets for distressed investment assets are frequently illiquid. Also, among the risks inherent in investments in a troubled issuer is that it frequently may be difficult to obtain information as to the true financial condition of such issuer. The Investment Manager’s or a Sub-Adviser’s judgments about the credit quality of a financially distressed issuer and the relative value of its securities may prove to be wrong.

 

In liquidation (both in and out of bankruptcy) and other forms of corporate reorganization, there exists the risk that the reorganization either will be unsuccessful (due to, for example, failure to obtain requisite approvals), will be delayed (for example, until various liabilities, actual or contingent, have been satisfied) or will result in a distribution of cash or a new security the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the security in respect to which such distribution was made. Consequently, the Fund will be subject to significant uncertainty as to when, and in what manner, and for what value obligations evidenced by securities of financially distressed issuers will eventually be satisfied ( e.g. , through a liquidation of the issuer’s assets, an exchange offer or plan of reorganization, or a payment of some amount in satisfaction of the obligation). In certain transactions, the Fund may not be “hedged” against market fluctuations, or, in liquidation situations, may not accurately value the assets of the company being liquidated. This can result in losses, even if the proposed transaction is consummated.

 

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UNDERLYING FUND RISK . The Fund will incur higher and duplicative expenses, including advisory fees, when it invests in shares of mutual funds (including money market funds), closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and other registered and private investment companies (“Underlying Funds”). There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices of the Underlying Funds (such as the use of derivatives). The ETFs in which the Fund invests that attempt to track an index may not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track, due to transactions costs and other expenses of the ETFs. The shares of closed-end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease, and it is possible that the discount may increase.

 

Derivative Instruments. The Fund may use options, swaps, futures contracts, forward agreements, reverse repurchase agreements and other similar transactions. The Fund’s derivative investments have risks, including the imperfect correlation between the value of such instruments and the underlying asset, rate or index, which creates the possibility that the loss on such instruments may be greater than the gain in the value of the underlying asset, rate or index; the loss of principal; the possible default of the other party to the transaction; and illiquidity of the derivative investments. If a counterparty becomes bankrupt or otherwise fails to perform its obligations under a derivative contract due to financial difficulties, the Fund may experience significant delays in obtaining any recovery under the derivative contract in a bankruptcy or other reorganization proceeding, or may not recover at all. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of a counterparty to a derivative transaction, the derivative contract would typically be terminated at its fair market value. If the Fund is owed this fair market value in the termination of the derivative contract and its claim is unsecured, the Fund will be treated as a general creditor of such counterparty and will not have any claim with respect to the underlying security. Certain of the derivative investments in which the Fund may invest may, in certain circumstances, give rise to a form of financial leverage, which may magnify the risk of owning such instruments. The ability to successfully use derivative investments depends on the ability of the Investment Manager and/or Sub-Advisers to predict pertinent market movements, which cannot be assured. In addition, amounts paid by the Fund as premiums and cash or other assets held in margin accounts with respect to the Fund’s derivative investments would not be available to the Fund for other investment purposes, which may result in lost opportunities for gain.

 

The derivative instruments and techniques that the Fund may principally use include:

 

Futures. A futures contract is a standardized agreement to buy or sell a specific quantity of an underlying instrument at a specific price at a specific future time. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying instrument. Depending on the terms of the particular contract, futures contracts are settled through either physical delivery of the underlying instrument on the settlement date or by payment of a cash settlement amount on the settlement date. A decision as to whether, when and how to use futures involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived futures transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. In addition to the derivatives risks discussed above, the prices of futures can be highly volatile, using futures can lower total return, and the potential loss from futures can exceed the Fund’s initial investment in such contracts.

 

Options. If the Fund buys an option, it buys a legal contract giving it the right to buy or sell a specific amount of the underlying instrument or futures contract on the underlying instrument at an agreed-upon price typically in exchange for a premium paid by the Fund. If the Fund sells an option, it sells to another person the right to buy from or sell to the Fund a specific amount of the underlying instrument or futures contract on the underlying instrument at an agreed-upon price typically in exchange for a premium received by the Fund. A decision as to whether, when and how to use options involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived option transaction may be unsuccessful because of market behavior or unexpected events. The prices of options can be highly volatile, and the use of options can lower total returns.

 

Swaps. A swap contract is an agreement between two parties pursuant to which the parties exchange payments at specified dates on the basis of a specified notional amount, with the payments calculated by reference to specified securities, indexes, reference rates, currencies or other instruments. Most swap agreements provide that when the period payment dates for both parties are the same, the payments are made on a net basis ( i.e. , the two payment streams are netted out, with only the net amount paid by one party to the other). The Fund’s obligations or rights under a swap contract entered into on a net basis will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty. Swap agreements are particularly subject to counterparty credit, liquidity, valuation, correlation and leverage risk. Certain standardized swaps are now subject to mandatory central clearing requirements, and others are now required to be exchange-traded. While central clearing and exchange-trading are intended to reduce counterparty and liquidity risk, they do not make swap transactions risk-free. Swaps could result in losses if interest rate or foreign currency exchange rates or credit quality changes are not correctly anticipated by the Fund or if the reference index, security or investments do not perform as expected. The Fund’s use of swaps may include those based on the credit of an underlying security, commonly referred to as “credit default swaps.” Where the Fund is the buyer of a credit default swap contract, it would be entitled to receive the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation from the counterparty to the contract only in the event of a default or similar event by a third party on the debt obligation. If no default occurs, the Fund would have paid to the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract and received no benefit from the contract. When the Fund is the seller of a credit default swap contract, it receives the stream of payments but is obligated to pay an amount equal to the par (or other agreed-upon) value of a referenced debt obligation upon the default or similar event of that obligation. The use of credit default swaps can result in losses if the Fund’s assumptions regarding the creditworthiness of the underlying obligation prove to be incorrect. The Fund will “cover” its swap positions by segregating an amount of cash and/or liquid securities as required by the Investment Company Act and applicable SEC interpretations and guidance from time to time.

 

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Reverse Repurchase Agreements . Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by the Fund might be unable to deliver them when the Fund seeks to repurchase. In the event that the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer, trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.

 

Segregation and Coverage Risk . Certain portfolio management techniques, such as, among other things, entering into swap agreements, using reverse repurchase agreements, futures contracts or other derivative transactions, may be considered senior securities under the Investment Company Act unless steps are taken to segregate (or earmark on the Fund’s books) the Fund’s assets or otherwise cover its obligations. To avoid having these instruments considered senior securities, in some cases the Fund segregates or earmarks liquid assets with a value equal (on a daily mark-to-market basis) to its obligations under these types of transactions, enters into offsetting transactions or otherwise covers such transactions. In cases where the Fund does not cover such transactions, such instruments may be considered senior securities, and the Fund’s use of such transactions will be required to comply with the restrictions on senior securities under the Investment Company Act. The Fund may be unable to use segregated assets for certain other purposes, which could result in the Fund earning a lower return on its portfolio than it might otherwise earn if it did not have to segregate those assets in respect of or otherwise cover such portfolio positions. To the extent the Fund’s assets are segregated or committed as cover, it could limit the Fund’s investment flexibility. Segregating assets and covering positions will not limit or offset losses on related positions.

 

Foreign Investments . Foreign securities may be issued and traded in foreign currencies. As a result, changes in exchange rates between foreign currencies may affect their values in U.S. dollar terms. For example, if the value of the U.S. dollar goes up, compared to a foreign currency, a loan payable in that foreign currency will go down in value because it will be worth fewer U.S. dollars. Among the factors that may affect currency values are trade balances, the level of short-term interest rates, differences in relative values of similar assets in different currencies, long-term opportunities for investment and capital appreciation, and political developments. The Fund may employ hedging techniques to minimize these risks, but the Fund can offer no assurance that the Fund will, in fact, hedge currency risk or, that if the Fund does, such strategies will be effective.

 

The political, economic, and social structure of some foreign countries may be less stable and more volatile than those in the United States. Investments in these countries may be subject to the risks of internal and external conflicts, currency devaluations, foreign ownership limitations and tax increases. A government may take over assets or operations of a company or impose restrictions on the exchange or export of currency or other assets. Some countries also may have different legal systems that may make it difficult for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise stockholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to foreign investments. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability, regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, and the value of the Fund’s investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and to take into account with respect to the Fund’s investments in foreign securities. Brokerage commissions and other fees generally are higher for foreign securities. Government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, currency markets, trading systems and brokers may be less than in the United States. The procedures and rules governing foreign transactions and custody (holding of the Fund’s assets) may involve delays in payment, delivery or recovery of money or investments. Foreign companies may not be subject to the same disclosure, accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices as U.S. companies, and some countries may lack uniform accounting and auditing standards. Thus, there may be less information publicly available about foreign companies than about most U.S. companies. Certain foreign securities may be less liquid (harder to sell) and more volatile than many U.S. securities. This means the Fund may at times be unable to sell foreign securities at favorable prices. Dividend and interest income from foreign securities may be subject to withholding taxes by the country in which the issuer is located, and the Fund may not be able to pass through to its Shareholders foreign tax credits or deductions with respect to these taxes.

 

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The Fund may invest in foreign securities of issuers in so-called “emerging markets” (or less developed countries). Such investments are particularly speculative and entail all of the risks of investing in foreign securities but to a heightened degree. “Emerging market” countries generally include all countries in the following regions: Asia (excluding Japan), Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America, or such countries as reasonably determined by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Advisers from time to time. Securities of issuers in emerging and developing markets present risks not found in securities of issuers in more developed markets. Securities of issuers in emerging and developing markets may be more difficult to sell at acceptable prices and their prices may be more volatile than securities of issuers in more developed markets. Settlements of securities trades in emerging and developing markets may be subject to greater delays than in other markets so that the Fund might not receive the proceeds of a sale of a security on a timely basis. Emerging markets generally have less developed trading markets and exchanges and legal and accounting systems.

 

CURRENCY RISK . The Fund may engage in practices and strategies that will result in exposure to fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, in which case the Fund will be subject to foreign currency risk. The Fund’s shares are priced in U.S. dollars and the distributions paid by the Fund to Shareholders are paid in U.S. dollars. However, a portion of the Fund’s assets may be denominated directly in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or in securities that trade in, and receive revenues in, foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, or in derivatives that provide exposure to foreign (non-U.S.) currencies, it will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, or, in the case of hedging positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline in value relative to the currency being hedged.

 

Currency rates in foreign (non-U.S.) countries may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time for a number of reasons, including changes in interest rates, rates of inflation, balance of payments and governmental surpluses or deficits, intervention (or the failure to intervene) by U.S. or foreign (non-U.S.) governments, central banks or supranational entities such as the International Monetary Fund, or by the imposition of currency controls or other political developments in the United States or abroad. These fluctuations may have a significant adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s portfolio and/or the level of Fund distributions made to Shareholders. The Fund intends to hedge exposure to reduce the risk of loss due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates relative to the U.S. dollar. There is no assurance, however, that these strategies will be available or will be used by the Fund or, if used, that they will be successful. As a result, the Fund’s investments in foreign currency-denominated securities may reduce the returns of the Fund.

 

Currency risk may be particularly high to the extent that the Fund invests in foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or engages in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to emerging market countries. These currency transactions may present market, credit, currency, liquidity, legal, political and other risks different from, or greater than, the risks of investing in developed foreign (non-U.S.) currencies or engaging in foreign currency transactions that are economically tied to developed foreign countries.

 

Investments in Cash, Cash-Equivalent Investments or money market funds . A portion of the Fund’s assets may be invested in cash, cash-equivalent investments or money market funds when, for example, other investments are unattractive, to provide a reserve for anticipated obligations of the Fund or for other temporary purposes. Although such a practice may assist in the preservation of capital, the assumption of cash positions may also impact overall investment return. Cash investment practices of the Fund may be expected, therefore, to affect total investment performance of the Fund. Although a money market fund seeks to preserve a $1.00 per share net asset value, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The sponsor of a money market fund has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the money market fund and investors in money market funds should not expect that the sponsor will provide support to a money market fund at any time.

 

RIC-RELATED RISKS OF INVESTMENT GENERATING NON-CASH TAXABLE INCOME . Certain of the Fund’s investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a tax year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in loans and other debt instruments that will be treated as having “market discount” and/or original issue discount (“OID”) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, raise additional debt or equity capital, make taxable distributions of Shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize additional gain or loss on such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes additional net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, Shareholders, may receive larger capital gain distributions than it or they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

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Instruments that are treated as having OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes may have unreliable valuations because their continuing accruals require judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any collateral. Loans that are treated as having OID generally represent a significantly higher credit risk than coupon loans. Accruals on such instruments may create uncertainty about the source of Fund distributions to Shareholders. OID creates the risk of non-refundable cash payments to the Investment Manager or Sub-Advisers based on accruals that may never be realized. In addition, the deferral of payment-in-kind interest also reduces a loan’s loan-to-value ratio at a compounding rate.

 

UNCERTAIN TAX TREATMENT . The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary in connection with the Fund’s intention to distribute sufficient income each tax year to minimize the risk that it becomes subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

FAILURE TO OBTAIN co-investment EXEMPTIVE RELIEF. The Investment Company Act prohibits the Fund from making certain co-investments with affiliates unless it receives an order from the SEC permitting it to do so. The Fund, the Investment Manager and/or certain Sub-Advisers intend to seek exemptive relief from the provisions of Sections 17(d) of the Investment Company Act to co-invest in certain privately negotiated investment transactions with current or future BDCs, private funds, separate accounts, or registered closed-end funds that are advised by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers or their respective affiliated investment advisers, collectively, the Fund’s “co-investment affiliates,” subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. There is no assurance that the Fund, the Investment Manager and/or certain Sub-Advisers will receive such exemptive relief, and if they are not able to obtain the exemptive relief, the Fund will not be permitted to co-invest with the co-investment affiliates. This may reduce the Fund’s ability to deploy capital and invest its assets. The Fund may be forced to invest in cash, cash equivalents or other assets that may result in lower returns than otherwise may be available through co-investment opportunities.

 

* * *

 

LIMITS OF RISK DISCLOSURES.   The above discussions of the various risks that are associated with the Fund and its Shares and the related discussion of risks in the SAI include the material risks involved with an investment in the Fund of which the Fund is currently aware. Prospective investors should read this entire Prospectus and consult with their own advisers before deciding whether to invest in the Fund. In addition, as the Fund’s investment program changes or develops over time, an investment in the Fund may be subject to risk factors not currently contemplated or described in this Prospectus.

 

In view of the risks noted above, the Fund should be considered a speculative investment and prospective investors should invest in the Fund only if they can sustain a complete loss of their investment.

 

No guarantee or representation is made that the investment program of the Fund will be successful or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.   The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business operations of the Fund on behalf of the Shareholders. A majority of the Board is and will be persons who are not “interested persons,” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). To the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act and other applicable law, the Board may delegate any of its rights, powers and authority to, among others, the officers of the applicable fund, any committee of such board, or service providers. See “BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS” in the Fund’s SAI for the identities of the Trustees and executive officers of the Fund, brief biographical information regarding each of them, and other information regarding the election and membership of the Board.

 

THE INVESTMENT MANAGER AND SUB-ADVISERS.   Cliffwater LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Manager”) of the Fund and will be responsible for determining and implementing the Fund’s overall investment strategy, including selecting each Sub-Adviser and determining the amount of the Fund’s assets to allocate to each Sub-Adviser. The Investment Manager is located at 4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor, Marina del Rey, California and is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. As of September 2018, the Investment Manager and its affiliates had assets under advisement (includes discretionary and non-discretionary accounts) of approximately $69.6 billion.

 

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Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Manager, subject to Shareholder approval, will be primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Manager.

 

Founded in 2000, Audax Management Company (NY), LLC (“Audax”) is located at 320 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York. Audax is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $8 billion in assets.

 

Commencing operations in 2009, Beach Point Capital Management LP (“Beach Point”) is located at 1620 26th Street, Suite 6000N, Santa Monica, California. Beach Point is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of December 31, 2018, approximately $11.6 billion in assets.

 

Founded in 2011, Benefit Street Partners LLC (“Benefit Street”) is located at 9 West 57th Street, Suite 4920, New York, New York. Benefit Street is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $26.4 billion in assets.

 

Founded in 2010, Crescent Capital Group LP (“Crescent Capital”) is located at 11100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, California. Crescent Capital is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $24 billion in assets.

 

Founded in 1999, TCP Partners, LLC (“TCP”) is located at 2951 28th Street, Santa Monica, California. TCP is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. BlackRock is a leading publicly-traded investment management firm (NYSE:BLK) and as of December 31, 2018, BlackRock, together with its affiliated investment advisers, had approximately $5.98 trillion in assets under management. With approximately 14,900 employees in more than 30 countries, BlackRock provides a broad range of investment and technology services to institutional and retail clients worldwide.

 

The Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates may serve as investment managers to other funds that have investment programs which are similar to the investment program of the Fund, and the Investment Manager and/or a Sub-Adviser or one of their affiliates may in the future serve as the investment manager or otherwise manage or direct the investment activities of other registered and/or private investment companies with investment programs similar to the investment program of the Fund. See “CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.”

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS. The key personnel of the Investment Manager who currently have primary responsibility for management of the Fund and the key personnel of each Sub-Adviser who currently have primary responsibility for management of the portion of the Fund’s assets allocated to the Sub-Adviser (the “Portfolio Managers”) are as follows:

 

Investment Manager

 

After the 2008 financial crisis, the Investment Manager became actively involved in direct lending research. It has been recommending direct lending investments to its advisory clients since 2011 and has actively managed a publicly-traded BDC portfolio since August 2014. The Investment Manager created the Cliffwater Direct Lending Index, which is the first published index tracking direct loan assets with performance dating back to September 30, 2004, and the Cliffwater BDC Index, which is an index tracking publicly-traded BDCs. The Investment Manager is a frequent publisher of research reports regarding direct lending and has constructed a direct lending manager database. The Investment Manager has dedicated significant resources to developing its expertise in the direct lending marketplace and cultivating relationships with direct lending managers that it believes to be top-tier. The Investment Manager intends to bring to the management of the Fund its expertise, experience, and access in the direct lending market.

 

Stephen L. Nesbitt , Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of the Investment Manager, is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mr. Nesbitt has been the portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception. Mr. Nesbitt is supported by research analysts and other investment professionals who provide research support and make strategy recommendations. Mr. Nesbitt manages the Fund consistent with the broad investment parameters established by the Investment Manager’s Investment Policy Committee, which is led by Mr. Nesbitt. The Investment Policy Committee is responsible for defining the broad investment parameters of the Fund, including, for example, the types of strategies to be employed and the range of securities acceptable for investment by the Fund. In addition, the Investment Policy Committee must unanimously approve each new Sub-Adviser. The Investment Policy Committee meets regularly to review portfolio holdings and discuss Sub-Adviser performance.

 

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Prior to forming the Investment Manager in 2004, Mr. Nesbitt was a Senior Managing Director at Wilshire Associates. From 1990 to 2004, Mr. Nesbitt led the Consulting division at Wilshire Associates and also started and built its asset management business using a “manager of managers” investment approach, including private equity and hedge fund-of-fund portfolios. Mr. Nesbitt started his career at Wells Fargo Investment Advisors, an early pioneer in index funds, where he developed and managed index funds and oversaw asset allocation.

 

Sub-Advisers

 

Audax

 

Kevin P. Magid , Managing Director, Head of Private Debt. Mr. Magid joined Audax Group in 2000 and has led Audax Private Debt since its inception. Over the past 30 years, Mr. Magid has invested in or raised senior debt, high yield debt, junior debt and equity financing for companies and private equity sponsors in a wide range of industries. Previously, Mr. Magid spent over 13 years as a leveraged finance professional and served as a Managing Director in the Leveraged Finance/Merchant Banking Group of CIBC World Markets Corp. Mr. Magid started his career at Drexel Burnham Lambert, and also worked at Wasserstein Perella and Kidder Peabody, principally in a leveraged finance role. Mr. Magid received an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Economics from Tufts University.

 

Michael P. McGonigle , Managing Director. Mr. McGonigle joined Audax Group in 2007 and has led Audax Senior Debt since inception. Previously, Mr. McGonigle was a Managing Director for GE Capital’s Corporate Lending business. Mr. McGonigle joined GE in 1982 in the International Trading Operations Group and in 1986 he joined GE Capital’s Corporate Finance Group. While at GE Capital, Mr. McGonigle held various leadership positions in its leveraged finance businesses for private equity sponsor and non-sponsor transactions, including new business origination, credit underwriting, risk management, workouts and restructurings. Mr. McGonigle was a founding member of business units which invested in par, distressed and second lien loans, and built the sourcing and underwriting teams. Mr. McGonigle received an M.B.A. in Finance from Fordham University Graduate School of Business and a B.S. in Finance and Quantitative Methods from Fordham University.

 

Beach Point

 

Sinjin Bowron , Portfolio Manager. Mr. Bowron joined Beach Point in June 2015. Currently, Mr. Bowron is the Portfolio Manager for the Beach Point Dynamic Income strategy. Prior to Beach Point, Mr. Bowron was a Senior Vice President at Trust Company of the West (TCW).

 

Benefit Street

 

Thomas J. Gahan , Chief Executive Officer. Tom Gahan is chief executive officer of Benefit Street and is based in the firm’s New York office. Prior to joining Providence Equity Capital Markets LLC in 2008, a partner firm of Benefit Street, and launching Benefit Street in 2011, Mr. Gahan was global head of capital markets of Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and head of corporate and investment banking in the Americas. He was also chairman of the principal investment committee and a member of the global banking executive committee and the global markets executive committee. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Gahan spent eleven years at Merrill Lynch, most recently as global head of credit trading within the fixed income division. Mr. Gahan received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University.

 

Michael E. Paasche , Senior Managing Director. Mr. Paasche is a senior managing director at Benefit Street and is based in the firm’s New York office. Prior to joining Providence Equity Capital Markets LLC in 2008, a partner firm of Benefit Street, and launching Benefit Street in 2011, Mr. Paasche spent thirteen years at Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. with multiple positions, including global head of leveraged finance, where he was responsible for global non-investment grade loan portfolios, loan sales/trading and total return swaps in New York and London, loan and bond capital markets teams in New York, London and Australia, and leveraged finance banking teams in New York, London, Australia and Hong Kong. Before joining Deutsche Bank, Mr. Paasche spent seven years at Prudential Securities where he held various positions, including managing director and head of high yield sales, trading and research. Mr. Paasche received his Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Albion College.

 

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Blair D. Faulstich , Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager. Mr. Faulstich is a managing director and senior portfolio manager at Benefit Street and is based in the firm’s New York office. Prior to joining Benefit Street in 2011, Mr. Faulstich was a managing director and co-head of media and communications investment banking at Citadel Securities. Previously, he was a managing director in the media and communications investment banking group at Merrill Lynch. Mr. Faulstich held various positions at Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown in the media investment banking group. Before joining Alex. Brown in 1997, Mr. Faulstich spent three years at Arthur Andersen. Mr. Faulstich received a Masters of Business Administration degree from Cornell University and Bachelor of Arts from Principia College.

 

Crescent Capital

 

Crescent Capital has formed an advisory committee with respect to the Fund’s assets allocated to it. The advisory committee process is intended to bring the diverse experience and perspectives of the committee’s members to the analysis and consideration of investments and portfolio construction. The advisory committee also serves to provide investment consistency and adherence to Crescent Capital’s core investment philosophy and policies. The advisory committee consists of Jason A. Breaux (chairman), John S. Bowman, Jonathan R. Insull and Christopher G. Wright.

 

Jason A. Breaux , Managing Director. Mr. Breaux is a Managing Director of Crescent Capital focusing on special situations. Prior to joining the team in 2000, he worked at Robertson Stephens where he served in the Mergers and Acquisitions Group. Prior to that, he worked in the Corporate Finance Division of Salomon Brothers specializing in capital raising assignments.  Mr. Breaux received an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and an AB from Georgetown University.

 

John S. Bowman , Managing Director. Mr. Bowman is a Managing Director of Crescent Capital focusing on Direct Lending. Prior to joining the team in 2012, Mr. Bowman was the President of HighPoint Capital Management, LLC. Prior to joining HighPoint Capital in 2005, Mr. Bowman was a Managing Director of Leveraged Finance at FleetBoston Financial from 1998 to 2003, where he was a senior member of Fleet’s preliminary structuring and loan screening committees. Mr. Bowman also had primary leveraged finance responsibility for covering New England middle market companies, including Fleet’s mezzanine loan origination business based in Boston. Prior to joining FleetBoston, Mr. Bowman was a Senior Vice President in Leveraged Finance with Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation (“DLJ”), and was involved in DLJ’s start-up of its Senior Loan business in 1997. Mr. Bowman also worked at Kidder, Peabody, & Co. Incorporated, State Street Bank & Trust Company, Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated and Lehman Brothers. Mr. Bowman earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University.

 

Jonathan R. Insull , Managing Director. Mr. Insull is a Managing Director and Institutional Portfolio Manager of Crescent Capital, focusing on public and private credit markets. Since joining the team in 1997, Mr. Insull has served in a number of roles of increasing breadth, including Credit Analyst, Director of Research, Portfolio Manager and Private Credit Investment Committees Member. He previously worked as a credit officer at The Chase Manhattan Bank and its predecessor institutions, Chemical Bank and Manufacturers Hanover Trust. Mr. Insull received his MBA in Finance from New York University and a BA in Economics from Hobart College.

 

Christopher G. Wright , Managing Director. Mr. Wright is a Managing Director of Crescent Capital focusing on mezzanine and a member of Crescent Capital’s Management Committee. Prior to joining the team in 2001, Mr. Wright completed the Financial Management Program with the General Electric Company and upon completion, worked in various finance roles within GE Industrial Systems. Mr. Wright is a current and former member or observer of the Board of numerous private companies. In addition, Mr. Wright is a member of the Board of Crescent Capital BDC, Inc. and other non-profit organizations including St. Raphael School Development Board. Mr. Wright received his MBA from Harvard Business School and his BA from Michigan State University.

 

TCP

 

Howard M. Levkowitz , Managing Director of TCP and Chairman of its Management Committee. Prior to co-founding TCP, Mr. Levkowitz was an attorney specializing in real estate and insolvencies with Dewey Ballantine LLP. Mr. Levkowitz serves as President of certain of TCP’s funds that employ a broad set of credit-oriented strategies and is Chairman of TCP’s Management Committee. He has served as a director of both public and private companies. He has also served on a number of formal and informal creditor committees. Mr. Levkowitz also serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of BlackRock TCP Capital Corp. (NASDAQ:TCPC). He received a B.A. in History (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Pennsylvania, a B.S. in Economics (Magna Cum Laude, concentration in Finance) from The Wharton School, and a J.D. from the University of Southern California.

 

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Patrick Wolfe , Director. Prior to joining TCP in 2013, Mr. Wolfe was at Deutsche Bank where he specialized in structured credit. Mr. Wolfe has over 11 years of experience in structuring, issuance, and managing/monitoring CLOs and other credit strategies. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Wolfe was an Accountant at KSJG LLP.

 

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed, and ownership of Fund’s shares.

 

THE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT. The Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund became effective as of March 1, 2019, and will continue in effect for an initial two-year term. Thereafter, the Investment Management Agreement will continue in effect from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or a majority of the Board, and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. See “ VOTING. ” The Investment Management Agreement will terminate automatically if assigned (as defined in the Investment Company Act), and is terminable at any time without penalty upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund by either the Board or the Investment Manager.

 

The Investment Management Agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Investment Manager and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Investment Manager, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, will not be subject to liability to the Fund or otherwise under the Investment Management Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services under the Investment Management Agreement or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, or for any act or omission by the Investment Manager or any affiliate of the Investment Manager or by any Sub-Adviser, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified. The Investment Management Agreement also provides for indemnification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by the Fund, of the Investment Manager or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Investment Manager, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney's fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) to which the person may be liable that arises or results from (i) the Investment Management Agreement or the performance of any services under the Investment Management Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Investment Management Agreement or (ii) the Investment Manager’s obligation to indemnify a Sub-Adviser or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives under the terms of such Sub-Adviser’s Sub-Advisory Agreement so long as such indemnification obligations did not arise primarily from the such Investment Manager’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Investment Management Agreement.

 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Investment Management Agreement and each Sub-Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund’s first semi-annual report to Shareholders.

 

See “INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES – The Sub-Advisers” in the SAI for a discussion of the sub-advisory agreements among the Fund, the Investment Manager and each Sub-Adviser.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FEES

 

The Fund pays to the Investment Manager an investment management fee (the “Investment Management Fee”) in consideration of the advisory and other services provided by the Investment Manager to the Fund. Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Manager a monthly Investment Management Fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. The Investment Management Fee will be paid to the Investment Manager before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date, and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders. Net assets means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund; provided that for purposes of determining the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Manager for any month, net assets will be calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses of the Fund for that month, including, without limitation, the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Manager for that month. The Investment Management Fee will be accrued daily, and will be due and payable monthly in arrears within ten (10) Business Days after the end of the month.

 

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In addition to the Investment Management Fee, the Fund pays each Sub-Adviser a sub-advisory fee on the portion of Fund assets managed by the Sub-Adviser. The fee a Sub-Adviser charges the Fund is based on the sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser. The Fund will pay Audax a monthly sub-advisory fee, on an annualized basis, of (i) 0.95% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets for the first fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), (ii) 0.85% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets that exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), and (iii) 0.65% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets that exceeds one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000). The portfolio management fees paid to Beach Point will be 0.65% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets managed by Beach Point. The portfolio management fees paid to Benefit Street will be 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by Benefit Street. The portfolio management fees paid to Crescent Capital will be 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by Crescent Capital. The portfolio management fees paid to TCP will be 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by TCP. The portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers will be paid out of the Fund’s assets. Such portfolio management fees will be paid to the Sub-Advisers before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date, and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders.

 

DISTRIBUTOR

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the distributor (also known as principal underwriter) of the Shares of the Fund and is located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

Under a Distribution Agreement with the Fund, the Distributor acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Fund. The Distributor continually distributes shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Fund shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Fund.

 

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

 

Investors who purchase shares through financial intermediaries will be subject to the procedures of those intermediaries through which they purchase shares, which may include charges, investment minimums, cutoff times and other restrictions in addition to, or different from, those listed herein. Information concerning any charges or services will be provided to customers by the financial intermediary through which they purchase shares. Investors purchasing shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries should acquaint themselves with their financial intermediary’s procedures and should read the Prospectus in conjunction with any materials and information provided by their financial intermediary. The financial intermediary, and not its customers, will be the shareholder of record, although customers may have the right to vote shares depending upon their arrangement with the intermediary. The Investment Adviser pays the Distributor a fee for certain distribution-related services. The Fund has been granted exemptive relief by the SEC permitting the Fund to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Service Plan allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A Shares to the Fund’s Distributor and/or other qualified recipients. The Distributor does not retain any of the distribution and servicing fees for profit.

 

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor is solely responsible for its costs and expenses incurred in connection with its qualification as a broker-dealer under state or federal laws. The Distribution Agreement also provides that the Fund will indemnify the Distributor and its affiliates and certain other persons against certain liabilities. Specifically, the Distribution Agreement provides that the Fund and the Investment Manager will indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor, its employees, agents, directors and officers and any person who controls the Distributor free and harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of or based upon (i) any material action (or omission to act) of the Distributor or its agents taken in connection with the Distribution Agreement; provided that such action (or omission to act) is taken without willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard by the Distributor of its duties and obligations under the Distribution Agreement; (ii) any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus or related offering materials or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated in the Prospectus or related offering materials or necessary to make the statements in any Prospectus or related offering materials not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished in writing to the Fund or the Investment Manager in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Prospectus or related offering materials by or on behalf of the Distributor; (iii) any material breach of the agreements, representations, warranties and covenants by the Fund and the Investment Manager in the Distribution Agreement; or (iv) the reliance on or use by the Distributor or its agents or subcontractors of information, records, documents or services which have been prepared, maintained or performed by the Fund or the Investment Manager.

 

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Class A Shares in the Fund are offered at their current net asset value less a maximum sales charge of 5.00% of the subscription amount. The Fund or Investment Manager may elect to reduce, otherwise modify or waive the sales charge with respect to any Shareholder. No sales charge is expected to be charged with respect to investments by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates, directors, principals, officers and employees and others in the Fund’s sole discretion. There is no minimum aggregate amount of Shares required to be purchased in any offering. The Investment Manager and/or its affiliates may make payments to selected affiliated or unaffiliated third parties (including the parties who have entered into selling agreements with the Distributor) from time to time in connection with the distribution of Shares and/or the provision of non-distribution services to Shareholders and/or the Fund. These payments will be made out of the Investment Manager’s and/or affiliates’ own assets and will not represent an additional charge to the Fund. The amount of such payments may be significant in amount, and the prospect of receiving any such payments may provide such third parties or their employees with an incentive to favor sales of Shares of the Fund over other investment options. Contact your financial intermediary for details about revenue sharing payments it receives or may receive.

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

 

The Fund has been granted exemptive relief by the SEC permitting the Fund to offer multiple classes of Shares and to adopt a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to Class A Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Service Plan allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A Shares. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund is permitted to pay as compensation up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares (the “Distribution and Servicing Fee”) to the Fund’s Distributor and/or other qualified recipients. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of an investment and may cost more than paying other types of sales charges. Class I Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Servicing Fee.

 

The Distribution and Servicing Fee to be paid to the Distributor for distribution of each class of Shares under the Distribution and Service Plan is as follows:

 

Class Distribution and Service Fee
Class A Shares 0.75%
Class I Shares None

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

The Fund has retained the Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc., whose principal business address is 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212, to provide administrative services, and to assist with operational needs. The Administrator provides such services to the Fund pursuant to an administration agreement between the Fund and the Administrator (the “Administration Agreement”). The Administrator is responsible directly or through its agents for, among other things, providing the following services to each of the Fund: (1) maintaining a list of Shareholders and generally performing all actions related to the issuance and repurchase of Shares of the Fund, if any, including delivery of trade confirmations and capital statements; (2) providing certain administrative, clerical and bookkeeping services; (3) providing transfer agency services, services related to the payment of distributions, and accounting services; (4) computing the NAV of the Fund in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and procedures defined in consultation with the Investment Manager; (5) overseeing the preparation of semi-annual and annual financial statements of the Fund in accordance with GAAP, quarterly reports of the operations of the Fund and information required for tax returns; (6) supervising regulatory compliance matters and preparing certain regulatory filings; and (7) performing additional services, as agreed upon, in connection with the administration of the Fund. The Administrator may from time to time delegate its responsibilities under the Administration Agreement to one or more parties selected by the Administrator, including its affiliates or affiliates of the Investment Manager.

 

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In consideration for these services, the Fund pays the Administrator a minimum monthly administration fee of $4,166.67, or $50,000 on an annualized basis (the “Administration Fee”). The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Administrator also is reimbursed by the Fund for out-of-pocket expenses relating to services provided to the Fund and receives a fee for transfer agency services. The Administration Fee and the other terms of the Administration Agreement may change from time to time as may be agreed to by the Fund and the Administrator.

 

The Administration Agreement provides that, in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Administrator and any partner, director, officer or employee of the Administrator, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, will not be liable to the Fund for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law or for any act or omission by the person in connection with the performance of administration services for the Fund. The Administration Agreement also provides for indemnification, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by the Fund to the Administrator, or any partner, director, officer or employee of the Administrator, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any liability or expense to which the person may be liable that arises in connection with the performance of services to the Fund, so long as the liability or expense is not incurred by reason of the person’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund.

 

CUSTODIAN

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”) serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. subcustodians (which may be banks and trust companies), securities depositories and clearing agencies in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Advisers or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. subcustodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. The Custodian’s principal business address is 1 Iron Street, Boston MA 02210.

 

FUND EXPENSES

 

The Fund will pay all of its expenses, or reimburse the Investment Manager or its affiliates to the extent they have previously paid such expenses on behalf of the Fund. The expenses of the Fund include, but are not limited to, any fees and expenses in connection with the organization of the Fund and the offering and issuance of Shares; all fees and expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the operation of the Fund; all fees and expenses directly related to portfolio transactions and positions for the Fund’s account such as direct and indirect expenses associated with the Fund’s investments, and enforcing the Fund’s rights in respect of such investments; quotation or valuation expenses; the Investment Management Fee, the portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers, the Administration Fee, servicing and other similar fees and expenses; out-of-pocket costs directly relating to investment transactions that are not consummated; other investment-related expenses, such as brokerage commissions, dealer spreads; transfer fees; fees on any borrowings or any expenses relating to leverage or indebtedness (including any interest thereon); professional fees; out-of-pocket costs directly relating to investment transactions that are not consummated; other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments; reasonable research and due diligence expenses relating to the identification and selection of investments (including expenses of news and quotation subscriptions, market or industry research, consultants or experts); investment-related software and databases relating thereto; fees and expenses of outside legal counsel (including fees and expenses associated with the review of documentation for prospective investments by the Fund), including foreign legal counsel; litigation costs and expenses, judgments and settlements directly related to the preservation of the value of investments; reasonable legal, third party consultant, and investment-related software and databases expenses incurred in relation to entering into, the reviewing, reporting, monitoring, confirming and/or administration of the investments (including expenses of engaging third party valuation consultants and agents and expenses of loan administration with non-affiliates) and other matters (including online systems used to obtain pricing and trading information and systems used for the allocation of investments); accounting, auditing and tax preparation expenses; fees and expenses in connection with repurchase offers and any repurchases or redemptions of Shares; taxes and governmental fees (including tax preparation fees); fees and expenses of any custodian, subcustodian, transfer agent, and registrar, and any other agent of the Fund; all costs and charges for equipment or services used in communicating information regarding the Fund’s transactions with any custodian or other agent engaged by the Fund; bank services fees; costs and expenses relating to any amendment of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or other organizational documents of the Fund; any fees and expenses in connection with seeking the SEC’s approval of any exemptive relief (or amending existing exemptive relief); expenses of preparing, amending, printing, and distributing the Prospectus and any other sales material (and any supplements or amendments thereto), reports, notices, other communications to Shareholders, and proxy materials; all taxes, fees or other governmental charges and expenses of preparing, printing, and filing reports and other documents with government agencies; expenses incurred by the Sub-Advisers in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit relating to the Fund; expenses of Shareholders’ meetings, including the solicitation of proxies in connection therewith; expenses of corporate data processing and related services; shareholder recordkeeping and account services, fees, and disbursements; expenses relating to investor and public relations; fees and expenses of the members of the Board who are not employees of the Investment Manager or its affiliates; insurance premiums; and ad hoc expenses incurred at the specific request of the Investment Manager or the Board; Extraordinary Expenses (as defined below); and all costs and expenses incurred as a result of dissolution, winding-up and termination of the Fund. The Fund may need to sell portfolio securities to pay fees and expenses, which could cause the Fund to realize taxable gains.

 

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“Extraordinary Expenses” means all expenses incurred by the Fund outside of the ordinary course of its business, including, without limitation, costs incurred in connection with any claim, litigation, arbitration, mediation, government investigation or dispute and the amount of any judgment or settlement paid in connection therewith, or the enforcement of the rights against any person or entity; costs and expenses for indemnification or contribution payable to any person or entity; expenses of a reorganization, restructuring or merger, as applicable; expenses of holding, or soliciting proxies for, a meeting of shareholders; and the expenses of engaging a new administrator, custodian or transfer agent.

 

The Investment Manager will bear all of its expenses and costs incurred in providing investment advisory services to the Fund, including travel and other expenses related to the selection and monitoring of investments, but the Fund will bear the portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers. In addition, the Investment Manager is responsible for the payment of the compensation and expenses of those officers of the Fund affiliated with the Investment Manager, and making available, without expense to the Fund, the services of such individuals, subject to their individual consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law.

 

The Fund will bear directly certain ongoing offering costs associated with any periodic offers of Shares which will be expensed as they are incurred. Offering costs cannot be deducted by the Fund or the Shareholders.

 

The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”). Because taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 3.00% (including the 0.75% distribution and servicing fee) for Class A Shares and 2.25% for Class I Shares. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in place at the time of the Waiver and the current Expense Limit. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement has an initial two-year term, which ends on March 4, 2021, and will automatically continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods thereafter. The Investment Manager may not terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement during the initial term. After the initial term, (i) the Board may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement upon 30 days’ written notice, and (ii) the Investment Manager may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement effective as of the end of the then current term upon 30 days’ written notice. The Sub-Advisers to the Fund are not a party to the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement.

 

The Fund’s fees and expenses will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to Shareholders.

 

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VOTING

 

Each Shareholder will have the right to cast a number of votes, based on the number of such Shareholder’s Shares, at any meeting of Shareholders called by the Board. Except for the exercise of such voting privileges, Shareholders will not be entitled to participate in the management or control of the Fund’s business and may not act for or bind the Fund.

 

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

 

The Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers may be subject to a number of actual and potential conflicts of interest.

 

The Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates engage in financial advisory activities that are independent from, and may from time to time conflict with, those of the Fund. In the future, there might arise instances where the interests of such affiliates conflict with the interests of the Fund. The Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates may provide services to, invest in, advise, sponsor and/or act as investment manager to investment vehicles and other persons or entities (including prospective investors in the Fund) which may have structures, investment objectives and/or policies that are similar to (or different than) those of the Fund; which may compete with the Fund for investment opportunities; and which may, subject to applicable law, co-invest with the Fund in certain transactions. In addition, the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates and respective clients may themselves invest in securities that would be appropriate for the Fund. By acquiring Shares, each Shareholder will be deemed to have acknowledged the existence of any such actual and potential conflicts of interest and to have waived any claim with respect to any liability arising from the existence of any such conflict of interest.

 

Although the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates will seek to allocate investment opportunities among the Fund and their other clients in a fair and reasonable manner, there can be no assurance that an investment opportunity which comes to the attention of the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers or their respective affiliates will be appropriate for the Fund or will be referred to the Fund. The Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates are not obligated to refer any investment opportunity to the Fund.

 

The directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees of the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and their respective affiliates may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts (including through funds managed by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers or their respective affiliates). As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, investments may be made by directors, partners, trustees, managers, members, officers and employees that are the same, different from or made at different times than investments made for the Fund. To reduce the possibility that the Fund will be materially adversely affected by the personal trading described above, the Fund, the Investment Manager and each Sub-Adviser have individually adopted codes of ethics (collectively, the “Codes of Ethics”) in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the portfolio transactions of the Fund. The Codes of Ethics can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. The Codes of Ethics are also available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by email at publicinfo@sec.gov or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

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The Fund may be considered affiliates with respect to certain of its portfolio companies if certain investment funds, accounts or investment vehicles managed by a Sub-Adviser also hold interests in these portfolio companies, and as such, these interests may be considered a joint enterprise under the Investment Company Act. To the extent that the Fund’s interests in these portfolio companies may need to be restructured in the future or to the extent that the Fund chooses to exit certain of these transactions, its ability to do so will be limited.

 

The Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may from time to time have the opportunity to receive material, non-public information (“Confidential Information”) about the issuers of certain investments, including, without limitation, investments being considered for acquisition by the Fund or held in the Fund’s portfolio. For example, principals and other employees of a Sub-Adviser may serve as directors of, or in a similar capacity with, portfolio companies in which the Fund invests, the securities of which are purchased or sold on the Fund’s behalf. The Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may (but is not required to) seek to avoid receipt of Confidential Information from issuers so as to avoid possible restrictions on its ability to purchase and sell investments on behalf of the Fund and other clients to which such Confidential Information relates. In such circumstances, the Fund may be disadvantaged in comparison to other investors, including with respect to the price the Fund pays or receives when it buys or sells an investment. The Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may also determine to receive such Confidential Information in certain circumstances under its applicable policies and procedures. If the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser intentionally or unintentionally comes into possession of Confidential Information, it may be unable, potentially for a substantial period of time, to purchase or sell investments to which such Confidential Information relates.

 

Many of the Fund’s portfolio investments are expected to be loans and other securities that are not publicly traded and for which no market based price quotation is available. As a general matter, the Fund calculates its NAV using the day-to-day valuations of its sub-advised assets provided by the Sub-Advisers and their respective agents, such valuations based on the Sub-Adviser’s valuation methodology. Furthermore, the Board will review and approve in advance the valuation methodology of each Sub-Adviser and any independent pricing service used and confirm that the Board’s Valuation Committee will regularly review the historical accuracy of the fair value methodologies. The participation of the investment professionals of the Investment Manager and/or the Sub-Advisers in the Fund’s valuation process could result in a conflict of interest as the Investment Management Fee and the portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers is based on the value of the Fund’s assets. A conflict of interest may also result when the Investment Manager and/or Sub-Advisers determine the amount of leverage used by the Fund, as leverage will increase the Fund’s assets and therefore the management fee. Investments in PIK and OID securities may provide certain additional benefits to the Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers, including increased management fees resulting from the receipt of such PIK securities interest received on these investments increasing the size of the loan balance of underlying loans.

 

The professional staff of the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers will devote such time and effort in conducting activities on behalf of the Fund as the Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers reasonably determine to be appropriate for its respective duties to the Fund. However, each of the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers staff is currently committed to and expects to be committed in the future to providing investment advisory services as well as other services to other clients (including other registered and unregistered pooled investment vehicles) and engaging in other business ventures in which the Fund has no interest. As a result of these separate business activities, the Investment Manager and each Sub-Adviser has actual or potential conflicts of interest in allocating management time, services and functions among the Fund and other business ventures or clients.

 

The Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers may receive more compensation with respect to certain similarly managed accounts than that received with respect to the Fund or may receive compensation based in part on the performance of those similar accounts. This may create a potential conflict of interest for the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers or the respective portfolio managers by providing an incentive to favor these similar accounts when, for example, placing securities transactions. In addition, a Sub-Adviser or its affiliates could be viewed as having a conflict of interest to the extent that the Sub-Adviser or an affiliate has a proprietary investment in similar accounts, the portfolio managers have personal investments in similar accounts or the similar accounts are investment options in the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliates’ employee benefit plans. Potential conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of investment opportunities because of market factors or investment restrictions imposed upon the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates by law, regulation, contract or internal policies. Allocations of aggregated trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially completed due to limited availability and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as a Sub-Adviser or its affiliates may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to favored accounts.

 

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The Investment Manager may have other relationships, including significant financial relationships, with current or potential Sub-Advisers or their affiliates, which may create a conflict of interest, including recommending clients invest in investment products sponsored by a Sub-Adviser or its affiliates. However, in making recommendations to the Board to appoint or to change a Sub-Adviser, or to change the terms of a sub-advisory agreement, the Investment Manager considers the Sub-Adviser’s investment process, risk management, and historical performance with the goal of retaining Sub-Advisers for the Fund that the Investment Manager believes are skilled and can deliver appropriate risk-adjusted returns. The Investment Manager does not consider any other relationship it or its affiliates may have with a Sub-Adviser or its affiliates.

 

By acquiring Shares, each Shareholder will be deemed to have acknowledged the existence of the above actual and potential conflicts of interest and to have waived any claim with respect to any liability arising from the existence of any such conflict of interest.

 

OUTSTANDING SECURITIES

 

As of the date of this Prospectus, there were no outstanding Shares of the Fund.

 

TENDER OFFERS/OFFERS TO REPURCHASE

 

A substantial portion of the Fund’s investments are illiquid. For this reason, the Fund is structured as a closed-end interval fund which means that the Shareholders will not have the right to redeem their Shares on a daily basis. In addition, the Fund does not expect any trading market to develop for the Shares. As a result, if investors decide to invest in the Fund, they will have very limited opportunity to sell their Shares.

 

The Fund intends to provide a limited degree of liquidity to the Shareholders by conducting repurchase offers quarterly.

 

For each repurchase offer, the Board will set an amount between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s Shares based on relevant factors, including the liquidity of the Fund’s positions and the Shareholders’ desire for liquidity. A Shareholder whose Shares (or a portion thereof) are repurchased by the Fund will not be entitled to a return of any sales charge that was charged in connection with the Shareholder’s purchase of the Shares.

 

Shares will be repurchased at their NAV no later than the fourteenth day after the Repurchase Request Deadline, or the next Business Day if the fourteenth day is not a Business Day. Shareholders tendering Shares for repurchase will be asked to give written notice of their intent to do so by the date specified in the notice describing the terms of the applicable repurchase offer, which date will be no more than fourteen (14) days prior to the date on which the repurchase price for shares is determined (the “Valuation Date”). Shareholders who tender may not have all of the tendered Shares repurchased by the Fund. If over-subscriptions occur, the Fund may elect to repurchase less than the full amount that a Shareholder requests to be repurchased. In such an event, the Fund may repurchase only a pro rata portion of the amount tendered by each Shareholder.

 

In certain circumstances, the Board may require a Shareholder to tender its Shares if, among other reasons, the Board determines that continued ownership of such Shares by the Shareholder may be harmful or injurious to the business or reputation of the Fund, or may subject the Fund or any Shareholder to an undue risk of adverse tax or other fiscal consequences, or would otherwise be in the best interests of the Fund.

 

A Shareholder who tenders for repurchase only a portion of his Shares in the Fund will be required to maintain a minimum account balance of $2,500. If a Shareholder tenders a portion of his Shares and the repurchase of that portion would cause the Shareholder’s account balance to fall below this required minimum of $2,500, the Fund reserves the right to repurchase all of such Shareholder’s outstanding Shares. Such minimum capital account balance requirement may also be waived by the Board in its sole discretion, subject to applicable federal securities laws.

 

TENDER/REPURCHASE PROCEDURES

 

Once each quarter, the Fund will offer to repurchase at per-class NAV per Share no less than 5% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements (as discussed below). For each repurchase offer, the Board will set an amount between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s Shares based on relevant factors, including the liquidity of the Fund’s positions and the Shareholders’ desire for liquidity. The offer to purchase shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the Investment Company Act). Shareholders will be notified in writing of each quarterly repurchase offer, how they may request that the Fund repurchase their Shares, and the date the repurchase offer ends (the “Repurchase Request Deadline”) (i.e., the date by which Shareholders can tender their Shares in response to a repurchase offer). Shares will be repurchased at the per-class NAV per Share determined as of the close of business no later than the fourteenth day after the Repurchase Request Deadline, or the next Business Day if the fourteenth day is not a Business Day (each a “Repurchase Pricing Date”).

 

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The time between the notification to Shareholders and the Repurchase Request Deadline is generally thirty (30) days, but may vary from no more than forty-two (42) days to no less than twenty-one (21) days. Shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline will be repurchased subject to the aggregate repurchase amounts established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. The Shareholder Notification will contain information Shareholders should consider in deciding whether to tender their Shares for repurchase.

 

The Shareholder Notification also will include detailed instructions on how to tender Shares for repurchase, state the Repurchase Offer Amount and identify the dates of the Repurchase Request Deadline, the scheduled Repurchase Pricing Date, and the date the repurchase proceeds are scheduled for payment (the “Repurchase Payment Deadline”). The Shareholder Notification also will set forth the NAV per Share that has been computed no more than seven (7) days before the date of such notification, and how Shareholders may ascertain the NAV per Share after the notification date. Payment pursuant to the repurchase will be made by checks to the Shareholder’s address of record, or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Repurchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven (7) days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board may establish other policies for repurchases of Shares that are consistent with the Investment Company Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws. The timeline below summarizes the key dates in the repurchase process:

 

 

 

* Or the next business day, if the 14 th day is not a business day.

 

If Shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of Shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding Shares of the Fund on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if Shareholders tender Shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2% of the outstanding Shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase the Shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all shares tendered for repurchase by Shareholders who own less than $2,500 worth of Shares and who tender all of their Shares, before prorating other amounts tendered. In addition, the Fund will accept the total number of Shares tendered in connection with required minimum distributions from an IRA or other qualified retirement plan. It is the Shareholder’s obligation to both notify and provide the Fund supporting documentation of a required minimum distribution from an IRA or other qualified retirement plan.

 

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The Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer only: (a) if making or effecting the repurchase offer would cause the Fund to lose its status as a regulated investment company under the Code; (b) for any period during which the NYSE or any market on which the securities owned by the Fund are principally traded is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during which trading in such market is restricted; (c) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable, or during which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or (d) for such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of Shareholders of the Fund.

 

The Fund must maintain liquid assets equal to the Repurchase Offer Amount from the time that the Shareholder Notification is sent to Shareholders until the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Fund will ensure that a percentage of its net assets equal to at least 100% of the Repurchase Offer Amount consists of assets that can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which the Fund has valued the investment within the time period between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Payment Deadline. The Board has adopted procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that the Fund’s assets are sufficiently liquid so that the Fund can comply with the repurchase offer and the liquidity requirements described in the previous paragraph. If, at any time, the Fund falls out of compliance with these liquidity requirements, the Board will take whatever action it deems appropriate to ensure compliance.

 

The Fund may cause a mandatory repurchase or redemption of all or some of the Shares of a Shareholder, or any person acquiring Shares from or through a Shareholder, at net asset value in accordance with the Declaration of Trust and Section 23 of the Investment Company Act and Rule 23c-2 thereunder.

 

TRANSFERS OF SHARES

 

No person shall become a substituted Shareholder of the Fund without the consent of the Fund, which consent may be withheld in its sole discretion. Shares held by Shareholders may be transferred only: (i) by operation of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency, or adjudicated incompetence of the Shareholder; or (ii) under other limited circumstances, with the consent of the Board (which may be withheld in its sole discretion and is expected to be granted, if at all, only under extenuating circumstances).

 

Notice to the Fund of any proposed transfer must include evidence satisfactory to the Board that the proposed transferee, at the time of transfer, meets any requirements imposed by the Fund with respect to investor eligibility and suitability. Notice of a proposed transfer of a Share must also be accompanied by a properly completed investor application in respect of the proposed transferee. In connection with any request to transfer Shares, the Fund may require the Shareholder requesting the transfer to obtain, at the Shareholder’s expense, an opinion of counsel selected by the Fund as to such matters as the Fund may reasonably request. The Board generally will not consent to a transfer of Shares by a Shareholder (i) unless such transfer is to a single transferee, or (ii) if, after the transfer of the Shares, the balance of the account of each of the transferee and transferor is less than $2,500. Each transferring Shareholder and transferee may be charged reasonable expenses, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ and accountants’ fees, incurred by the Fund in connection with the transfer.

 

Any transferee acquiring Shares by operation of law in connection with the death, divorce, bankruptcy, insolvency, or adjudicated incompetence of the Shareholder, will be entitled to the distributions allocable to the Shares so acquired, to transfer the Shares in accordance with the terms of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and to tender the Shares for repurchase by the Fund, but will not be entitled to the other rights of a Shareholder unless and until the transferee becomes a substituted Shareholder as specified in the Agreement and Declaration of Trust. If a Shareholder transfers Shares with the approval of the Board, the Fund shall as promptly as practicable take all necessary actions so that each transferee or successor to whom the Shares are transferred is admitted to the Fund as a Shareholder.

 

By subscribing for Shares, each Shareholder agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the Board, the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers, the Administrator, the Custodian and each other Shareholder, and any affiliate of the foregoing against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including legal or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs, and expenses or any judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement), joint or several, to which such persons may become subject by reason of or arising from any transfer made by that Shareholder in violation of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust or any misrepresentation made by that Shareholder in connection with any such transfer.

 

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ANTI-MONEY LAUNDERING

 

If the Fund, the Investment Manager or any governmental agency believes that the Fund has sold Shares to, or is otherwise holding assets of, any person or entity that is acting, directly or indirectly, in violation of U.S., international or other anti-money laundering laws, rules, regulations, treaties or other restrictions, or on behalf of any suspected terrorist or terrorist organization, suspected drug trafficker, or senior foreign political figure(s) suspected of engaging in corruption, the Fund, the Investment Manager or such governmental agency may freeze the assets of such person or entity invested in the Fund or suspend the repurchase of Shares. The Fund may also be required to, or deem it necessary or advisable to, remit or transfer those assets to a governmental agency, in some cases without prior notice to the investor.

 

CREDIT FACILITY

 

The Fund, or SPVs that are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Fund, may enter into one or more credit agreements or other similar agreements negotiated on market terms (each, a “Borrowing Transaction”) with one or more banks or other financial institutions which may or may not be affiliated with the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser (each, a “Financial Institution”) as chosen by the Investment Manager and approved by the Board.  The Fund may borrow under a credit facility for a number of reasons, including without limitation, in connection with its investment activities, to make quarterly income distributions, to satisfy repurchase requests from Shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity.  To facilitate such Borrowing Transactions, the Fund may pledge its assets to the Financial Institution.

 

CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

GENERAL

 

The Administrator calculates the Fund’s NAV as of the close of business on each Business Day and at such other times as the Board may determine, including in connection with repurchases of Shares, in accordance with the procedures described below or as may be determined from time to time in accordance with policies established by the Board.

 

Investments in securities that are listed on the NYSE are valued, except as indicated below, at the last sale price reflected at the close of the NYSE on the Business Day as of which such value is being determined. If there has been no sale on such day, the securities are valued at the mean of the closing bid and asked prices for the day or, if no asked price is available, at the bid price. Securities not listed on the NYSE but listed on other domestic or foreign securities exchanges are valued in a similar manner. Securities traded on more than one securities exchange are valued at the last sale price on the Business Day as of which such value is being determined as reflected on the tape at the close of the exchange representing the principal market for such securities. If, after the close of a foreign market, but prior to the close of business on the day the securities are being valued, market conditions change significantly, certain foreign securities may be valued pursuant to procedures established by the Board.

 

Before selecting any Sub-Adviser, the Investment Manager will conduct a due diligence review of the valuation methodology utilized by such Sub-Adviser, and the Board will approve such methodology. As a general matter, the Fund calculates its NAV using the day-to-day valuations of its sub-advised assets provided by the Sub-Advisers and their respective agents. After allocating assets to a Sub-Adviser, the Investment Manager will monitor the valuation methodology used by such Sub-Advisers. Furthermore, the Board will review and approve in advance the valuation methodology of any independent pricing service used and confirm that the Board’s Valuation Committee will regularly review the historical accuracy of the fair value methodologies.

 

As a general matter, to value the Fund’s investments, the Sub-Advisers’ will use current market values when available, and otherwise value the Fund’s investments with fair value methodologies that the Investment Manager believes to be consistent with those used by the Fund for valuing its investments.  These fair value calculations will involve significant professional judgment by the Sub-Advisers in the application of both observable and unobservable attributes, and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may differ materially from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security. There is no single standard for determining fair value of an investment. Likewise, there can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to purchase or sell an investment at the fair value price used to calculate the Fund’s NAV. Rather, in determining the fair value of an investment for which there are no readily available market quotations, the Fund and the Sub-Advisers may consider several factors, including: (1) evaluation of all relevant factors, including but not limited to, pricing history, current market level, supply and demand of the respective investment; (2) comparison to the values and current pricing of investments that have comparable characteristics; (3) knowledge of historical market information with respect to the investment; (4) other factors relevant to the investment which would include, but not be limited to, duration, yield, fundamental analytical data, the Treasury yield curve, and credit quality. The Sub-Adviser may also consider periodic financial statements (audited and unaudited) or other information provided by the investment’s borrower. The Sub-Advisers will attempt to obtain current valuation information from the borrower to value all fair valued investments, but it is anticipated that such information could be available on no more than a quarterly basis. This is especially true as it relates to direct loans. Furthermore, the Board and the Investment Manager may not have the ability to assess the accuracy of the valuation information from the borrowers.

 

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The Investment Manager will monitor the valuations of Fund investments provided by the Sub-Advisers and review any material concerns with the Valuation Committee. The Investment Manager and the Board will consider, no less frequently than quarterly, all relevant information and the reliability of pricing information provided by the Sub-Advisers. They may conclude, however, in certain circumstances, that a fair valuation provided by a Sub-Adviser does not represent the fair value of a Fund investment and is not indicative of what actual fair value would be in an active, liquid or established market. In those circumstances, the Fund might value such investment at a discount or a premium to the value it receives from the Sub-Adviser, in accordance with the Fund’s valuation procedures. Any such decision would be made in good faith, and subject to the review and supervision of the Valuation Committee.

 

Additionally, the values of the Fund’s direct loan investments are adjusted daily based on the estimated total return that the asset will generate during the current quarter. The Investment Manager and the Valuation Committee monitor these estimates regularly and update them as necessary if macro or individual changes warrant any adjustments. At the end of the quarter, each direct loan’s value is adjusted based on the actual income and appreciation or depreciation realized by such loan when its quarterly valuations and income are reported. This information is updated as soon as the information becomes available.

 

SUSPENSION OF CALCULATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

 

As noted above, the Administrator calculates the Fund’s NAV as of the close of business on each Business Day. However, there may be circumstances where it may not be practicable to determine an NAV, including, but not limited to during any period when the principal stock exchanges for securities in which the Fund has invested its assets are closed other than for weekends and customary holidays (or when trading on such exchanges is restricted or suspended), or an emergency exists as determined by the SEC, making securities sales or determinations of NAV not practicable, or the SEC permits a delay for the protection of shareholders. In such circumstances, the Board (after consultation with the Investment Manager) may suspend the calculation of NAV.  The Fund will not accept subscriptions for Shares if the calculation of NAV is suspended, and the suspension may require the termination of a pending repurchase offer by the Fund (or the postponement of the Valuation Date for a repurchase offer). Notwithstanding a suspension of the calculation of NAV, the Fund will be required to determine the value of its assets and report NAV in its semi-annual and annual reports to Shareholders and in its reports on Form N-Q filed with the SEC after the end of the first and third quarters of the Fund’s fiscal year.  The Administrator will resume calculation of the Fund’s NAV after the Board (in consultation with the Investment Manager) determines that conditions no longer require suspension of the calculation of NAV.

 

TAXES

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The following is a summary of certain material federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of Shares. Because the federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund may vary from Shareholder to Shareholder depending on each Shareholder’s unique federal income tax circumstances, this summary does not attempt to discuss all of the federal income tax consequences of such an investment. Among other things, except in certain limited cases, this summary does not purport to deal with persons in special situations (such as financial institutions, non-U.S. persons, insurance companies, entities exempt from federal income tax, regulated investment companies, dealers in commodities and securities and pass through entities). Further, to the limited extent this summary discusses possible foreign, state and local income tax consequences, it does so in a very general manner. Finally, this summary does not purport to discuss federal tax consequences (such as estate and gift tax consequences other than those arising under the federal income tax laws). You are therefore urged to consult your tax advisers to determine the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences of acquiring, holding and disposing of Shares.

 

The following summary is based upon the Code as well as administrative regulations and rulings and judicial decisions thereunder, as of the date hereof, all of which are subject to change at any time (possibly on a retroactive basis). Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the tax consequences to the Fund or its shareholder will continue to be as described herein.

 

The Fund has not sought or obtained a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) (or any other federal, state, local or foreign governmental agency) or an opinion of legal counsel as to any specific federal, state, local or foreign tax matter that may affect it. Accordingly, although this summary is considered to be a correct interpretation of applicable law, no assurance can be given that a court or taxing authority will agree with such interpretation or with the tax positions taken by the Fund.

 

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Except where specifically noted, this summary relates solely to U.S. Shareholders. A U.S. Shareholder for purposes of this discussion is a person who is a citizen or a resident alien of the U.S., a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) organized under the laws of the U.S. or any political subdivision thereof, an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source or a trust if: (i) a U.S. court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more U.S. persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (ii) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable Treasury Regulations to be treated as a U.S. person.

 

TAXATION OF THE FUND

 

The below is a summary of certain U.S. federal income tax considerations relevant under current law, which is subject to change. Except where otherwise specifically indicated, the discussion relates to investors who are individual U.S. citizens or residents. You should consult your own tax adviser regarding tax considerations relevant to your specific situation, including federal, state, local and non-U.S. taxes.

 

The Fund intends to qualify as a RIC under federal income tax law. As a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal corporate income taxes, provided that it distributes out to Shareholders their taxable income and gain each year. To qualify for treatment as a RIC, the Fund must meet three important tests each year.

 

First, the 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, 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 interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships. It should be noted that to the extent the Fund earns any fees from the origination of loans, such fee income will generally not be included as income that satisfies the 90% test described in the preceding sentence.

 

Second, generally, at the close of each quarter of its taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs, 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 the issuer and as to which the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of the 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, the 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.

 

The Fund intends to comply with this distribution requirement. If the 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 RIC. If for any taxable year the Fund were not to qualify as a RIC, 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 RICs 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). The Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions each year to avoid liability for this excise tax.

 

Certain of the Fund’s investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a taxable year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in debt obligations that will be treated as having “market discount” and/or OID for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Additionally, some of the CLOs in which the Fund may invest may constitute passive foreign investment companies, or under certain circumstances, controlled foreign corporations. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to RICs and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, raise additional debt or equity capital, make taxable distributions of its Shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make income distributions and/or meet repurchase requests. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize gain or loss on such liquidations; in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, the Shareholders may receive larger capital gain distributions than they would in the absence of such transactions. Additionally, liquidation of Fund assets in order to meet Share redemptions may impact the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC under the Code as described above.

 

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The Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade instruments. Investments in these types of instruments may present special tax issues for the Fund. U.S. federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless instruments, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and income and whether exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues will be addressed by the Fund to the extent necessary to seek to ensure that it distributes sufficient income that it does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

Distributions To Shareholders . The Fund contemplates declaring as dividends each year all or substantially all of its taxable income and intends to make quarterly distributions. In general, distributions will be taxable to you for federal, state and local income tax purposes unless you are a tax-exempt entity, including qualified retirement plans or individual retirement accounts. Distributions are taxable whether they are received in cash or reinvested in Shares. Each Shareholder whose Shares are registered in its own name will automatically be a participant under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment program (the “DRIP”) and have all income dividends and/or capital gains distributions automatically reinvested in Shares priced at the then-current net asset value (“NAV”) unless such Shareholder, at any time, specifically elects to receive income dividends and/or capital gains distributions in cash. A Shareholder receiving Shares under the DRIP instead of cash distributions may still owe taxes and, because Fund Shares are generally illiquid, may need other sources of funds to pay any taxes due. Thus, to the extent a Shareholder participates in the DRIP, a Shareholder may thus recognize income and gains taxable for federal, state and local income tax purposes and not receive any cash distributions to pay any resulting taxes.

 

Fund distributions, if any, that are attributable to “qualified dividend income” or “long-term capital gains” earned by the Fund would be taxable to non-corporate Shareholders at reduced rates. Shareholders must have owned the Shares for at least sixty-one (61) days during the one hundred twenty-one (121) day period beginning sixty (60) days before the ex-dividend date to benefit from the lower rates on qualified dividend income. However, U.S. individuals with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing jointly) and trusts and estates with income above specified levels are subject to a 3.8% tax on their net investment income, which includes interest, dividends and capital gains. Because the Fund’s income is derived primarily from sources that do not pay “qualified dividend income,” dividends from the Fund generally are not expected to qualify for taxation at the long-term capital gain rates available to individuals on qualified dividend income.

 

Shareholders are generally taxed on any dividends from the Fund in the year they are actually distributed. Dividends declared in October, November or December of a year, and paid in January of the following year, will generally be treated for federal income tax purposes as having been paid to Shareholders on December 31 st of the year in which the dividend was declared.

 

Expenses . As long as the Fund is not continuously offered pursuant to a public offering, regularly traded on an established securities market or does not have at least five hundred (500) Shareholders at all times during the taxable year, certain expenses incurred by the Fund that if paid by an individual would be treated only as “miscellaneous itemized deductions” are generally not deductible by the Fund. Instead each Shareholder will be treated as if it received a dividend in an amount equal to its allocable share of the Fund’s expenses and then having paid such expenses itself. For non-corporate taxpayers, such expenses will generally be “miscellaneous itemized deductions” and under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 and before January 1, 2026, the ability non-corporate taxpayers to deduct miscellaneous itemized deductions has been suspended.

 

Certain Withholding Taxes. The Fund may be subject to taxes, including foreign withholding taxes, attributable to investments of the Fund. If at the close of the Fund’s taxable year more than 50% of the value of its assets consists of foreign stock or securities, the Fund will be eligible to elect, for federal income tax purposes, to treat certain foreign taxes paid by it, including generally any withholding and other foreign income taxes, as paid by its Shareholders. If the Fund so elects, the pro rata amount of such foreign taxes paid by the Fund will be included in its Shareholders’ income and each such Shareholder will be entitled either (1) to credit that proportional amount of taxes against U.S. Federal income tax liability as a foreign tax credit or (2) to take that amount as an itemized deduction. The Fund does not expect to be able to make such election.

 

Sales, Exchanges And Redemptions. Shareholders will recognize a taxable gain or loss on a sale, exchange or redemption of Shares in an amount equal to the difference between the Shareholder’s tax basis in the Shares and the amount the Shareholder receives for them. Generally, this gain or loss will be long-term or short-term depending on whether the holding period exceeds twelve (12) months. Additionally, any loss realized on a disposition of Shares of the Fund may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules to the extent the Shares disposed of are replaced with other Shares of the Fund within a period of sixty-one (61) days beginning thirty (30) days before and ending thirty (30) days after the Shares are disposed of, such as pursuant to a dividend reinvestment in Shares of the Fund. If disallowed, the loss will be reflected in an upward adjustment to the basis of the Shares acquired.

 

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The Fund is required to compute and report the cost basis on Shares sold or exchanged. The Fund has elected to use the First In, First Out (“FIFO”) method unless it is instructed to select a different method, or a Shareholder chooses to specifically identify Shares at the time of each sale or exchange. If a Shareholder’s account is held by a broker or other adviser, they may select a different method. In these cases, Shareholders should contact the holder of the Shares to obtain information with respect to the available methods and elections for such accounts. Shareholders should carefully review the cost basis information provided by the Fund and make any additional basis, holding period or other adjustments that are required when reporting these amounts on federal and state income tax returns.

 

IRAs and Other Tax Qualified Plans. In general, dividends received and gain or loss realized with respect to Shares held in an IRA or other tax qualified plan are not currently taxable unless the Shares were acquired with borrowed funds. Furthermore, a tax-exempt shareholder may recognize unrelated taxable business income if the Fund recognizes “excess inclusion income” derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs if the amount of such income recognized by the Fund exceeds the Fund’s investment company taxable income (after taking into account deductions for dividends paid by the Fund).

 

Pursuant to the Regulations directed at tax shelter activity, taxpayers are required to disclose to the IRS certain information on Form 8886 if they participate in a “reportable transaction.”  A transaction may be a “reportable transaction” based upon any of several indicia with respect to a Shareholder, including the recognition of a loss in excess of certain thresholds (for individuals, $2 million in one year or $4 million in any combination of years).  Investors should consult their own tax advisers concerning any possible disclosure obligation with respect to their investment in Shares.

 

U.S. Tax Treatment Of Foreign Shareholders. Nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors in the Fund will generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax on Fund distributions attributable to net capital gains. However, the Fund does not expect to make significant distributions that will be designated as net capital gains. The exemption may not apply, however, if the investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the foreign investor in the United States or if the foreign investor is present in the United States for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.

 

Fund distributions attributable to other categories of Fund income, such as interest, and dividends from companies whose securities are held by the Fund, will generally be subject to a 30% withholding tax when paid to foreign Shareholders. However, the Fund may be able to designate a portion of the distributions made as interest related dividends or short term capital gain dividends which are generally exempt from this withholding tax. The withholding tax may, however, be reduced (and, in some cases, eliminated) under an applicable tax treaty between the United States and a Shareholder’s country of residence or incorporation, provided that the Shareholder furnishes the Fund with a properly completed Form W-8BEN to establish entitlement for these treaty benefits.

 

A foreign Shareholder will generally not be subject to U.S. tax on gains realized on sales or exchanges of Shares unless the investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the Shareholder in the United States or if the Shareholder is present in the United States for one hundred eighty-three (183) days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.

 

In addition, the Fund will be required to withhold 30% tax on payments to foreign entities that do not meet specified information reporting requirements under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

 

All foreign Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers regarding the tax consequences of an investment in the Fund in their country of residence.

 

State and Local Taxes . In addition to the U.S. federal income tax consequences summarized above, you may be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and redemptions. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on U.S. government securities.

 

Information Reporting And Backup Withholding. Under applicable “backup withholding” requirements, the Fund may be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the IRS 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 IRS 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 amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a Shareholder will be allowed as a credit against the Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle such a Shareholder to a refund, provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

 

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Other Tax Matters

 

The preceding is a summary of some of the tax rules and considerations affecting Shareholders and the Fund’s operations and does not purport to be a complete analysis of all relevant tax rules and considerations, nor does it purport to be a complete listing of all potential tax risks inherent in making an investment in the Fund. A Shareholder may be subject to other taxes, including but not limited to, state and local taxes, estate and inheritance taxes, and intangible taxes that may be imposed by various jurisdictions. The Fund also may be subject to state, local, and foreign taxes that could reduce cash distributions to Shareholders. It is the responsibility of each Shareholder to file all appropriate tax returns that may be required. Each prospective Shareholder is urged to consult with his or her tax adviser with respect to any investment in the Fund.

 

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ERISA AND CODE CONSIDERATIONS

 

Persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an employee benefit plan or other arrangements subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) (an “ERISA Plan”), certain individual retirement accounts (“IRAs”), or certain Keogh plans, should consider, among other things, the matters described below before determining whether to invest in the Fund. ERISA imposes certain general and specific responsibilities on persons who are fiduciaries with respect to an ERISA Plan, including prudence, diversification, the avoidance of prohibited transactions, and other standards. In determining whether a particular investment is appropriate for an ERISA Plan, U.S. Department of Labor regulations provide that a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan must give appropriate consideration to, among other things, the role that the investment plays in the ERISA Plan’s portfolio, whether the investment is designed reasonably to further the ERISA Plan’s purposes, the risk and return factors, the portfolio’s composition with regard to diversification, the liquidity and current total return of the portfolio relative to the anticipated cash flow needs of the ERISA Plan and the proposed investment, the income taxes (if any) attributable to the investment, and the projected return of the investment relative to the ERISA Plan’s funding objectives. Before investing the assets of an ERISA Plan in the Fund, an ERISA Plan fiduciary should determine whether such an investment is consistent with ERISA’s fiduciary responsibilities and the foregoing considerations. If a fiduciary with respect to any such ERISA Plan breaches such responsibilities with regard to selecting an investment or an investment course of action for such ERISA Plan, the fiduciary may be held personally liable for losses incurred by the ERISA Plan as a result of such breach. Non-ERISA-covered IRAs and Keogh plans and other arrangements not subject to ERISA, but subject to the prohibited transaction rules of Section 4975 of the Code (“Code Plans”; together with ERISA Plans, “Plans”), should determine whether an investment in the Fund will violate those rules.

 

Because the Fund will be registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, the underlying assets of the Fund will not be considered “plan assets” of the Plans investing in the Fund for purposes of ERISA’s fiduciary responsibility rules and ERISA and the Code’s prohibited transaction rules. Thus, neither the Investment Manager nor any Sub-Adviser will be a fiduciary within the meaning of ERISA and the Code with respect to the assets of any Plan that becomes a Shareholder of the Fund, solely as a result of the Plan’s investment in the Fund.

 

Certain prospective ERISA Plan investors may currently maintain relationships with the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser or with other entities that are affiliated with the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser. Each of such persons may be deemed to be a party in interest to, a disqualified person of, and/or a fiduciary of any ERISA Plan to which it provides investment management, investment advisory, or other services. ERISA and the Code prohibit ERISA Plan assets from being used for the benefit of a party in interest or disqualified person and also prohibit a fiduciary from using its position to cause the ERISA Plan to make an investment from which it or certain third parties in which such fiduciary has an interest would receive a fee or other consideration. ERISA Plan investors should consult with legal counsel to determine if participation in the Fund is a transaction that is prohibited by ERISA or the Code. ERISA Plan fiduciaries will be required to represent that the decision to invest in the Fund was made by them as fiduciaries that are independent of such affiliated persons, that they are duly authorized to make such investment decisions, and that they have not relied on any individualized advice or recommendation of such affiliated persons as a primary basis for the decision to invest in the Fund.

 

The provisions of ERISA and the Code are subject to extensive and continuing administrative and judicial interpretation and review. The discussion of ERISA and the Code contained herein is, of necessity, general and may be affected by the future publication or the future applicability of final regulations and rulings. Potential investors should consult with their legal advisers regarding the consequences under ERISA and the Code of the acquisition and ownership of Shares.

 

DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

The Fund is authorized to offer two separate classes of Shares designated as Class A Shares and Class I Shares. The Fund may offer other classes of Shares as well in the future. From time to time, the Board may create and offer additional classes of Shares, or may vary the characteristics of Class A, and/or Class I Shares described herein, including without limitation, in the following respects: (1) the amount of fees permitted by a distribution and/or service plan as to such class; (2) voting rights with respect to a distribution and/or service plan as to such class; (3) different class designations; (4) the impact of any class expenses directly attributable to a particular class of Shares; (5) differences in any dividends and net asset values resulting from differences in fees under a distribution and/or service plan or in class expenses; (6) any sales load structure; and (7) any conversion features, as permitted under the Investment Company Act. The Fund’s repurchase offers will be made to all of its classes of Shares at the same time, in the same proportional amounts and on the same terms, except for differences in net asset values resulting from differences in fees under a distribution and/or service plan or in class expenses.

 

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PURCHASING SHARES

 

PURCHASE TERMS

 

The minimum initial investment in Class A Shares by any investor is $10,000 and the minimum initial investment in Class I Shares by any investor is $10,000,000. The minimum additional investment in the Fund by any Shareholder is $5,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below these minimums. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Investment Manager or the Sub-Advisers or their affiliates and their immediate family members without being subject to the minimum investment requirements. The Shares will initially be issued at $100.00 per share, and thereafter, the purchase price for each class of Shares will be based on the NAV per Share of that Class as of the date such Shares are purchased.

 

Class A Shares are sold at the public offering price, which is the NAV plus an initial maximum 5.00% sales charge, which varies with the amount you invest as shown in the following chart. This means that part of your investment in the Fund will be used to pay the sales charge.

 

Class A Shares – Sales Charge Schedule
Your Investment

Front-End Sales Charge

As a % Of Offering Price*

Front-End Sales Charge

As a % Of Net Investment

Dealer Reallowance

As a % of Offering Price

Up to $24,999 5.00% 5.26% 5.00%
$25,000 - $49,999 4.50% 4.71% 4.00%
$50,000 - $99,999 4.00% 4.17% 3.50%
$100,000 - $249,999 3.50% 3.63% 3.00%
$250,000 - $499,999 3.00% 3.09% 2.50%
$500,000 - $999,999 2.00% 2.04% 1.50%
$1 million or more None None None
* The offering price includes the sales charge.

 

Class I Shares are not subject to any initial sales charge.

 

Shares will generally be offered for purchase on each Business Day, except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion. The Board may also suspend or terminate offerings of Shares at any time.

 

Except as otherwise permitted by the Board, initial and subsequent purchases of Shares will be payable in cash. Orders will be priced at the appropriate price next computed after the order is received by the Administrator. The Fund reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept or reject any subscription to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time. In the event that cleared funds and/or a properly completed investor application are not received from a prospective investor prior to the cut-off times pertaining to a particular offering, the Fund may hold the relevant funds and investor application for processing in the next offering.

 

In general, an investment will be accepted if a completed investor application and funds are received in good order. The Fund reserves the right to reject, in its sole discretion, any request to purchase Shares in the Fund at any time.

 

Letters of Intent

 

You may be eligible for a reduced sales charge if you assure the Fund in writing that you intend to invest at least $25,000 in Class A Shares over the next 13 months in exchange for a reduced sales charge (“Letter of Intent”). By signing a Letter of Intent you can purchase Class A Shares at a lower sales charge level. Your individual purchases will be made at the applicable sales charge based on the amount you intend to invest over a 13-month period as stated in the Letter of Intent. Any Shares purchased within 90 days prior to the date you sign the Letter of Intent may be used as credit toward completion of the stated amount, but the reduced sales charge will only apply to new purchases made on or after the date of the Letter of Intent. Purchases resulting from the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains do not apply toward fulfillment of the Letter of Intent. Shares equal to 5.00% of the amount stated in the Letter of Intent will be held in escrow during the 13-month period. If, at the end of the period, the total net amount invested is less than the amount stated in the Letter of Intent, you will be required to pay the difference between the reduced sales charge and the sales charge applicable to the individual net amounts invested had the Letter of Intent not been in effect. This amount will be obtained from redemption of the escrowed Shares. Any remaining escrowed Shares after payment to the Fund of the difference in applicable sales charges will be released to you. If you establish a Letter of Intent with the Fund, you can aggregate your accounts as well as the accounts of your immediate family members. You will need to provide written instructions with respect to the other accounts whose purchases should be considered in fulfillment of the Letter of Intent.

 

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R ight of Accumulation

 

For the purposes of determining the applicable reduced sales charge, the right of accumulation may allow you to include prior purchases of Class A Shares of the Fund, as well as reinvested distributions, as part of your current investment.

 

In order for your purchases and holdings to be aggregated for purposes of qualifying for such discount, they must have been made through one financial intermediary and you must provide sufficient information to your financial intermediary at the time of initial purchase of shares that qualify for the right of accumulation to permit verification that the purchase qualifies for the reduced sales charge.

 

TERM, DISSOLUTION AND LIQUIDATION

 

The Fund may be dissolved upon approval of a majority of the Trustees. Upon the liquidation of the Fund, its assets will be distributed first to satisfy (whether by payment or the making of a reasonable provision for payment) the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund, including actual or anticipated liquidation expenses, other than debts, liabilities or obligations to Shareholders, and then to the Shareholders proportionately in accordance with the amount of Shares that they own. Assets may be distributed in-kind on a proportionate basis if the Board or liquidator determines that the distribution of assets in-kind would be in the interests of the Shareholders in facilitating an orderly liquidation.

 

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

 

The Fund will furnish to Shareholders as soon as practicable after the end of each of its taxable years such information as is necessary for them to complete U.S. federal and state income tax or information returns, along with any other tax information required by law. The Fund anticipates sending Shareholders an unaudited semi-annual and an audited annual report within 60 days after the close of the period for which the report is being made, or as otherwise required by the Investment Company Act. Shareholders also will be sent reports regarding the Fund’s operations each quarter.

 

FISCAL YEAR

 

The Fund’s fiscal year is the 12-month period ending on December 31. The Fund’s taxable year is the 12-month period ending on December 31.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL

 

The Board has selected Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 151 North Franklin Street, Suite 575, Chicago, Illinois 60606 as the independent registered public accountants of the Fund.

 

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees.

 

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INQUIRIES

 

Inquiries concerning the Fund and Shares (including procedures for purchasing Shares) should be directed to the Fund’s Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. at 235 West Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Page

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES 3
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES 3
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 5
CODES OF ETHICS 12
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES 12
BROKERAGE 21
TAX MATTERS 22
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL 28
CUSTODIAN 28
DISTRIBUTOR 29
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 29
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 29
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 29
APPENDIX A – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A-1
APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS B-1

 

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Cliffwater CORPORATE Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

1 (888) 442-4420

 

Investment Manager

Cliffwater LLC

4640 Admiralty Way, 11 th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6623

Transfer Agent / Administrator

UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Custodian Bank

State Street Bank and Trust Company

1 Iron Street

Boston MA 02210

Distributor

Foreside Fund Services, LLC

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, ME 04101

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Cohen & Company, Ltd.

151 North Franklin Street, Suite 575,

Chicago, Illinois 60606

Fund Counsel

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Suite 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND

Class A Shares CCLDX
Class I Shares CCLFX

  

Dated March 4, 2019

 

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

1 (888) 442-4420

 

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to and should be read in conjunction with the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) of the Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) dated March 4, 2019, as it may be further amended or supplemented from time to time. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by contacting the Fund at the telephone number or address set forth above.

 

This SAI is not an offer to sell shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) of the Fund and is not soliciting an offer to buy Shares in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the same meaning set forth in the Prospectus.

 

Shares are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Distributor”) to institutions and financial intermediaries who may distribute Shares to clients and customers (including affiliates and correspondents) of the Fund’s investment adviser, and to clients and customers of other organizations, including the Sub-Advisers. The Fund’s Prospectus, which is dated March 4, 2019, provides basic information investors should know before investing. This SAI is intended to provide additional information regarding the activities and operations of the Fund and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus.

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES 3
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES 3
BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 5
CODES OF ETHICS 12
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES 12
BROKERAGE 21
TAX MATTERS 22
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL 28
CUSTODIAN 28
DISTRIBUTOR 29
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 29
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS 29
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 29
APPENDIX A – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES A-1
APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS B-1

 

 

 

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

 

The investment objective of the Fund, as well as the principal investment strategies of the Fund and the principal risks associated with such investment strategies, are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain additional information regarding the investment program of the Fund is set forth below.

 

FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES

 

The Fund’s fundamental policies, which are listed below, may only be changed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund. No other policy is a fundamental policy of the Fund, except as expressly stated. At the present time the Shares are the only outstanding voting securities of the Fund. As defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), the vote of a “majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund” means the vote, at an annual or special meeting of the Shareholders of the Fund, duly called, (i) of 67% or more of the Shares represented at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares are present in person or represented by proxy or (ii) of more than 50% of the outstanding Shares, whichever is less. Within the limits of the fundamental policies of the Fund, the management of the Fund has reserved freedom of action.

 

Fundamental Policies:

 

The Fund may:

 

(1) borrow money and issue senior securities (as defined under the Investment Company Act), except as prohibited under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder (except as permitted by an exemption therefrom), as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted by the SEC from time to time.

 

(2) underwrite securities issued by other persons, except as prohibited under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder (except as permitted by an exemption therefrom), as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted by the SEC from time to time.

 

(3) make loans, except as prohibited under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder (except as permitted by an exemption therefrom), as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted by the SEC from time to time.

 

(4) may purchase or sell commodities or real estate, except as prohibited under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder (except as permitted by an exemption therefrom), as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted by the SEC from time to time.

 

(5) not concentrate investments in a particular industry or group of industries, as concentration is defined under the Investment Company Act, the rules and regulations thereunder or any exemption therefrom, as such statute, rules or regulations may be amended or interpreted from time to time, except that the Fund may invest without limitation in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities and repurchase agreements involving such securities or tax-exempt obligations of state or municipal governments and their political subdivisions.

 

3

 

With respect to these investment restrictions and other policies described in this SAI or the Prospectus, if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of an investment or transaction, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the values of investments or the value of the Fund’s total assets, unless otherwise stated, will not constitute a violation of such restriction or policy.

 

In addition to the above, the Fund has adopted the following additional fundamental policies:

 

it will make quarterly repurchase offers for no less than for 5% and not more than 25% (except as permitted by Rule 23c-3) of the shares outstanding at per-class net asset value per share (measured on the repurchase request deadline) less any repurchase fee, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements;

 

each repurchase request deadline will be determined in accordance with Rule 23c-3, as may be amended from time to time. Currently, Rule 23c-3 requires the repurchase request deadline to be no less than 21 and no more than 42 days after the Fund sends a notification to Shareholders of the repurchase offer; and

 

each repurchase pricing date will be determined in accordance with Rule 23c-3, as may be amended from time to time. Currently, Rule 23c-3 requires the repurchase pricing date to be no later than the 14th day after a repurchase request deadline, or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day.

 

THE FUND MAY CHANGE ITS INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES, RESTRICTIONS, STRATEGIES, AND TECHNIQUES.

 

Except as otherwise indicated, the Fund may change its investment objectives and any of its policies, restrictions, strategies, and techniques without Shareholder approval. The investment objective of the Fund is not a fundamental policy of the Fund and may be changed by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”) without the vote of a majority (as defined by the Investment Company Act) of the Fund’s outstanding Shares.

 

Non-Fundamental Policies:

 

The following investment limitations of the Fund are non-fundamental and may be changed by the Board without Shareholder approval.

 

1. The Fund may not invest directly in real estate. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing policy does not prevent the Fund from, among other things, purchasing securities of companies that deal in real estate or interests therein (including REITs).

 

2. The Fund may purchase or sell financial and physical commodities, commodity contracts based on (or relating to) physical commodities or financial commodities and securities and derivative instruments whose values are derived from (in whole or in part) physical commodities or financial commodities.

 

4

 

The following descriptions of the Investment Company Act may assist investors in understanding the above policies and restrictions.

 

Borrowing . The Investment Company Act restricts an investment company from borrowing in excess of 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed, but excluding temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets). Transactions that are fully collateralized in a manner that does not involve the prohibited issuance of a “senior security” within the meaning of Section 18(f) of the Investment Company Act shall not be regarded as borrowings for the purposes of the Fund’s investment restriction.

 

Concentration . The SEC staff has defined concentration as investing 25% or more of an investment company’s total assets in any particular industry or group of industries, with certain exceptions such as with respect to investments in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities. For purposes of the Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund may classify and re-classify companies in a particular industry and define and re-define industries in any reasonable manner, consistent with SEC guidance.

 

Senior Securities . Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by a fund evidencing indebtedness. The Investment Company Act generally prohibits funds from issuing senior securities, although it does not treat certain transactions as senior securities, such as certain borrowings, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements, firm commitment agreements and standby commitments, with appropriate earmarking or segregation of assets to cover such obligation.

 

Underwriting . Under the Investment Company Act, underwriting securities involves an investment company purchasing securities directly from an issuer for the purpose of selling (distributing) them or participating in any such activity either directly or indirectly.

 

Lending . Under the Investment Company Act, an investment company may only make loans if expressly permitted by its investment policies.

 

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

 

The business operations of the Fund are managed and supervised under the direction of the Board, subject to the laws of the State of Delaware and the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The Board has overall responsibility for the management and supervision of the business affairs of the Fund on behalf of its Shareholders, including the authority to establish policies regarding the management, conduct and operation of its business. The Board exercises the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are customarily exercised by the board of directors of a registered investment company organized as a corporation. The officers of the Fund conduct and supervise the daily business operations of the Fund.

 

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The members of the Board (each, a “Trustee”) are not required to contribute to the capital of the Fund or to hold Shares. A majority of Trustees of the Board are not “interested persons” (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of the Fund (collectively, the “Independent Trustees”). Any Trustee who is not an Independent Trustee is an interested trustee (“Interested Trustee”).

 

The identity of Trustees of the Board and officers of the Fund, and their brief biographical information, including their addresses, their year of birth and descriptions of their principal occupations during the past five years is set forth below.

 

The Trustees serve on the Board for terms of indefinite duration. A Trustee’s position in that capacity will terminate if the Trustee is removed or resigns or, among other events, upon the Trustee’s death, incapacity, retirement or bankruptcy. A Trustee may resign upon written notice to the other Trustees of the Fund and may be removed either by (i) the vote of at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund not subject to the removal vote or (ii) the vote of Shareholders of the Fund holding not less than two-thirds of the total number of votes eligible to be cast by all Shareholders of the Fund. In the event of any vacancy in the position of a Trustee, the remaining Trustees of the Fund may appoint an individual to serve as a Trustee so long as immediately after the appointment at least two-thirds of the Trustees of the Fund then serving have been elected by the Shareholders of the Fund. The Board may call a meeting of the Fund’s Shareholders to fill any vacancy in the position of a Trustee of the Fund and must do so if the Trustees who were elected by the Shareholders of the Fund cease to constitute a majority of the Trustees then serving on the Board.

 

INDEPENDENT TRUSTEES

 

Name, Address

and Year of Birth

Positions(s) Held

with the Fund

Length of

Time Served

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen

by Trustee

Other

Directorships Held

by Trustee During

Past 5 Years

David G. Lee

Year of Birth: 1952

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc. 

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee,

WI 53212 

Chairman and Trustee Since Inception President and Director, Client Opinions, Inc. (2003 – 2011); Chief Operating Officer, Brandywine Global Investment Management (1998 – 2002). 6 None

Robert Seyferth

Year of Birth: 1952

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St. 

Milwaukee,

WI 53212

Trustee Since Inception Chief Procurement Officer/Senior Managing Director, Bear Stearns/JP Morgan Chase (1993 – 2009). 6 None

Gary E. Shugrue

Year of Birth: 1954

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee,

WI 53212

Trustee Since Inception Managing Director, Veritable LP (2016 – Present); Founder/President, Ascendant Capital Partners, LP (2001 – 2015). 6 Trustee, Quaker Investment Trust (5 portfolios) (registered investment company); Scotia Institutional Funds (2006-2014) (3 portfolios) (registered investment company).

 

6

 

INTERESTED TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS

 

Name, Address

and Year of Birth

Positions(s) Held

with the Fund

Length of

Time Served

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

Number of

Portfolios in

Fund Complex

Overseen

by Trustee

Other

Directorships Held

by Trustee During

Past 5 Years

Anthony Fischer

Year of Birth: 1959

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc. 

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee,

WI 53212

 

Trustee Since Inception Executive Director - National Sales of UMB Bank for Institutional Banking and Asset Servicing (2018); President of UMB Fund Services (2014 – 2018); Executive Vice President in charge of Business Development, UMB Fund Services (2013 – 2014); Senior Vice President in Business Development, UMB Fund Services (2008 – 2013). 6 None

Terrance P. Gallagher

Year of Birth: 1958

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc. 

235 W. Galena St. 

Milwaukee,

WI 53212 

Trustee Since Inception Executive Vice President and Director of Fund Accounting, Administration and Tax; UMB Fund Services, Inc. (2007-present). 6 None

 

7

 

Stephen Nesbitt

Year of Birth: 1953

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St. 

Milwaukee,

WI 53212

President Since Inception Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Cliffwater LLC (2004 – Present). N/A N/A

Lance J. Johnson

Year of Birth: 1967

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St. 

Milwaukee,

WI 53212

Treasurer Since Inception Chief Operations Officer, Cliffwater LLC (2014 – Present); Senior Vice President, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (2013 – 2014). N/A N/A

Ann Maurer

Year of Birth: 1972

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc.

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee,
WI 53212

Secretary Since Inception Senior Vice President, Client Services (September 2017 – Present); Vice President, Senior Client Service Manager (January 2013 – September 2017), Assistant Vice President, Client Relations Manager (2002 – January 2013); UMB Fund Services, Inc. N/A N/A

Perpetua Seidenberg

Year of Birth: 1990

 

c/o UMB Fund

Services, Inc. 

235 W. Galena St.

Milwaukee,

WI 53212 

Chief Compliance Officer Since Inception Compliance Director, Vigilant Compliance, LLC (an investment management services company) from March 2014 – Present; Auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers (September 2012 – March 2014). N/A N/A

 

8

 

The Board believes that each of the Trustees’ experience, qualifications, attributes and skills on an individual basis, and in combination with those of the other Trustees, lead to the conclusion that each Trustee should serve in such capacity. Among the attributes common to all Trustees is the ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the other Trustees, the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers, the Fund’s other service providers, counsel and the independent registered public accounting firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees. A Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively may have been attained through the Trustee’s business, consulting, and public service; experience as a board member of non-profit entities or other organizations; education or professional training; and/or other life experiences. In addition to these shared characteristics, set forth below is a brief discussion of the specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills of each Trustee.

 

Anthony Fischer.   Mr. Fischer has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Fischer has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

Terrence P. Gallagher. Mr. Gallagher has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Gallagher has more than 10 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

David G. Lee .   Mr. Lee has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. He has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

Robert Seyferth.   Mr. Seyferth has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Seyferth has more than 30 years of business and accounting experience.

 

Gary E. Shugrue .   Mr. Shugrue has been a Trustee since the Fund’s inception. Mr. Shugrue has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry.

 

Specific details regarding each Trustee’s principal occupations during the past five years are included in the table above.

 

Leadership Structure and Oversight Responsibilities

 

Overall responsibility for oversight of the Fund rests with the Board. The Fund has engaged the Investment Manager to manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Investment Manager, Sub-Advisers and other service providers in the operations of the Fund in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, applicable provisions of state and other laws and the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust. The Board is currently composed of four members, three of whom are Independent Trustees. The Board will meet in-person at regularly scheduled meetings four times each year. In addition, the Board may hold special in-person or telephonic meetings or informal conference calls to discuss specific matters that may arise or require action between regular meetings. The Independent Trustees have also engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibility. The Independent Trustees will meet with their independent legal counsel in person prior to and during each quarterly in-person board meeting. As described below, the Board has established a Valuation Committee, an Audit Committee and a Nominating Committee, and may establish ad hoc committees or working groups from time to time to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities.

 

9

 

The Board has appointed David G. Lee, an Independent Trustee, to serve in the role of Chairman. The Chairman’s role is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as liaison with the Investment Manager, Sub-Advisers, other service providers, counsel and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chairman serves as a key point person for dealings between management and the Trustees. The Chairman may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board from time to time. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise informed and independent judgment over matters under its purview and it allocates areas of responsibility among committees of Trustees and the full Board in a manner that enhances effective oversight.

 

The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Fund and will be addressed as part of various Board and committee activities. Day-to-day risk management functions are subsumed within the responsibilities of the Investment Manager, Sub-Advisers and other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), which carry out the Fund’s investment management and business affairs. The Investment Manager, Sub-Advisers and other service providers employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify various events or circumstances that give rise to risks, to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each of the Investment Manager, the Sub-Advisers and other service providers has its own independent interests in risk management, and their policies and methods of risk management will depend on their functions and business models. The Board recognizes that it is not possible to identify all of the risks that may affect the Fund or to develop processes and controls to eliminate or mitigate their occurrence or effects. The Board will require senior officers of the Fund, including the President, Treasurer and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), and the Investment Manager, to report to the full Board on a variety of matters at regular and special meetings of the Board, including matters relating to risk management. The Board and the Audit Committee will receive regular reports from the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm on internal control and financial reporting matters. The Board will also receive reports from certain of the Fund’s other primary service providers on a periodic or regular basis, including the Sub-Advisers and the Fund’s custodian, distributor and administrator. The Board may, at any time and in its discretion, change the manner in which it conducts risk oversight.

 

Committees of the Board of Trustees

 

Audit Committee

 

The Board has formed an Audit Committee that is responsible for overseeing the Fund’s accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers; overseeing the quality and objectivity of the Fund’s financial statements and the independent audit of those financial statements; and acting as a liaison between the Fund’s independent auditors and the full Board. In performing its responsibilities, the Audit Committee will select and recommend annually to the entire Board a firm of independent certified public accountants to audit the books and records of the Fund for the ensuing year and will review with the firm the scope and results of each audit. The Audit Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Independent Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Audit Committee did not hold any meetings during the last year.

 

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Nominating Committee

 

The Board has formed a Nominating Committee that is responsible for selecting and nominating persons to serve as Trustees of the Fund. The Nominating Committee is responsible for both nominating candidates to be appointed by the Board to fill vacancies and for nominating candidates to be presented to Shareholders for election. In performing its responsibilities, the Nominating Committee will consider candidates recommended by management of the Fund and by Shareholders and evaluate them both in a similar manner, as long as the recommendation submitted by a Shareholder includes at a minimum: the name, address and telephone number of the recommending Shareholder and information concerning the Shareholder’s interests in the Fund in sufficient detail to establish that the Shareholder held Shares on the relevant record date; and the name, address and telephone number of the recommended nominee and information concerning the recommended nominee’s education, professional experience, and other information that might assist the Nominating Committee in evaluating the recommended nominee’s qualifications to serve as a trustee. The Nominating Committee may solicit candidates to serve as trustees from any source it deems appropriate. With the Board’s prior approval, the Nominating Committee may employ and compensate counsel, consultants or advisers to assist it in discharging its responsibilities. The Nominating Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Independent Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Nominating Committee did not hold any meetings during the last year.

 

Valuation Committee

 

The Board has formed a Valuation Committee that is responsible for reviewing fair valuations of securities held by the Fund in instances as required by the valuation procedures adopted by the Board and is responsible for carrying out the provisions of its charter. The Valuation Committee currently consists of each of the Fund’s Trustees. As the Fund is recently organized, the Valuation Committee did not hold any meetings during the last year.

 

Trustee Ownership of Securities

 

The Fund has not yet commenced operations, therefore none of the Trustees own Shares of the Fund.

 

Independent Trustee Ownership of Securities

 

As of March 4, 2019, none of the Independent Trustees (or their immediate family members) owned securities of the Investment Manager or any Sub-Adviser, or of an entity (other than a registered investment company or business development company) controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Investment Manager or any Sub-Adviser.

 

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Trustee Compensation

 

In consideration of the services rendered by the Independent Trustees, the Fund will pay each Independent Trustee a retainer of $14,000 per year. Trustees that are interested persons will be compensated by the Fund’s administrator and/or its affiliates and will not be separately compensated by the Fund.

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

The Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers have each adopted a code of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Fund, and the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund. The codes of ethics permit persons subject to them to invest in securities, including securities that may be held or purchased by the Fund, subject to a number of restrictions and controls. Compliance with the codes of ethics is carefully monitored and enforced.

 

The codes of ethics are included as exhibits to the Fund’s registration statement filed with the SEC and can be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, DC. Information on the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090. The codes of ethics are available on the EDGAR database on the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and may also be obtained after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following E-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC’s Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICES

 

The Investment Manager

 

Cliffwater LLC (the “Investment Manager”) serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. The Investment Manager is located at 4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor, Marina del Rey, California and is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. Subject to the general supervision of the Board, and in accordance with the investment objective, policies, and restrictions of the Fund, the Investment Manager is responsible for the management and operation of the Fund and the investment of the Fund’s assets. The Investment Manager provides such services to the Fund pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement.

 

The Investment Management Agreement became effective as of March 1, 2019 and will continue in effect for an initial two-year term. Thereafter, the Investment Management Agreement will continue in effect from year to year provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund or a majority of the Board and (ii) the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees of the Fund, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. A discussion regarding the basis for the Board’s approval of the Agreements, or any other investment advisory contracts, will be available in the Fund’s first semi-annual report to Shareholders.

 

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Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Manager a monthly Investment Management Fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s average daily net assets, subject to certain adjustments. The Investment Management Fee will be paid to the Investment Manager before giving effect to any repurchase of Shares in the Fund effective as of that date and will decrease the net profits or increase the net losses of the Fund that are credited to its Shareholders. Net assets means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund; provided that for purposes of determining the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Manager for any month, net assets will be calculated prior to any reduction for any fees and expenses of the Fund for that month, including, without limitation, the Investment Management Fee payable to the Investment Manager for that month. The Investment Management Fee will be accrued daily and will be due and payable monthly in arrears within ten (10) business days after the end of the month.

 

The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”). Because taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses, expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses are excluded from the Expense Limit, Total Annual Expenses (after fee waivers and expense reimbursements) are expected to exceed 3.00% (including the 0.75% distribution and servicing fee) for Class A Shares and 2.25% for Class I Shares. For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in place at the time of the Waiver and the current Expense Limit. Unless earlier terminated by the Board, the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement has an initial two-year term, which ends on March 4, 2021, and will automatically continue in effect for successive twelve-month periods thereafter. The Investment Manager may not terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement during the initial term. After the initial term, (i) the Board may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement upon 30 days’ written notice, and (ii) the Investment Manager may terminate the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement effective as of the end of the then current term upon 30 days’ written notice. The Sub-Advisers to the Fund are not a party to the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement.

 

The Sub-Advisers

 

Each Sub-Adviser selected by the Investment Manager, subject to Shareholder approval, will be primarily responsible for its investment strategy and the day-to-day management of the Fund’s assets allocated to it by the Investment Manager.

 

Founded in 2000, Audax Management Company (NY), LLC (“Audax”) is located at 320 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York. Audax is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $8 billion in assets . Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager and Audax (the “Audax Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Fund will pay Audax a monthly sub-advisory fee, on an annualized basis, of (i) 0.95% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets for the first fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), (ii) 0.85% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets that exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), and (iii) 0.65% on the value of the allocated portion’s average daily assets that exceeds one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000).

 

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Commencing operations in 2009, Beach Point Capital Management LP (“Beach Point”) is located at 1620 26th Street, Suite 6000N, Santa Monica, California. Beach Point is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of December 31, 2018, approximately $11.6 billion in assets. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager and Beach Point (the “Beach Point Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Fund will pay Beach Point a monthly sub-advisory fee of 0.65% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily net assets managed by Beach Point.

 

Founded in 2011, Benefit Street Partners LLC (“Benefit Street”) is located at 9 West 57th Street, Suite 4920, New York, New York. Benefit Street is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $26.4 billion in assets. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager and Benefit Street (the “Benefit Street Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Fund will pay Benefit Street a monthly sub-advisory fee of 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by Benefit Street.

 

Founded in 2010, Crescent Capital Group LP (“Crescent Capital”) is located at 11100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2000, Los Angeles, California. Crescent Capital is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser and manages, as of September 30, 2018, approximately $24 billion in assets. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager and Crescent Capital (the “Crescent Capital Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Fund will pay Crescent Capital a monthly sub-advisory fee of 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by Crescent Capital.

 

Founded in 1999, Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC (“TCP”) is located at 2951 28th Street, Santa Monica, California. TCP is a wholly-owned, indirect subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser. BlackRock is a leading publicly-traded investment management firm (NYSE:BLK) and as of December 31, 2018, BlackRock, together with its affiliated investment advisers, had approximately $5.98 trillion in assets under management. With approximately 14,900 employees in more than 30 countries, BlackRock provides a broad range of investment and technology services to institutional and retail clients worldwide. Pursuant to a sub-advisory agreement among the Fund, the Investment Manager and TCP (the “TCP Sub-Advisory Agreement”), the Fund will pay TCP a monthly sub-advisory fee of 1.00% on an annualized basis of the allocable portion of the Fund’s average daily assets managed by TCP.

 

The portfolio management fees paid to the Sub-Advisers will be paid out of the Fund’s assets. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement may be terminated without the payment of any penalty by the Investment Manager, the Board, or a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act), upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Sub-Adviser.

 

All fees and expenses are accrued daily and deducted before payment of dividends to investors. Each Sub-Advisory Agreement has been approved by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, and the initial shareholder of the Fund. Information regarding the Board’s approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreements will be available in the Fund’s first annual or semi-annual report to shareholders following the Board’s approval.

 

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The Portfolio Managers

 

The persons who will initially have primary responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio (the “Portfolio Managers”) are Stephen L. Nesbitt from the Investment Manager, Kevin P. Magid and Michael P. McGonigle from Audax, Sinjin Bowron from Beach Point, Blair D. Faulstich, Thomas J. Gahan and Michael E. Passche from Benefit Street, Jason A. Breaux, John S. Bowman, Jonathan R. Insull and Christopher G. Wright from Crescent Capital, and Howard M. Levkowitz and Patrick Wolfe from TCP.

 

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

 

 

Number of

Accounts

Assets of

Accounts

(in millions)

Number of Accounts

Subject to a

Performance Fee

Assets Subject to a

Performance Fee

(in millions)

Stephen L. Nesbitt (1)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

0 N/A 0 N/A
Other Accounts 13 $995.2 0 N/A
Kevin P. Magid (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

1 $291.8 1 $291.8

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

19 $4,115.5 18 $4,036.4
Other Accounts 12 $1,256.7 1 $250.8
Michael P. McGonigle (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

1 $291.8 1 $291.8

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

9 $1,240.9 8 $1,161.9
Other Accounts 12 $1,256.7 1 $250.8
Sinjin Bowron (3)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

5 $1,808.5 0 N/A
Other Accounts 5 $557.9 0 N/A
Blair D. Faulstich (4)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

6 $10,087 6 $10,087
Other Accounts 6 $2,034 6 $2,034

 

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Thomas J. Gahan (4)        

Registered Investment Companies

2 $1,011 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

32 $22,879 30 $22,530
Other Accounts 9 $2,320 8 $2,119
Michael E. Paasche (4)        

Registered Investment Companies

2 $1,011 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

27 $19,076 25 $18,726
Other Accounts 7 $2,235 6 $2,034
Jason A. Breaux (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

1 $570 1 $570

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

5 $92 5 $92
Other Accounts 0 N/A 0 N/A
John S. Bowman (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

10 $2,592 10 $2,592
Other Accounts 6 $1,447 6 $1,447
Jonathan R. Insull (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

9 $3,981 9 $3,981
Other Accounts 0 N/A 0 N/A
Christopher G. Wright (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

0 N/A 0 N/A

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

21 $6,942 21 $6,942
Other Accounts 4 $949 4 $949
Howard M. Levkowitz (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

1 $1,680 1 $1,680

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

28 $6,830 25 $5,730
Other Accounts 6 $0.3 6 $0.3
Patrick Wolfe (2)        

Registered Investment Companies

1 $1,680 1 $1,680

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

28 $6,830 25 $5,730
Other Account 6 $0.3 6 $0.3

 

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(1) As of November 30, 2018.

 

(2) As of September 30, 2018.

 

(3) As of December 31, 2018.

 

(4) As of September 30, 2018. Benefit Street utilizes a team-based approach to portfolio management, and each of the portfolio managers are jointly responsible for the management of a portion of the accounts listed in each category.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The Investment Manager, Sub-Advisers and Portfolio Managers may manage multiple funds and/or other accounts, and as a result may be presented with one or more of the following actual or potential conflicts:

 

The management of multiple funds and/or other accounts may result in the Investment Manager, a Sub-Adviser or Portfolio Manager devoting unequal time and attention to the management of each fund and/or other account. The Investment Manager seeks to manage such competing interests for the time and attention of a Portfolio Manager by having the Portfolio Manager focus on a particular investment discipline. Other accounts managed by a Portfolio Manager may not be managed using the same investment models that are used in connection with the management of the Fund.

 

If the Investment Manager, a Sub-Adviser or Portfolio Manager identifies a limited investment opportunity which may be suitable for more than one fund or other account, a fund may not be able to take full advantage of that opportunity due to an allocation of filled purchase or sale orders across all eligible funds and other accounts. To deal with these situations, the Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers have adopted procedures for allocating portfolio transactions across multiple accounts.

 

The Investment Manager and Sub-Advisers have adopted certain compliance procedures which are designed to address these types of conflicts. However, there is no guarantee that such procedures will detect each and every situation in which a conflict arises.

 

Compensation of the Portfolio Managers

 

Cliffwater LLC

 

Stephen L. Nesbitt has ownership and financial interests in, and may receive compensation and/or variable profit distributions from, the Investment Manager based on the Investment Manager’s financial performance, such as its overall revenues and profitability. Mr. Nesbitt’s compensation is not tied to the Fund’s performance, except to the extent that the fee paid to the Investment Manager impacts the Investment Manager’s financial performance.

 

Audax

 

Audax has developed a competitive compensation system that is designed to attract, motivate and retain key investment professionals. Audax manages multiple vehicles with varying fee structures so, in addition to competitive base salaries and benefits, portfolio managers are eligible for discretionary variable compensation that is designed to align Audax’s interests with those of its investors. Discretionary variable compensation consists of bonuses and may include compensation tied to profitability (where applicable). Discretionary compensation is not based on a precise formula, benchmark or other metric. Bonuses typically make up a material percentage of total compensation and are awarded annually based upon individual and firm performance. Compensation may vary from year to year based on a number of factors.

 

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Beach Point

 

Mr. Bowron receives compensation that includes an annual base salary and annual discretionary bonus. The amount of a portfolio manager’s bonus in a given year is based on a number of qualitative and quantitative considerations which may include, among others: (i) the overall performance of funds and accounts managed by Beach Point; (ii) the absolute and relative performance of the investments recommended by the portfolio manager; (iii) the total firm assets under management; and (iv) the achievement of individual performance targets by the portfolio manager.

 

Benefit Street

 

Benefit Street and their affiliates maintain competitive compensation policies that are in line with industry standards for similarly-sized credit funds. Benefit Street’s portfolio managers are compensated with a base salary and performance related bonus based on both the individual’s performance and the Fund’s performance.

 

Other factors considered when determining a portfolio manager’s compensation include, without limitation, contribution to business results and overall business strategy, success of marketing/business development efforts and client servicing, seniority/length of service with the firm, and management and supervisory responsibilities. In addition, the portfolio managers may, directly or indirectly, have capital invested in and/or interests in carried interest or similar performance-based fees collected by the general partners, managing members, special limited partners (or equivalent of any of the foregoing) or the investment adviser of Benefit Street-sponsored credit funds.

 

Crescent Capital

 

Crescent Capital typically compensates fund portfolio managers with a base salary, a targeted year-end bonus that is tied to performance, and an equity stake in Crescent Capital. Crescent Capital’s equity and compensation plan was designed based on the advice of a leading compensation consultant in the financial services industry. The equity stakes professionals receive are “real” equity, not phantom, and grow in value as the value of the company increases, creating incentives to attract, motivate, and retain employees. Crescent Capital may also provide the fund portfolio managers additional compensation in the form of fee sharing and incentive fees tied to performance. Portfolio manager Compensation is not linked directly to asset growth. Nevertheless, the equity component of Crescent Capital’s compensation is tied to the overall profitability of the firm, which, in essence is correlated with the firm’s ability to grow assets. Crescent Capital does not believe that such a substantial part of the portfolio managers’ compensation is so directly tied to performance that there is an incentive to take undue risk with client assets.

 

TCP

 

BlackRock’s financial arrangements with its portfolio managers (including those at TCP), its competitive compensation and its career path emphasis at all levels reflect the value senior management places on key resources. Compensation may include a variety of components and may vary from year to year based on a number of factors. The principal components of compensation include a base salary, a performance-based discretionary bonus, participation in various benefits programs and one or more of the incentive compensation programs established by BlackRock.

 

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Base compensation. Generally, portfolio managers receive base compensation based on their position with the firm.

 

Discretionary Incentive Compensation. Discretionary incentive compensation is a function of several components: the performance of BlackRock, the performance of the portfolio manager’s group within BlackRock, the investment performance, including risk-adjusted returns, of the firm’s assets under management or supervision by that portfolio manager relative to predetermined benchmarks, and the individual’s performance and contribution to the overall performance of these portfolios and BlackRock. In most cases, these benchmarks are the same as the benchmark or benchmarks against which the performance of the funds or other accounts managed by the portfolio managers are measured. Among other things, BlackRock’s Chief Investment Officers make a subjective determination with respect to each portfolio manager’s compensation based on the performance of the funds and other accounts managed by each portfolio manager relative to the various benchmarks. The performance of Mr. Levkowitz and Mr. Wolfe is not measured against a specific benchmark.

 

Distribution of Discretionary Incentive Compensation . Discretionary incentive compensation is distributed to portfolio managers in a combination of cash deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards, and/or deferred cash awards that notionally track the return of certain BlackRock investment products.

 

Portfolio managers receive their annual discretionary incentive compensation in the form of cash. Portfolio managers whose total compensation is above a specified threshold also receive deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards annually as part of their discretionary incentive compensation. Paying a portion of discretionary incentive compensation in the form of deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock puts compensation earned by a portfolio manager for a given year “at risk” based on BlackRock’s ability to sustain and improve its performance over future periods. In some cases, additional deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock may be granted to certain key employees as part of a long-term incentive award to aid in retention, align interests with long-term shareholders and motivate performance. Deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards are generally granted in the form of BlackRock, Inc. restricted stock units that vest pursuant to the terms of the applicable plan and, once vested, settle in BlackRock, Inc. common stock. The portfolio managers of this Fund are eligible to receive deferred BlackRock, Inc. stock awards.

 

For certain portfolio managers, a portion of the discretionary incentive compensation is also distributed in the form of deferred cash awards that notionally track the returns of select BlackRock investment products they manage, which provides direct alignment of portfolio manager discretionary incentive compensation with investment product results. Deferred cash awards vest ratably over a number of years and, once vested, settle in the form of cash. Only portfolio managers who manage specified products and whose total compensation is above a specified threshold are eligible to participate in the deferred cash award program.

 

Other Compensation Benefits . In addition to base salary and discretionary incentive compensation, portfolio managers may be eligible to receive or participate in one or more of the following:

 

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Incentive Savings Plans – BlackRock, Inc. has created a variety of incentive savings plans in which BlackRock employees are eligible to participate, including a 401(k) plan, the BlackRock Retirement Savings Plan (RSP), and the BlackRock Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). The employer contribution components of the RSP include a company match equal to 50% of the first 8% of eligible pay contributed to the plan capped at $5,000 per year, and a company retirement contribution equal to 3-5% of eligible compensation up to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) limit. The RSP offers a range of investment options, including registered investment companies and collective investment funds managed by the firm. BlackRock contributions follow the investment direction set by participants for their own contributions or, absent participant investment direction, are invested into a target date fund that corresponds to, or is closest to, the year in which the participant attains age 65. The ESPP allows for investment in BlackRock common stock at a 5% discount on the fair market value of the stock on the purchase date. Annual participation in the ESPP is limited to the purchase of 1,000 shares of common stock or a dollar value of $25,000 based on its fair market value on the purchase date. All of the eligible portfolio managers are eligible to participate in these plans.

 

Portfolio Manager Potential Material Conflicts of Interest. BlackRock has built a professional working environment, firm-wide compliance culture and compliance procedures and systems designed to protect against potential incentives that may favor one account over another. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures that address the allocation of investment opportunities, execution of portfolio transactions, personal trading by employees and other potential conflicts of interest that are designed to ensure that all client accounts are treated equitably over time. Nevertheless, BlackRock furnishes investment management and advisory services to numerous clients in addition to the Fund, and BlackRock may, consistent with applicable law, make investment recommendations to other clients or accounts (including accounts which are hedge funds or have performance or higher fees paid to BlackRock, or in which portfolio managers have a personal interest in the receipt of such fees), which may be the same as or different from those made to the Fund. In addition, BlackRock, Inc., its affiliates and significant shareholders and any officer, director, shareholder or employee may or may not have an interest in the securities whose purchase and sale BlackRock recommends to the Fund. BlackRock, Inc., or any of its affiliates or significant shareholders, or any officer, director, shareholder, employee or any member of their families may take different actions than those recommended to the Fund by BlackRock with respect to the same securities. Moreover, BlackRock may refrain from rendering any advice or services concerning securities of companies of which any of BlackRock, Inc.’s (or its affiliates’ or significant shareholders’) officers, directors or employees are directors or officers, or companies as to which BlackRock, Inc. or any of its affiliates or significant shareholders or the officers, directors and employees of any of them has any substantial economic interest or possesses material non-public information. Certain portfolio managers also may manage accounts whose investment strategies may at times be opposed to the strategy utilized for a fund. It should also be noted that Messrs. Levkowitz and Wolfe may be managing other accounts and may be part of a team managing other accounts, subject to incentive fees. Messrs. Levkowitz and Wolfe may therefore be entitled to receive a portion of any incentive fees earned on such accounts.

 

As a fiduciary, BlackRock owes a duty of loyalty to its clients and must treat each client fairly. When BlackRock purchases or sells securities for more than one account, the trades must be allocated in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties. BlackRock attempts to allocate investments in a fair and equitable manner among client accounts, with no account receiving preferential treatment. To this end, BlackRock, Inc. has adopted policies that are intended to ensure reasonable efficiency in client transactions and provide BlackRock with sufficient flexibility to allocate investments in a manner that is consistent with the particular investment discipline and client base, as appropriate.

 

20

 

Portfolio Managers’ Ownership of Shares

 

The Investment Manager purchased approximately $100,000 of Shares at the initial regular daily closing of the Fund’s offering. Therefore, the Investment Manager, its employees, partners, officers and affiliates, including Mr. Nesbitt, who is a portfolio manager for the Fund, may own a significant percentage of the Fund’s outstanding Shares after the initial regular daily closing and for the foreseeable future. This ownership will fluctuate as other investors subscribe for Shares in the Fund, and as the Fund repurchases Shares pursuant to its repurchase offers.

 

As of March 4, 2019, no other portfolio manager owns any shares of the Fund.

 

BROKERAGE

 

In following the Fund’s investment strategy, the Investment Manager expects few of the Fund’s transactions to involve brokerage. To the extent the Fund’s transactions involve brokerage, the Fund does not expect to use one particular broker or dealer. It is the Fund’s policy to obtain the best results in connection with effecting its portfolio transactions, taking into account factors such as price, size of order, difficulty of execution and operational facilities of a brokerage firm and the firm’s risk in positioning a block of securities. Generally, equity securities are bought and sold through brokerage transactions for which commissions are payable. Purchases from underwriters will include the underwriting commission or concession, and purchases from dealers serving as market makers will include a dealer’s mark-up or reflect a dealer’s mark-down. Money market securities and other debt securities are usually bought and sold directly from the issuer or an underwriter or market maker for the securities. Generally, the Fund will not pay brokerage commissions for such purchases. When a debt security is bought from an underwriter, the purchase price will usually include an underwriting commission or concession. The purchase price for securities bought from dealers serving as market makers will similarly include the dealer’s mark up or reflect a dealer’s mark down. When the Fund executes transactions in the over-the-counter market, it will generally deal with primary market makers unless prices that are more favorable are otherwise obtainable.

 

In addition, the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may place a combined order for two or more accounts it manages, including the Fund, that are engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security if, in its judgment, joint execution is in the best interest of each participant and will result in best price and execution. Transactions involving commingled orders are allocated in a manner deemed equitable to each account or fund. Although it is recognized that, in some cases, the joint execution of orders could adversely affect the price or volume of the security that a particular account or the Fund may obtain, it is the opinion of the Investment Manager that the advantages of combined orders outweigh the possible disadvantages of separate transactions. The Investment Manager believes that the ability of the Fund to participate in higher volume transactions will generally be beneficial to the Fund.

 

The Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may pay a higher commission than otherwise obtainable from other brokers in return for brokerage or research services only if a good faith determination is made that the commission is reasonable in relation to the services provided.

 

21

 

While it is the Fund’s general policy to seek to obtain the most favorable price and execution available in selecting a broker-dealer to execute portfolio transactions for the Fund, weight is also given to the ability of a broker-dealer to furnish brokerage and research services as defined in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to the Fund or to the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser, even if the specific services are not directly useful to the Fund and may be useful to the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser in advising other clients. When one or more brokers is believed capable of providing the best combination of price and execution, the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser may select a broker based upon brokerage or research services provided to the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser. In negotiating commissions with a broker or evaluating the spread to be paid to a dealer, the Fund may therefore pay a higher commission or spread than would be the case if no weight were given to the furnishing of these supplemental services, provided that the amount of such commission or spread has been determined in good faith by the Investment Manager or a Sub-Adviser to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research services provided by such broker-dealer. The standard of reasonableness is to be measured in light of the Investment Manager’s or a Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund.

 

TAX MATTERS

 

The following is intended to be a general summary of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing, holding and disposing of Shares of the Fund. It is not intended to be a complete discussion of all such federal income tax consequences, nor does it purport to deal with all categories of investors. INVESTORS ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH THEIR TAX ADVISORS BEFORE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUND.

 

Set forth below is a discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax issues concerning the Fund and the purchase, ownership and disposition of Shares. This discussion does not purport to be complete or to deal with all aspects of federal income taxation that may be relevant to Shareholders in light of their particular circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes you are a U.S. Shareholder and that you hold your Shares as a capital asset. This discussion is based upon present provisions of the Code, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and judicial and administrative ruling authorities, all of which are subject to change, which change may be retroactive. Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisers with regard to the federal tax consequences of the purchase, ownership, or disposition of Shares, as well as the tax consequences arising under the laws of any state, foreign country, or other taxing jurisdiction.

 

The Fund intends to qualify annually as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under the Code. To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment generally accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things, (a) derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stock, securities or foreign currencies or other income derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies and net income derived from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships; (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other RICs) of a single issuer, in the securities (other than securities of other RICs) of two or more issuers which the Fund controls and are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses, or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and (c) distribute for each taxable year an amount at least equal to the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and 90% of its net tax exempt interest income.

 

22

 

The Fund might not distribute all of its net investment income, and the Fund is not required to distribute any portion of its net capital gain. If the Fund qualifies for treatment as a RIC but does not distribute all of its net capital gain and net investment income, it will be subject to tax at regular corporate rates on the amount retained. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, it may designate the retained amount of capital gain as undistributed capital gain in a notice to its Shareholders who, if subject to federal income tax on long-term capital gains, (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their share of such undistributed amount; (ii) will be deemed to have paid their proportionate share of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount and will be entitled to credit that amount of tax against their federal income tax liabilities, if any; and (iii) will be entitled to claim refunds to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of Shares owned by a Shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the Shareholder.

 

As a RIC, the Fund generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax on its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code, but without regard to the deduction for dividends paid) and net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, that it distributes to Shareholders. The Fund intends to distribute to its Shareholders, at least annually, substantially all of its net investment income and net capital gain. Amounts not distributed on a timely basis in accordance with a calendar year distribution requirement are subject to a nondeductible 4% excise tax. To prevent imposition of the excise tax, the Fund must distribute during each calendar year an amount equal to the sum of (1) at least 98% of its ordinary income (not taking into account any capital gains or losses) for the calendar year, (2) at least 98.2% of its capital gains in excess of its capital losses (adjusted for certain ordinary losses) for the one-year period ending October 31 of the calendar year, and (3) any ordinary income and capital gains for previous years that were not distributed during those years. To prevent application of the excise tax, the Fund intends to make its distributions in accordance with the calendar year distribution requirement.

 

Although dividends generally will be treated as distributed when paid, any dividend declared by the Fund in October, November or December and payable to Shareholders of record in such a month that is paid during the following January will be treated for U.S. federal income tax purposes as received by Shareholders on December 31 of the calendar year in which it was declared. In addition, certain other distributions made after the close of a taxable year of the Fund may be “spilled back” and treated for certain purposes as paid by the Fund during such taxable year. In such case, Shareholders generally will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in which the distributions were actually made. For purposes of calculating the amount of a RIC’s undistributed income and gain subject to the 4% excise tax described above, such “spilled back” dividends are treated as paid by the RIC when they are actually paid.

 

If the Fund fails to satisfy the qualifying income or diversification requirements in any taxable year, the Fund may be eligible for certain relief provisions if the failures are due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect and if a penalty tax is paid with respect to each failure to satisfy the applicable requirements. Additionally, relief is provided for certain de minimis failures of the diversification requirements where the Fund corrects the failure within a specified period. In order to be eligible for the relief provisions with respect to a failure to meet the diversification requirements, the Fund may be required to dispose of certain assets. If these relief provisions are not available to the Fund and it fails to qualify for treatment as a RIC for a taxable year, the Fund will be taxable at regular corporate tax rates (and, to the extent applicable, at corporate alternative minimum tax rates). In such an event, all distributions (including capital gain distributions) will be taxable as ordinary dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, subject to the dividends-received deduction for corporate Shareholders and to the tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income distributed to non-corporate Shareholders. In such an event, distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated first as a return of capital to the extent of the holder’s adjusted tax basis in the Shares (reducing that basis accordingly), and any remaining distributions will be treated as a capital gain. To requalify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent taxable year, the Fund would be required to satisfy the RIC qualification requirements for that year and to distribute any earnings and profits from any year in which the Fund failed to qualify for tax treatment as a RIC. In addition, if the Fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, it would generally be required to pay a Fund-level tax on certain net built-in gains recognized with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

 

23

 

The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund for treatment as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to Shareholders.

 

Distributions

 

Dividends paid out of the Fund’s net investment income generally will be taxable to a Shareholder as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s earnings and profits, whether paid in cash or reinvested in additional Shares. The Fund may be able to report a portion of its income as “qualified dividend income,” however, which is taxable to non-corporate Shareholders at rates of up to 20%.

 

In general, dividends may be reported by the Fund as qualified dividend income if they are attributable to qualified dividend income received by the Fund. Qualified dividend income generally means dividend income received from investments in common and preferred stock of U.S. companies and stock of certain qualified foreign corporations, provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met by both the Fund and the Shareholders.

 

A foreign corporation is treated as a qualified foreign corporation for this purpose if it is incorporated in a possession of the United States or it is eligible for the benefits of certain income tax treaties with the United States and meets certain additional requirements. Certain foreign corporations that are not otherwise qualified foreign corporations will be treated as qualified foreign corporations with respect to dividend paid by them if the stock with respect to which the dividends are paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Passive foreign investment companies are not qualified foreign investment companies for this purpose.

 

A dividend that is attributable to qualified dividend income of the Fund that is paid by the Fund to a Shareholder will not be taxable as qualified dividend income to such Shareholder (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of the Fund held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date which is 60 days before the date on which such share became ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, (2) to the extent that the Shareholder is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, or (3) if the Shareholder elects to have the dividend treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest. The ex-dividend date is the date on which the owner of the share at the commencement of such date is entitled to receive the next issued dividend payment for such share even if the share is sold by the owner on that date or thereafter.

 

24

 

Distributions of net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss), if any, reported as capital gain dividends are generally taxable to a Shareholder as long-term capital gains regardless of how long the Shareholder has held Shares, at rates of up to 20% for non-corporate taxpayers. Distributions of short-term capital gain are taxable to Shareholders as ordinary income. Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares, rather than cash, generally will have a cost basis in each such share equal to the greater of the net asset value or fair market value of a share of the Fund on the reinvestment date. A distribution of an amount in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits will first be treated by a Shareholder as a return of capital, which is applied against and reduces the Shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares. To the extent that the amount of any such distribution exceeds the Shareholder’s basis in his or her Shares, the excess will be treated by the Shareholder as gain from a sale or exchange of Shares.

 

Shareholders will be notified annually as to the U.S. federal tax status of distributions, and Shareholders receiving distributions in the form of additional Shares will receive a report as to the net asset value of those Shares.

 

A dividend or distribution received shortly after the purchase of Shares reduces the net asset value of the Shares by the amount of the dividend or distribution and, although in effect a return of capital will be taxable to the Shareholder. If the net asset value of Shares were reduced below the Shareholder’s cost by dividends and distributions representing gains realized on sales of securities, such dividends and distributions, although also in effect returns of capital, would be taxable to the Shareholder in the same manner as other dividends or distributions.

 

Capital losses in excess of capital gains (“net capital losses”) are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, the Fund may carry net capital losses from any taxable year forward to offset capital gains in future years. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Fund is permitted to carry forward a net capital loss from any taxable year that began on or before December 22, 2010 to offset its capital gains, if any, for up to eight years following the year of the loss. The Fund is permitted to carry forward indefinitely a net capital loss from any taxable year that began after December 22, 2010 to offset its capital gains, if any, in years following the year of the loss. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to Shareholders. Carryforwards of losses from taxable years that began after December 22, 2010 must be fully utilized before the Fund may utilize carryforwards of losses from taxable years that began on or before December 22, 2010. Generally, the Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may elect to treat certain losses as though they were incurred on the first day of the taxable year immediately following the taxable year in which they were actually incurred.

 

The Fund has no capital loss carryforwards because it has not yet commenced operations.

 

Sale or Exchange of Fund Shares

 

Sales and repurchases generally are taxable events for Shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisers with reference to their individual circumstances to determine whether any particular transaction in Shares is properly treated as a sale for tax purposes, as the following discussion assumes, and to ascertain the tax treatment of any gains or losses recognized in such transactions. In general, if Shares are sold, the Shareholder will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the amount realized on the sale and the Shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the Shares. Such gain or loss generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Shares were held for more than one year and otherwise generally will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. Any loss recognized by a Shareholder upon the sale, repurchase or other disposition of Shares with a tax holding period of six months or less will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as distributions to the Shareholder of long-term capital gain with respect to such Shares (including any amounts credited to the Shareholder as undistributed capital gains).

 

25

 

Losses on sales or other dispositions of Shares may be disallowed under “wash sale” rules in the event of other investments in the fund (including investments made pursuant to reinvestment of dividends and/or capital gain distributions) within a period of 61 days beginning 30 days before and ending 30 days after the sale or other disposition of Shares or in the event the Shareholder enters into a contract or option to repurchase Shares within such period. In such a case, the disallowed portion of any loss generally would be included in the adjusted tax basis of the Shares acquired in the other investments.

 

Original Issue Discount Securities

 

Investments by the Fund in zero coupon or other discount securities will result in income to the Fund equal to a portion of the excess of the face value of the securities over their issue price (“original issue discount”) each year that the securities are held, even though the Fund may receive no cash interest payments or may receive cash interest payments that are less than the income recognized for tax purposes. This income is included in determining the amount of income, which the Fund must distribute to avoid the payment of federal income tax and the 4% excise tax. Because such income may not be matched by a corresponding cash payment to the Fund, the Fund may be required to borrow money or dispose of securities to be able to make distributions to its Shareholders.

 

Investments in Non-U.S. Securities

 

The Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities, which investments could subject the Fund to complex provisions of the Code applicable to equity interests in passive foreign investment companies (each, a “PFIC”). A PFIC is an equity interest (under Treasury regulations that may be promulgated in the future, generally including not only stock but also an option to acquire stock such as is inherent in a convertible bond) in certain foreign corporations (i) that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains) or (ii) where at least 50% of the corporation’s assets (computed based on average fair market value) either produce or are held for the production of passive income. If the Fund invests in PFICs, the Fund could be subject to U.S. federal income tax and nondeductible interest charges on “excess distributions” received from such companies or on gain from the sale of stock in such companies, even if all income or gain actually received by the Fund is timely distributed to its Shareholders. The Fund would not be able to pass through to its Shareholders any credit or deduction for such a tax. A “qualified electing fund” election or a “mark-to-market” election may be available that would ameliorate these adverse tax consequences, but such elections could require the Fund to recognize taxable income or gain (subject to the distribution requirements applicable to RICs, as described above) without the concurrent receipt of cash. In order to satisfy the distribution requirements and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund may be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss to the Fund. Gains from the sale of stock of PFICs may also be treated as ordinary income. In order for the Fund to make a qualified electing fund election with respect to a PFIC, the PFIC would have to agree to provide certain tax information to the Fund on an annual basis, which it might not agree to do. The Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in PFICs to limit its tax liability or maximize its returns from these investments.

 

26

 

Dividends received by the Fund on foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. Shareholders of the Fund generally will not be entitled to a credit or deduction with respect to any such taxes paid by the Fund.

 

Gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time the Fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency forward contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, are also treated as ordinary income or loss.

 

Backup Withholding

 

The Fund is required to withhold (as “backup withholding”) a portion of dividends and certain other payments paid to certain holders of Shares who do not to provide the Fund with their correct taxpayer identification number (or, in the case of individuals, their social security numbers) or to make required certifications, or who are otherwise subject to backup withholding. The withholding rate is 24%. Corporate Shareholders and certain other Shareholders specified in the Code generally are exempt from such backup withholding. This withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld from payments made to a Shareholder may be refunded or credited against the Shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the required information and forms are timely furnished to the IRS.

 

Foreign Shareholders

 

U.S. taxation of a Shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual, a foreign trust or estate, a foreign corporation or foreign partnership (“foreign shareholder”) generally depends on whether the income received from the Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by the Shareholder. In addition, unless certain foreign entities that hold Shares comply with IRS requirements that will generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions and repurchase proceeds payable to such entities. A foreign shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the Shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of such agreement.

 

Other Tax Considerations

 

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax generally applies to all or a portion of the net investment income of a Shareholder who is an individual and not a nonresident alien for federal income tax purposes and who has adjusted gross income (subject to certain adjustments) that exceeds a threshold amount ($250,000 if married filing jointly or if considered a “surviving spouse” for federal income tax purposes, $125,000 if married filing separately, and $200,000 in other cases). This 3.8% tax also applies to all or a portion of the undistributed net investment income of certain Shareholders that are estates and trusts. For these purposes, interest, dividends, and certain capital gains (among other categories of income) are generally taken into account in computing a Shareholder’s net investment income.

 

27

 

Fund Shareholders may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes on their Fund distributions. Shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

 

If a Shareholder recognizes a loss on a disposition of Shares of $2 million or more for an individual Shareholder, or $10 million or more for a corporate Shareholder, in any single taxable year (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the Shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Direct Shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. In addition, significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting requirements. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

The foregoing discussion is a summary only and is not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning. Purchasers of Shares should consult their own tax advisers as to the tax consequences of investing in such Shares, including under state, local and other tax laws.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM; LEGAL COUNSEL

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd., located at 151 North Franklin Street, Suite 575, Chicago, Illinois 60606, has been selected as the independent registered public accountant for the Fund and in such capacity will audit the Fund’s annual financial statements and financial highlights.

 

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, One Logan Square, Suite 2000, Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996, serves as counsel to the Fund and the Independent Trustees.

 

CUSTODIAN

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”), serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund, and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. subcustodians (which may be banks, trust companies, securities depositories and clearing agencies) in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Advisers, or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. subcustodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. The Custodian’s principal business address is 1 Iron Street, Boston MA 02210.

 

28

 

DISTRIBUTOR

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC, (the “Distributor”) is the distributor of Shares and is located at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor is a registered broker-dealer and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of Shares of the Fund. The Distributor continually distributes Shares of the Fund on a best efforts basis. The Distributor has no obligation to sell any specific quantity of Shares. The Distributor and its officers have no role in determining the investment policies of the Fund.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The Board has delegated responsibility for decisions regarding proxy voting for securities held by the Fund to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers. The Investment Manager and the Sub-Advisers will each vote such proxies in accordance with their respective proxy policies and procedures. Copies of the Investment Manager’s and each of the Sub-Advisers’ proxy policies and procedures are included as Appendix A to this SAI.

 

The Fund will be required to file Form N-PX, with its complete proxy voting record for the twelve months ended June 30, no later than August 31 of each year. The Fund’s Form N-PX filing will be available: (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1 (888) 442-4420 or (ii) by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

A control person generally is a person who beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or has the power to exercise control over the management or policies of such company. The Investment Manager provided the initial capitalization of the Fund, and purchased approximately $100,000 of Class I Shares of the Fund at a price of $10.00 per Share. The Investment Manager therefore is deemed to be a control person because it was the sole shareholder of the Fund at that time. This ownership will fluctuate as other investors subscribe for Shares in the Fund’s offering and any other offering the Fund may determine to conduct in the future, and as the Fund repurchases Shares pursuant to its repurchase offers. Depending on the size of this ownership at any given point in time, it is expected that the Investment Manager will, for the foreseeable future, either control the Fund or be in a position to exercise a significant influence on the outcome of any matter put to a vote of investors.

 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

Appendix B to this SAI provides financial information regarding the Fund. The Fund’s financial statements have been audited by Cohen & Company, Ltd.

 

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  APPENDIX A – PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

 

Proxy voting guidelines for U.S. securities

 

FEBRUARY 2018

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

 

Introduction 1
Voting guidelines 1
Boards and directors 2
Auditors and audit-related issues 7
Capital structure 8
Mergers, asset sales, and other special transactions 9
Executive compensation 10
Environmental and social issues 12
General corporate governance matters 14
Appendix: Our approach to Say on Pay 18

 

2018 PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES FOR U.S. SECURITIES | i

 

 

These guidelines should be read in conjunction with the BlackRock Investment Stewardship Global Corporate Governance and Engagement Principles, which are available online. 1

 

Introduction

 

BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “BlackRock”) seek to make proxy voting decisions in the manner most likely to protect and enhance the economic value of the securities held in client accounts. The following issue-specific proxy voting guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are intended to summarize BlackRock’s general philosophy on corporate governance matters and approach to issues that may commonly arise in the proxy voting context for U.S. securities. These Guidelines are not intended to limit the analysis of individual issues at specific companies and are not intended to provide a guide to how BlackRock will vote in every instance. Rather, they share our view about corporate governance issues generally, and provide insight into how we typically approach issues that commonly arise on corporate ballots as well as our expectations of boards of directors. They are applied with discretion, taking into consideration the range of issues and facts specific to the company and the individual ballot item.

 

Voting guidelines

 

These guidelines are divided into seven key themes which group together the issues that frequently appear on the agenda of annual and extraordinary meetings of shareholders:

 

Boards and directors

 

Auditors and audit-related issues

 

Capital structure

 

Mergers, asset sales, and other special transactions

 

Executive compensation

 

Environmental and social issues

 

General corporate governance matters

 

 

1 https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/en-gb/about-us/investment-stewardship/voting-guidelines-reports-position-papers

 

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Boards and directors

 

Director elections

 

In general, BlackRock supports the election of directors as recommended by the board in uncontested elections. However, we may withhold votes from directors or members of particular board committees in certain situations, as indicated below.

 

Independence

 

We expect a majority of the directors on the board to be independent. In addition, all members of key committees, including audit, compensation, and nominating/ governance committees, should be independent.

 

Our view of independence may vary slightly from listing standards—we are typically more stringent when evaluating the independence of founders, family members, and other business relationships.

 

In particular, common impediments to independence in the US may include:

 

Employment by the company or a subsidiary as a senior executive within the past five years

 

Status as a founder of the company

 

Substantial business or personal relationships with the company or the company’s senior executives

 

Family relationships with senior executives or founders of the company

 

An equity ownership in the company in excess of 20%

We may vote against directors serving on key committees that we do not consider to be independent. When evaluating controlled companies, as defined by the US stock exchanges, we will only vote against

insiders or affiliates who sit on the audit committee, but not other key committees.

 

Oversight

 

We expect the Board to exercise appropriate oversight over management and business activities of the company. We will consider voting against committee members and/ or individual directors in the following circumstances:

 

Where the board has failed to exercise oversight with regard to accounting practices or audit oversight, we will consider voting against the current audit committee, and any other members of the board who may be responsible. For example, this may apply to members of the audit committee during a period when the board failed to facilitate quality, independent auditing if substantial accounting irregularities suggest insufficient oversight by that committee

 

Members of the compensation committee during a period in which executive compensation appears excessive relative to performance and peers, and where we believe the compensation committee has not already substantially addressed this issue

 

The chair of the nominating/ governance committee, or where no chair exists, the nominating/ governance committee member with the longest tenure, where the board is not composed of a majority of independent directors. However, this would not apply in the case of a controlled company

 

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Where it appears the director has acted (at the company or at other companies) in a manner that compromises his or her reliability in representing the best long-term economic interests of shareholders

 

Where a director has a pattern of poor attendance at combined board and applicable key committee meetings. Excluding exigent circumstances, BlackRock generally considers attendance at less than 75% of the combined board and applicable key committee meetings by a board member to be poor attendance

 

Where a director serves on an excess number of boards, which may limit his/ her capacity to focus on each board’s requirements. The following illustrates the maximum number of boards on which a director may serve, before he/ she is considered to be over-boarded:

  

 

Public Company CEO

# Outside Public Boards*

Total # of Public Boards

 Director A

 

1

  2

 Director B

 

3

  4

 

* In addition to the company under review

 

Responsiveness to shareholders

 

We expect a board to be engaged and responsive to its shareholders. Where we believe a board has not substantially addressed shareholder concerns, we may vote against the appropriate committees and/ or individual directors. The following illustrates common circumstances:

 

The independent chair or lead independent director, members of the nominating/ governance committee, and/ or the longest tenured director(s), where we observe a lack of board responsiveness to shareholders, evidence of board entrenchment, and/ or failure to promote adequate board succession planning

 

The chair of the nominating/ governance committee, or where no chair exists, the nominating/ governance committee member with the longest tenure, where board member(s) at the most recent election of directors have received withhold votes from more than 30% of shares voting and the board has not taken appropriate action to respond to shareholder concerns. This may not apply in cases where BlackRock did not support the initial withhold vote

 

The independent chair or lead independent director and/ or members of the nominating/ governance committee, where a board fails to implement shareholder proposals that receive a majority of votes cast at a prior shareholder meeting, and the proposals, in our view, have a direct and substantial impact on shareholders’ fundamental rights or long-term economic interests

 

Shareholder rights

 

We expect a board to act with integrity and to uphold governance best practices. Where we believe a board has not acted in the best interests of its shareholders, we may vote against the appropriate committees and/ or individual directors. The following illustrates common circumstances:

 

The independent chair or lead independent director and members of the governance committee, where a board implements or renews a poison pill without shareholder approval

 

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The independent chair or lead independent director and members of the governance committee, where a board amends the charter/ articles/ by-laws such that the effect may be to entrench directors or to significantly reduce shareholder rights

 

Members of the compensation committee where the company has repriced options without shareholder approval

 

If a board maintains a classified structure, it is possible that the director(s) with whom we have a particular concern may not be subject to election in the year that the concern arises. In such situations, if we have a concern regarding a committee or committee chair that is not up for re- election, we will generally register our concern by withholding votes from all available members of the relevant committee

 

Board composition and effectiveness

 

We encourage boards to periodically renew their membership to ensure relevant skills and experience within the boardroom. To this end, regular performance reviews and skills assessments should be conducted by the nominating/ governance committee.

 

Furthermore, we expect boards to be comprised of a diverse selection of individuals who bring their personal and professional experiences to bear in order to create a constructive debate of competing views and opinions in the boardroom. In addition to other elements of diversity, we would normally expect to see at least two women directors on every board.

 

In identifying potential candidates, boards should take into consideration the diversity of experience and expertise of the current directors and how that might be augmented by incoming directors. We encourage boards to disclose their views on:

 

The mix of competencies, experience, and other qualities required to effectively oversee and guide management in light of the stated long-term strategy of the company

 

The process by which candidates are identified and selected, including whether professional firms or other sources outside of incumbent directors’ networks have been engaged to identify and/ or assess candidates

 

The process by which boards evaluate themselves and any significant outcomes of the evaluation process, without divulging inappropriate and/ or sensitive details

 

The consideration given to board diversity, including, but not limited to, diversity of gender, race, age, experience, geography, and skills, and other factors taken into account in the nomination process

 

While we support regular board refreshment, we are not opposed in principle to long-tenured directors, nor do we believe that long board tenure is necessarily an impediment to director independence. A variety of director tenures within the boardroom can be beneficial to ensure board quality and continuity of experience.

 

Our primary concern is that board members are able to contribute effectively as corporate strategy evolves and business conditions change, and that all directors, regardless of tenure, demonstrate appropriate responsiveness to shareholders. We acknowledge that no single person can be expected to bring all relevant skill sets to a board; at the same time, we generally do not believe it is necessary or

 

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appropriate to have any particular director on the board solely by virtue of a singular background or specific area of expertise.

 

Where boards find that age limits or term limits are the most efficient and objective mechanism for ensuring periodic board refreshment, we generally defer to the board’s determination in setting such limits.

 

To the extent that we believe that a company has not adequately accounted for diversity in its board composition, we may vote against the nominating/ governance committee members.

 

Board size

 

We typically defer to the board in setting the appropriate size and believe directors are generally in the best position to assess the optimal board size to ensure effectiveness. However, we may oppose boards that appear too small to allow for effective shareholder representation or too large to function efficiently.

 

CEO and management succession planning

 

There should be a robust CEO and senior management succession plan in place at the board level that is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. We expect succession planning to cover both long-term planning consistent with the strategic direction of the company and identified leadership needs over time, as well as short-term planning in the event of an unanticipated executive departure. We encourage the company to explain its executive succession planning process, including where accountability lies within the boardroom for this task, without prematurely divulging sensitive information commonly associated with this exercise.

 

Classified board of directors/ staggered terms

 

We believe that directors should be re-elected annually and that classification of the board dilutes shareholders’ right to promptly evaluate a board’s performance and limits shareholder selection of directors. As such, we will typically support proposals requesting board de-classification.

 

Without a voting mechanism to immediately address concerns of a specific director, we may be choose to vote against or withhold votes from the available slate of directors by default (see “Shareholder rights” for additional detail).

 

Contested director elections

 

The details of contested elections, or proxy contests, are assessed on a case-by-case basis. We evaluate a number of factors, which may include, the qualifications of the dissident and management candidates; the validity of the concerns identified by the dissident; the viability of both the dissident’s and management’s plans; the likelihood that the dissident’s solutions will produce the desired change; and whether the dissident represents the best option for enhancing long-term shareholder value.

 

Cumulative voting

 

We believe that a majority vote standard is in the best long-term interest of shareholders, as it ensures director accountability via the requirement to be elected by more than half of the votes cast. As such, we will generally oppose proposals requesting the adoption of cumulative voting, which may disproportionately aggregate votes on certain issues or director candidates.

 

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Director compensation and equity programs

 

We believe that compensation for directors should be structured to align their interests with those of shareholders. We believe director compensation packages that are based on the company’s long-term value creation and include some form of long-term equity compensation are more likely to meet this goal. In addition, we expect directors to build meaningful share ownership over time.

 

Majority vote requirements

 

BlackRock believes that directors should generally be elected by a majority of the shares voted and will normally support proposals seeking to introduce bylaws requiring a majority vote standard for director elections. Majority voting standards assist in ensuring that directors who are not broadly supported by shareholders are not elected to serve as their representatives. Some companies with a plurality voting standard have adopted a resignation policy for directors who do not receive support from at least a majority of votes cast. Where we believe that the company already has a sufficiently robust majority voting process in place, we may not support a shareholder proposal seeking an alternative mechanism.

 

Risk oversight

 

Companies should have an established process for identifying, monitoring, and managing key risks. Independent directors should have ready access to relevant management information and outside advice, as appropriate, to ensure they can properly oversee risk management. We encourage companies to provide transparency around risk measurement, mitigation, and reporting to the board. We are particularly interested in understanding how risk oversight processes evolve in response to changes in corporate strategy and/ or shifts in the business and related risk environment.

 

Separation of chairman and CEO positions

 

We believe that independent leadership is important in the board room. In the US there are two commonly accepted structures for independent board leadership: 1) an independent chairman; or 2) a lead independent director when the roles of chairman and CEO are combined.

 

In the absence of a significant governance concern, we defer to boards to designate the most appropriate leadership structure to ensure adequate balance and independence.

 

In the event that the board chooses a combined chair/ CEO model, we generally support the designation of a lead independent director if he/ she has powers to: 1) provide formal input into board meeting agendas; 2) call meetings of the independent directors; and 3) preside at meetings of independent directors. Furthermore, while we anticipate that most directors will be elected annually, we believe an element of continuity is important for this role for an extended period of time to provide appropriate leadership balance to the chair/ CEO.

 

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The following table illustrates examples of responsibilities under each board leadership model:

 

  Combined Chair/ CEO Model Separate Chair Model
Chair/ CEO Lead Director Chair

Board Meetings

Authority to call full meetings of the board of directors

Attends full meetings of the board of directors

 

Authority to call meetings of independent directors

 

Briefs CEO on issues arising from executive sessions

Authority to call full meetings of the board of directors

Agenda

Primary responsibility for shaping board agendas, consulting with the lead director

Collaborates with chair/CEO to set board agenda and board information

Primary responsibility for shaping board agendas, in conjunction with CEO

Board Communications

Communicates with all directors on key issues and concerns outside board meetings

Facilitates discussion among independent directors on key issues and concerns outside board meetings, including contributing to the oversight of CEO and management succession planning

Facilitates discussion among independent directors on key issues and concerns outside board meetings, including contributing to the oversight of CEO and management succession planning

 

Auditors and audit-related issues

 

BlackRock recognizes the critical importance of financial statements that provide a complete and accurate portrayal of a company’s financial condition. Consistent with our approach to voting on boards of directors, we seek to hold the audit committee of the board responsible for overseeing the management of the audit function at a company, and may withhold votes from the audit committee’s members where the board has failed to facilitate quality, independent auditing. We look to the audit committee report for insight into the scope of the audit committee’s responsibilities, including an overview of audit committee processes, issues on the audit committee’s agenda and key decisions taken by the audit committee. We take particular note of cases involving significant financial restatements or material weakness disclosures, and we expect timely disclosure and remediation of accounting irregularities.

 

The integrity of financial statements depends on the auditor effectively fulfilling its role. To that end, we favor an independent auditor. In addition, to the extent that an auditor fails to reasonably identify and address issues that eventually lead to a significant financial restatement, or the audit firm has violated standards of practice that protect the interests of shareholders, we may also vote against ratification.

 

From time to time, shareholder proposals may be presented to promote auditor independence or the rotation of audit firms. We may support these proposals when they are consistent with our views as described above.

 

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Capital structure proposals

 

Blank check preferred

 

We frequently oppose proposals requesting authorization of a class of preferred stock with unspecified voting, conversion, dividend distribution and other rights (“blank check” preferred stock) because they may serve as a transfer of authority from shareholders to the board and a possible entrenchment device. We generally view the board’s discretion to establish voting rights on a when-issued basis as a potential anti-takeover device, as it affords the board the ability to place a block of stock with an investor sympathetic to management, thereby foiling a takeover bid without a shareholder vote.

 

Nonetheless, we may support the proposal where the company:

 

Appears to have a legitimate financing motive for requesting blank check authority

 

Has committed publicly that blank check preferred shares will not be used for anti-takeover purposes

 

Has a history of using blank check preferred stock for financings

 

Has blank check preferred stock previously outstanding such that an increase would not necessarily provide further anti-takeover protection but may provide greater financing flexibility

 

Equal voting rights

 

BlackRock believes that shareholders should be entitled to voting rights in proportion to their economic interests. We believe that companies that look to add or already have dual or multiple class share structures should review these structures on a regular basis or as company circumstances change, and receive shareholder approval of their capital structure on a periodic basis via a management proposal on the company’s proxy. The proposal should give unaffiliated shareholders the opportunity to affirm the current structure or establish mechanisms to end or phase out controlling structures at the appropriate time, while minimizing costs to shareholders.

 

Increase in authorized common shares

 

BlackRock considers industry specific norms in our analysis of these proposals, as well as a company’s history with respect to the use of its common shares. Generally, we are predisposed to support a company if the board believes additional common shares are necessary to carry out the firm’s business. The most substantial concern we might have with an increase is the possibility of use of common shares to fund a poison pill plan that is not in the economic interests of shareholders.

 

Increase or issuance of preferred stock

 

We generally support proposals to increase or issue preferred stock in cases where the company specifies the voting, dividend, conversion and other rights of such stock where the terms of the preferred stock appear reasonable.

 

Stock splits

 

We generally support stock splits that are not likely to negatively affect the ability to trade shares or the economic value of a share. We generally support reverse stock splits that are designed to avoid delisting or to facilitate trading in the stock, where the reverse split will not have a negative impact on share value

 

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(e.g. one class is reduced while others remain at pre-split levels). In the event of a proposal to reverse split that would not also proportionately reduce the company’s authorized stock, we apply the same analysis we would use for a proposal to increase authorized stock.

 

Mergers, asset sales, and other special transactions

 

BlackRock’s primary concern is the best long-term economic interests of shareholders. While these proposals vary widely in scope and substance, we closely examine certain salient features in our analyses such as:

 

The degree to which the proposed transaction represents a premium to the company’s trading price.

We consider the share price over multiple time periods prior to the date of the merger announcement. In most cases, business combinations should provide a premium. We may consider comparable transaction analyses provided by the parties’ financial advisors and our own valuation assessments. For companies facing insolvency or bankruptcy, a premium may not apply

 

There should be clear strategic, operational and/ or financial rationale for the combination

 

Unanimous board approval and arm’s-length negotiations are preferred. We will consider whether the transaction involves a dissenting board or does not appear to be the result of an arm’s-length bidding process. We may also consider whether executive and/ or board members’ financial interests in a given transaction appear likely to affect their ability to place shareholders’ interests before their own

 

We prefer transaction proposals that include the fairness opinion of a reputable financial advisor assessing the value of the transaction to shareholders in comparison to recent similar transactions

 

Poison pill plans

 

Where a poison pill is put to a shareholder vote by management, our policy is to examine these plans individually. Although we oppose most plans, we may support plans that include a reasonable ‘qualifying offer clause.’ Such clauses typically require shareholder ratification of the pill, and stipulate a sunset provision whereby the pill expires unless it is renewed. These clauses also tend to specify that an all cash bid for all shares that includes a fairness opinion and evidence of financing does not trigger the pill, but forces either a special meeting at which the offer is put to a shareholder vote, or the board to seek the written consent of shareholders where shareholders could rescind the pill in their discretion. We may also support a pill where it is the only effective method for protecting tax or other economic benefits that may be associated with limiting the ownership changes of individual shareholders.

 

We generally vote in favor of shareholder proposals to rescind poison pills.

 

Reimbursement of expenses for successful shareholder campaigns

 

Proxy contests can lead to unwarranted cost and distraction for boards and management teams. We generally do not support shareholder proposals seeking the reimbursement of proxy contest expenses, even in situations where we support the shareholder campaign, as we believe that introducing the possibility of such reimbursement may incentivize disruptive and unnecessary shareholder campaigns.

 

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Executive Compensation

 

We note that there are both management and shareholder proposals related to executive compensation. We generally vote on these proposals as described below, except that we typically oppose shareholder proposals on issues where the company already has a reasonable policy in place that we believe is sufficient to address the issue. We may also oppose a shareholder proposal regarding executive compensation if the company’s history suggests that the issue raised is not likely to present a problem for that company.

 

Advisory resolutions on executive compensation (“Say on Pay”)

 

In cases where there is a Say on Pay vote, BlackRock will respond to the proposal as informed by our evaluation of compensation practices at that particular company, and in a manner that appropriately addresses the specific question posed to shareholders. We describe in the Appendix herein (“Our approach to Say on Pay”) our beliefs and expectations related to executive compensation practices, our Say on Pay analysis framework, and our typical approach to engagement and voting on Say on Pay.

 

Advisory votes on the frequency of Say on Pay resolutions

 

BlackRock will generally support triennial pay frequency votes, but we defer to the board to determine the appropriate timeframe upon which pay should be reviewed. In evaluating pay, we believe that the compensation committee is responsible for constructing a plan that appropriately incentivizes executives for long-term value creation, utilizing relevant metrics and structure to ensure overall pay and performance alignment. In a similar vein, we defer to the board to establish the most appropriate timeframe for review of pay structure, absent a change in strategy that would suggest otherwise.

 

However, we may support an annual pay frequency vote in some situations, for example, where we conclude that a company has failed to align pay with performance. In these circumstances, we will also consider voting against the compensation committee members.

 

Claw back proposals

 

We generally favor recoupment from any senior executive whose compensation was based on faulty financial reporting or deceptive business practices. In addition to fraudulent acts, we also favor recoupment from any senior executive whose behavior caused direct financial harm to shareholders, reputational risk to the company or resulted in a criminal investigation, even if such actions did not ultimately result in a material restatement of past results. This includes, but is not limited to, settlement agreements arising from such behavior and paid for directly by the company. We typically support shareholder proposals on these matters unless the company already has a robust claw back policy that sufficiently addresses our concerns.

 

Employee stock purchase plans

 

We believe these plans can provide performance incentives and help align employees’ interests with those of shareholders. The most common form of employee stock purchase plan (“ESPP”) qualifies for favorable tax treatment under Section 423 of the Internal Revenue Code. We will typically support qualified ESPP proposals.

 

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Equity compensation plans

 

BlackRock supports equity plans that align the economic interests of directors, managers and other employees with those of shareholders. We believe that boards should establish policies prohibiting use of equity awards in a manner that could disrupt the intended alignment with shareholder interests, for example: use of the stock as collateral for a loan; use of the stock in a margin account; use of the stock (or an unvested award) in hedging or derivative transactions. We may support shareholder proposals requesting the board to establish such policies.

 

Our evaluation of equity compensation plans is based on a company’s executive pay and performance relative to peers and whether the plan plays a significant role in a pay-for-performance disconnect. We generally oppose plans that contain “evergreen” provisions allowing for the unlimited increase of shares reserved without requiring further shareholder approval after a reasonable time period. We also generally oppose plans that allow for repricing without shareholder approval. We may also oppose plans that provide for the acceleration of vesting of equity awards even in situations where an actual change of control may not occur. We encourage companies to structure their change of control provisions to require the termination of the covered employee before acceleration or special payments are triggered.

 

Golden parachutes

 

We generally view golden parachutes as encouragement to management to consider transactions that might be beneficial to shareholders. However, a large potential pay-out under a golden parachute arrangement also presents the risk of motivating a management team to support a sub-optimal sale price for a company.

 

When determining whether to support or oppose an advisory vote on a golden parachute plan, we normally support the plan unless it appears to result in payments that are excessive or detrimental to shareholders. In evaluating golden parachute plans, BlackRock may consider several factors, including:

 

Whether we believe that the triggering event is in the best interest of shareholders

 

An evaluation of whether management attempted to maximize shareholder value in the triggering event

 

The percentage of total premium or transaction value that will be transferred to the management team, rather than shareholders, as a result of the golden parachute payment

 

Whether excessively large excise tax gross up payments are part of the pay-out

 

Whether the pay package that serves as the basis for calculating the golden parachute payment was reasonable in light of performance and peers

 

Whether the golden parachute payment will have the effect of rewarding a management team that has failed to effectively manage the company

 

It may be difficult to anticipate the results of a plan until after it has been triggered; as a result, BlackRock may vote against a golden parachute proposal even if the golden parachute plan under review was approved by shareholders when it was implemented.

 

We may support shareholder proposals requesting that implementation of such arrangements require shareholder approval. We generally support proposals requiring shareholder approval of plans that exceed 2.99 times an executive’s current salary and bonus, including equity compensation.

 

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Option exchanges

 

We believe that there may be legitimate instances where underwater options create an overhang on a company’s capital structure and a repricing or option exchange may be warranted. We will evaluate these instances on a case by case basis. BlackRock may support a request to reprice or exchange underwater options under the following circumstances:

 

The company has experienced significant stock price decline as a result of macroeconomic trends, not individual company performance

 

Directors and executive officers are excluded; the exchange is value neutral or value creative to shareholders; tax, accounting and other technical considerations have been fully contemplated

 

There is clear evidence that absent repricing, the company will suffer serious employee incentive or retention and recruiting problems

 

BlackRock may also support a request to exchange underwater options in other circumstances, if we determine that the exchange is in the best interest of shareholders.

 

Pay-for-Performance plans

 

In order for executive compensation exceeding $1 million to qualify for federal tax deductions, related to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“OBRA”) requires companies to link that compensation, for the company’s top five executives, to disclosed performance goals and submit the plans for shareholder approval. The law further requires that a compensation committee comprised solely of outside directors administer these plans. Because the primary objective of these proposals is to preserve the deductibility of such compensation, we generally favor approval in order to preserve net income.

 

Supplemental executive retirement plans

 

BlackRock may support shareholder proposals requesting to put extraordinary benefits contained in Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (“SERP”) agreements to a shareholder vote unless the company’s executive pension plans do not contain excessive benefits beyond what is offered under employee-wide plans.

 

Environmental and social issues

 

Our fiduciary duty to clients is to protect and enhance their economic interest in the companies in which we invest on their behalf. It is within this context that we undertake our corporate governance activities. We believe that well-managed companies will deal effectively with the material environmental and social (“E&S”) factors relevant to their businesses.

 

BlackRock expects companies to identify and report on the material, business-specific E&S risks and opportunities and to explain how these are managed. This explanation should make clear how the approach taken by the company best serves the interests of shareholders and protects and enhances the long-term economic value of the company. The key performance indicators in relation to E&S matters should also be disclosed and performance against them discussed, along with any peer group benchmarking and verification processes in place. This helps shareholders assess how well management

 

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is dealing with the material E&S factors relevant to the business. Any global standards adopted should also be disclosed and discussed in this context.

 

We may vote against the election of directors where we have concerns that a company might not be dealing with E&S issues appropriately. Sometimes we may reflect such concerns by supporting a shareholder proposal on the issue, where there seems to be either a significant potential threat or realized harm to shareholders’ interests caused by poor management of material E&S matters. In deciding our course of action, we will assess the nature of our engagement with the company on the issue over time, including whether:

 

The company has already taken sufficient steps to address the concern

 

The company is in the process of actively implementing a response

 

There is a clear and material economic disadvantage to the company in the near-term if the issue is not addressed in the manner requested by the shareholder proposal

 

More commonly, given that these are often not voting issues, we will, or have, engage(d) directly with the board or management. We do not see it as our role to make social, ethical or political judgments on behalf of clients, but rather, to protect their long-term economic interests as shareholders. We expect investee companies to comply, at a minimum, with the laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which they operate. They should explain how they manage situations where such laws or regulations are contradictory or ambiguous.

 

Climate risk

 

Within the framework laid out above, as well as our guidance on “ How BlackRock Investment Stewardship engages on climate risk ”, we believe that climate presents significant investment risks and opportunities to many companies. We believe that the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate- Related Financial Disclosures (“TCFD”) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board ("SASB") sector-specific disclosure standards provide useful guidance to companies on identifying, managing, and reporting on climate-related risks and opportunities. We expect companies to help their investors understand how the company may be impacted by climate change, in the context of its ability to realize a long-term strategy and generate value over time. We expect companies to convey their governance around this issue through their corporate disclosures. For companies in sectors that are significantly exposed to climate-related risk, we expect the whole board to have demonstrable fluency in how climate risk affects the business, and how management approaches adapting to, and mitigating that risk. Where a company receives a shareholder proposal related to climate risk, in addition to the factors laid out above, our assessment will take into account the robustness of the company’s existing disclosures as well as our understanding of its management of the issues as revealed through our engagements with the company and board members over time.

 

Corporate political activities

 

Companies may engage in certain political activities, within legal and regulatory limits, in order to influence public policy consistent with the companies’ values and strategies, and thus serve shareholders’ best long-term economic interests. These activities can create risks, including: the potential for allegations of corruption; the potential for reputational issues associated with a candidate, party or issue; and risks that arise from the complex legal, regulatory and compliance considerations associated with corporate political activity. We believe that companies which choose to engage in political activities should develop

 

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and maintain robust processes to guide these activities and to mitigate risks, including a level of board oversight.

 

When presented with shareholder proposals requesting increased disclosure on corporate political activities, we may consider the political activities of that company and its peers, the existing level of disclosure, and our view regarding the associated risks. We generally believe that it is the duty of boards and management to determine the appropriate level of disclosure of all types of corporate activity, and we are generally not supportive of proposals that are overly prescriptive in nature. We may determine to support a shareholder proposal requesting additional reporting of corporate political activities where there seems to be either a significant potential threat or actual harm to shareholders’ interests and where we believe the company has not already provided shareholders with sufficient information to assess the company’s management of the risk.

 

Finally, we believe that it is not the role of shareholders to suggest or approve corporate political activities; therefore we generally do not support proposals requesting a shareholder vote on political activities or expenditures.

 

General corporate governance matters

 

Adjourn meeting to solicit additional votes

 

We generally support such proposals unless the agenda contains items that we judge to be detrimental to shareholders’ best long-term economic interests.

 

Bundled proposals

 

We believe that shareholders should have the opportunity to review substantial governance changes individually without having to accept bundled proposals. Where several measures are grouped into one proposal, BlackRock may reject certain positive changes when linked with proposals that generally contradict or impede the rights and economic interests of shareholders.

 

Exclusive forum provisions

 

BlackRock generally supports proposals to seek exclusive forum for certain shareholder litigation. In cases where a board unilaterally adopts exclusive forum provisions that we consider unfavorable to the interests of shareholders, we will vote against the independent chair or lead independent director and members of the governance committee.

 

Multi-jurisdictional companies

 

Where a company is listed on multiple exchanges or incorporated in a country different from its primary listing, we will seek to apply the most relevant market guideline(s) to our analysis of the company’s governance structure and specific proposals on the shareholder meeting agenda. In doing so, we typically consider the governance standards of the company’s primary listing, the market standards by which the company governs itself, and the market context of each specific proposal on the agenda. If the relevant standards are silent on the issue under consideration we will use our professional judgment as to what voting outcome would best protect the long-term economic interests of investors. We expect that companies will disclose the rationale for their selection of primary listing, country of incorporation, and

 

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choice of governance structures, in particular where there is conflict between relevant market governance practices.

 

Other business

 

We oppose giving companies our proxy to vote on matters where we are not given the opportunity to review and understand those measures and carry out an appropriate level of shareholder oversight.

 

Reincorporation

 

Proposals to reincorporate from one state or country to another are most frequently motivated by considerations of anti-takeover protections, legal advantages, and/ or cost savings. We will evaluate, on a case-by-case basis, the economic and strategic rationale behind the company’s proposal to reincorporate. In all instances, we will evaluate the changes to shareholder protection under the new charter/ articles/ by-laws to assess whether the move increases or decreases shareholder protections. Where we find that shareholder protections are diminished, we may support reincorporation if we determine that the overall benefits outweigh the diminished rights.

 

IPO governance

 

We expect boards to consider and disclose how the corporate governance structures adopted upon initial public offering (“IPO”) are in shareholders’ best long-term interests. We also expect boards to conduct a regular review of corporate governance and control structures, such that boards might evolve foundational corporate governance structures as company circumstances change, without undue costs and disruption to shareholders. We will generally engage new companies on topics such as classified boards and supermajority vote provisions to amend by-laws, as we believe that such arrangements may not be in the best interest of shareholders in the long-term.

 

We will typically apply a one-year grace period for the application of certain director-related guidelines (including, but not limited to, director independence and over-boarding considerations), during which we expect boards to take steps to bring corporate governance standards in line with our expectations.

 

Further, if a company qualifies as an emerging growth company (an “EGC”) under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), we will give consideration to the NYSE and NASDAQ governance exemptions granted under the JOBS Act for the duration such a company is categorized as an EGC. We expect an EGC to have a totally independent audit committee by the first anniversary of its IPO, with our standard approach to voting on auditors and audit-related issues applicable in full for an EGC on the first anniversary of its IPO.

 

Shareholder Provisions

 

Amendment to charter/ articles/ by-laws

 

We believe that shareholders should have the right to vote on key corporate governance matters, including on changes to governance mechanisms and amendments to the charter/ articles/ by-laws. We may vote against certain directors where changes to governing documents are not put to a shareholder vote within a reasonable period of time, in particular if those changes have the potential to impact shareholder rights ( see “Director elections” herein). In cases where a board’s unilateral adoption of changes to the charter/ articles/ by-laws promotes cost and operational efficiency benefits for the

 

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company and its shareholders, we may support such action if it does not have a negative effect on shareholder rights or the company’s corporate governance structure.

 

When voting on a management or shareholder proposal to make changes to charter/ articles/ by-laws, we will consider in part the company’s and/ or proponent’s publicly stated rationale for the changes, the company’s governance profile and history, relevant jurisdictional laws, and situational or contextual circumstances which may have motivated the proposed changes, among other factors. We will typically support changes to the charter/ articles/ by-laws where the benefits to shareholders, including the costs of failing to make those changes, demonstrably outweigh the costs or risks of making such changes.

 

Proxy access

 

We believe that long-term shareholders should have the opportunity, when necessary and under reasonable conditions, to nominate directors on the company’s proxy card.

 

In our view, securing the right of shareholders to nominate directors without engaging in a control contest can enhance shareholders’ ability to meaningfully participate in the director election process, stimulate board attention to shareholder interests, and provide shareholders an effective means of directing that attention where it is lacking. Proxy access mechanisms should provide shareholders with a reasonable opportunity to use this right without stipulating overly restrictive or onerous parameters for use, and also provide assurances that the mechanism will not be subject to abuse by short-term investors, investors without a substantial investment in the company, or investors seeking to take control of the board.

 

In general, we support market-standardized proxy access proposals, which allow a shareholder (or group of up to 20 shareholders) holding three percent of a company’s outstanding shares for at least three years the right to nominate the greater of up to two directors or 20% of the board. Where a standardized proxy access provision exists, we will generally oppose shareholder proposals requesting outlier thresholds.

 

Right to act by written consent

 

In exceptional circumstances and with sufficiently broad support, shareholders should have the opportunity to raise issues of substantial importance without having to wait for management to schedule a meeting. We therefore believe that shareholders should have the right to solicit votes by written consent provided that: 1) there are reasonable requirements to initiate the consent solicitation process in order to avoid the waste of corporate resources in addressing narrowly supported interests; and 2) support from a minimum of 50% of outstanding shares is required to effectuate the action by written consent. We may oppose shareholder proposals requesting the right to act by written consent in cases where the proposal is structured for the benefit of a dominant shareholder to the exclusion of others, or if the proposal is written to discourage the board from incorporating appropriate mechanisms to avoid the waste of corporate resources when establishing a right to act by written consent. Additionally, we may oppose shareholder proposals requesting the right to act by written consent if the company already provides a shareholder right to call a special meeting that we believe offers shareholders a reasonable opportunity to raise issues of substantial importance without having to wait for management to schedule a meeting.

 

Right to call a special meeting

 

In exceptional circumstances and with sufficiently broad support, shareholders should have the opportunity to raise issues of substantial importance without having to wait for management to schedule a meeting. We therefore believe that shareholders should have the right to call a special meeting in cases where a reasonably high proportion of shareholders (typically a minimum of 15% but no higher than 25%)

 

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are required to agree to such a meeting before it is called, in order to avoid the waste of corporate resources in addressing narrowly supported interests. However, we may oppose this right in cases where the proposal is structured for the benefit of a dominant shareholder to the exclusion of others. We generally believe that a right to act via written consent is not a sufficient alternative to the right to call a special meeting.

 

Simple majority voting

 

We generally favor a simple majority voting requirement to pass proposals. Therefore, we will support the reduction or the elimination of supermajority voting requirements to the extent that we determine shareholders’ ability to protect their economic interests is improved. Nonetheless, in situations where there is a substantial or dominant shareholder, supermajority voting may be protective of public shareholder interests and we may support supermajority requirements in those situations.

 

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Appendix: Our Approach to Say on Pay

 

We describe herein our beliefs and expectations related to executive compensation practices, our Say on Pay analysis framework, and our typical approach to engagement and voting on Say on Pay. We provide our views on this issue in somewhat more detail than other issues covered in these Guidelines because of the particular focus on executive compensation matters in the US. Although we expect proxy disclosures to be the primary mechanism for companies to explain their executive compensation practices, we may engage with members of management and/ or the compensation committee of the board, where concerns are identified or where we seek to better understand a company’s approach to executive compensation. We may also decline opportunities to engage with companies where we do not have any questions or concerns or believe that these Guidelines already cover the issues at hand.

 

Beliefs and expectations related to executive compensation practices

 

We believe that compensation committees are in the best position to make compensation decisions and should maintain significant flexibility in administering compensation programs, given their knowledge of the strategic plans for the company, the industry in which the company operates, the appropriate performance measures for the company, and other issues internal and/ or unique to the company

 

Companies should explicitly disclose how incentive plans reflect strategy and incorporate long-term shareholder value drivers; this discussion should include the commensurate metrics and timeframes by which shareholders should assess performance

 

We support incentive plans that foster the sustainable achievement of results. Although we believe that companies should identify those performance measures most directly tied to shareholder value creation, we also believe that emphasis should be on those factors within management’s control to create economic value over the long-term, which should ultimately lead to sustained shareholder returns over the long-term. Similarly, the vesting timeframes associated with incentive plans should facilitate a focus on long-term value creation, as appropriate to that particular company

 

While we do support the concept of compensation formulas that allow shareholders to clearly understand the rationale for compensation decisions, we do not believe that a solely formulaic approach to executive compensation necessarily drives shareholder value. BlackRock believes that compensation committees should use their discretion in designing incentive plans, establishing pay quanta, and finalizing compensation decisions, and should demonstrate how decisions are aligned with shareholder interests

 

BlackRock does not discourage compensation structures that differ from market practice. However, where compensation practices differ substantially from market practice, e.g. in the event of unconventional incentive plan design or extraordinary decisions made in the context of transformational corporate events or turnaround situations, we expect clear disclosure explaining how the decisions are in shareholders’ best interests

 

We understand that compensation committees are undertaking their analysis in the context of a competitive marketplace for executive talent. We acknowledge that the use of peer group evaluation by compensation committees can help ensure competitive pay; however we are concerned about the potential ratchet effect of explicit benchmarking to peers. We therefore believe that companies should use peer groups to maintain an awareness of peer pay levels and practices so that pay is market competitive, while mitigating potential ratcheting of pay that is disconnected from actual performance

 

2018 PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES FOR U.S. SECURITIES | 18

 

 

We expect companies to select peers that are broadly comparable to the company in question, based on objective criteria that are directly relevant to setting competitive compensation; we evaluate peer group selection based on factors including, but not limited to, business size, relevance, complexity, risk profile, and/ or geography

 

We do not believe that arbitrary limits on potential compensation are necessarily in shareholders’ best interests if those limits have the potential to cap performance. However, we expect compensation committees to ensure that incentive plans do not incentivize excessive risk taking beyond the company’s determined risk appetite and that rewards are reasonable in light of returns to shareholders

 

We do not set forth a preference between cash, restricted stock, performance based equity awards, and stock options, amongst other compensation vehicles. We acknowledge that each may have an appropriate role in recruiting and retaining executives, in incentivizing behavior and performance, and in aligning shareholders’ and executives’ interests. Compensation committees should clearly disclose the rationale behind their selection of pay vehicles and how these fit with intended incentives. We also observe that different types of awards exhibit varying risk profiles, and the risks associated with pay plan design should be in line with the company’s stated strategy and risk appetite

 

We expect compensation committees to consider and respond to the shareholder voting results of relevant proposals at previous years’ annual meetings, and other feedback received from shareholders, as they evaluate compensation plans. At the same time, compensation committees should ultimately be focused on incentivizing long-term shareholder value creation and not necessarily on achieving a certain level of support on Say on Pay at any particular shareholder meeting.

 

Say on Pay analysis framework

 

We analyze the compensation practices in the context of the company’s stated strategy and identified value drivers and seek to understand the link between strategy, value drivers and incentive plan design

 

We examine both target and realizable compensation in order to understand the compensation committee’s intended outcomes, to judge the appropriateness and rigor of performance measures and hurdles, and to assess the pay plan’s sensitivity to the performance of the company

 

We review the pay and performance profiles of the company’s disclosed peer companies, as applicable, to identify relative outliers for potential further analysis. We supplement our analysis of the company’s stated peers with an independent review of peer companies as identified by third party vendors and our own analysis; part of this analysis includes an assessment of the relevance of the company’s stated peers and the potential impact the company’s peer selection may have on pay decisions

 

We conduct our analysis over various time horizons, with an emphasis on a sustained period, generally 3-5 years; however we consider company-specific factors, including the timeframe the company uses for performance evaluation, the nature of the industry, and the typical business cycle, in order to identify an appropriate timeframe for evaluation

 

We review key changes to pay components from previous years and consider the compensation committee’s rationale for those changes

 

2018 PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES FOR U.S. SECURITIES | 19

 

 

We examine extraordinary pay items (including but not limited to actual or contractual severance payments, inducement grants, one-time bonus and/ or retention awards) to understand the compensation committee’s rationale and alignment with shareholder interests

 

We may engage with members of management and/ or the compensation committee of the board, where concerns are identified or where we seek to better understand a company’s approach to executive compensation

 

We consider BlackRock’s historical voting decisions (including whether a concern that led to a previous vote against management has been addressed, or whether we determined to support management at previous shareholder meetings with the expectation of future change), engagement activity, other corporate governance concerns at the company, and the views of our portfolio managers

 

We assess the board’s responsiveness to shareholder voting results of relevant proposals at previous years’ annual meetings, and other feedback received from shareholders

 

Engagement and voting on Say on Pay

 

In many instances, we believe that direct discussion with issuers, in particular with the members of the compensation committee, can be an effective mechanism for building mutual understanding on executive compensation issues and for communicating any concerns we may have on executive compensation

 

In the event that we determine engagement is not expected to lead to resolution of our concerns about executive compensation, we may consider voting against members of the compensation committee, consistent with our preferred approach to hold members of the relevant key committee of the board accountable for governance concerns. As a result, our Say on Pay vote is likely to correspond with our vote on the directors who are compensation committee members responsible for making compensation decisions

 

We may determine to vote against the election of compensation committee members and/ or Say on Pay proposals in certain instances, including but not limited to when:

 

We identify a misalignment over time between target pay and/ or realizable compensation and company performance as reflected in financial and operational performance and/ or shareholder returns

 

We determine that a company has not persuasively demonstrated the connection between strategy, long-term shareholder value creation and incentive plan design

 

We determine that compensation is excessive relative to peers without appropriate rationale or explanation, including the appropriateness of the company’s selected peers

 

We observe an overreliance on discretion or extraordinary pay decisions to reward executives, without clearly demonstrating how these decisions are aligned with shareholders’ interests

 

We determine that company disclosure is insufficient to undertake our pay analysis

 

We observe a lack of board responsiveness to significant investor concern on executive compensation issues

 

2018 PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES FOR U.S. SECURITIES | 20

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Audax Management Company, LLC

Audax Management Company (NY), LLC

(Together, the “ Firm ”)

 

Voting Policies and Procedures

 

Purpose and General Statement

 

The purpose of these voting policies and procedures is to set forth the principles and procedures by which the Firm votes or gives consents with respect to the securities owned by the separate accounts and pooled investment vehicles advised by the Firm (collectively, the “ Advised Vehicles ”) for which the Firm exercises voting authority and discretion (the “ Votes ”). For avoidance of doubt, a Vote includes: (i) any proxy and any shareholder vote or consent, including a vote or consent for a private company that does not involve a proxy; and (ii) any vote or consent provided on behalf of an Advised Vehicle which holds debt of a private company. These policies and procedures have been designed to help ensure that Votes are voted in what the Firm believes to be the best interests of the Advised Vehicles in accordance with the Firm’s fiduciary duties and Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Advisers Act ”).

 

These voting policies and procedures will be made available to the Advised Vehicles (and their investors) upon written request, subject to the provision that these policies and procedures are subject to change at any time without notice.

 

Copies of relevant proxy logs, identifying how proxies were voted in connection with an Advised Vehicle, will also be made available to the Advised Vehicles (and their investors) upon written request.

 

Policy

 

The Firm and its affiliates engage in a broad range of activities, including investment activities for their own account and for the account of other investment funds or accounts, and providing investment advisory and other services to funds, separate accounts and operating companies. In the ordinary course of conducting the Firm’s activities, the interests of an Advised Vehicle may conflict with the interests of the Firm and/or other Advised Vehicles. For example, one Advised Vehicle may hold senior debt securities in one company while another Advised Vehicle holds equity securities in the same company. Should that company fall into financial distress, the interests of the Advised Vehicles holding senior debt could conflict with the interests of the Advised Vehicles holding equity.

 

Any conflicts of interest relating to the voting of Votes, regardless of whether actual or perceived, will be addressed in accordance with these policies and procedures. The guiding principle by which the Firm votes all Votes is to vote in what the Firm believes to be the best interests of each Advised Vehicle by maximizing the economic value of the relevant Advised Vehicle’s holdings, taking into account the relevant Advised Vehicle’s investment horizon, the contractual obligations under the relevant advisory agreements or comparable documents, and all other relevant facts and circumstances at the time of the vote. The Firm does not permit Voting decisions to be influenced in any manner that is contrary to, or dilutive of, this guiding principle.

 

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It is the general policy of the Firm to vote or give consent on all matters presented to security holders in any Vote, and these policies and procedures have been designated with that in mind. However, the Firm reserves the right to abstain on any particular Vote or otherwise withhold its vote or consent on any matter if, in the judgment of the General Counsel or the relevant Firm investment professional, the costs associated with voting such Vote outweigh the benefits to the relevant Advised Vehicles or if the circumstances make such an abstention or withholding otherwise advisable and in the best interests of the relevant Advised Vehicles.

 

In connection with the voting of Votes, the Firm’s personnel may, in their discretion, meet with members of a company’s management and discuss matters of importance to the Advised Vehicles and their economic interests.

 

Procedures

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The Firm’s General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer (“ CCO ”) have the responsibility to monitor Votes for any conflicts of interest, regardless of whether they are actual or perceived. All Voting decisions will require a mandatory conflicts of interest review by the General Counsel or CCO in accordance with these policies and procedures, which will include consideration of whether the Firm or any investment professional or other person recommending how to vote has an interest in how the Vote is voted that may present a conflict of interest. In addition, all Firm investment professionals are expected to perform their tasks relating to the voting of Votes in accordance with the principles set forth above, according the first priority to the best interest of the relevant Advised Vehicles.

 

If at any time any investment professional becomes aware of any potential or actual conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest regarding any particular Voting decision, he or she should contact the CCO or General Counsel or any member of the Audax legal team. If any investment professional is pressured or lobbied either from within or outside the Firm with respect to any particular Voting decision, he or she should contact the CCO or General Counsel. The CCO or General Counsel will use his or her best judgment to address any such conflict of interest and ensure that it is resolved in accordance with his or her independent assessment of the best interests of the affected Advised Vehicles.

 

Where the General Counsel deems appropriate in his or her sole discretion, unaffiliated third parties may be used to help resolve conflicts. In this regard, the General Counsel will have the power to retain independent fiduciaries, consultants or professionals to assist with Voting decisions and/or to delegate voting or consent powers to such fiduciaries, consultants or professionals.

 

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Voting

 

All Firm personnel are responsible for promptly forwarding all proxy materials, consent or voting requests or notices or materials related thereto to a member of the Audax legal team. The General Counsel will be responsible for ensuring that each Vote is voted in a timely manner and as otherwise required by the terms of such Vote.

 

All Voting decisions initially are referred to the General Counsel or appropriate investment professional for a voting decision. In most cases, the General Counsel or investment professional will make the decision as to the appropriate vote for any particular Vote. In making such decision, he or she may rely on any of the information and/or research available to him or her. If the investment professional is making the Voting decision, the investment professional will inform internal counsel of any such Voting decision, and if internal counsel does not object to such decision as a result of his or her conflict of interest review, the Vote will be voted in such manner. If the investment professional and internal counsel are unable to arrive at an agreement as to how to vote, then the General Counsel may consult with the Firm’s Chief Operating Officer as to the appropriate vote, who will then review the issues and arrive at a decision based on the overriding principle of seeking the maximization of the economic value of the relevant Advised Vehicles’ holdings.

 

Recordkeeping

 

The Firm’s Recordkeeping Policies and Procedures apply to Votes. Firm personnel should refer to the Recordkeeping Policies and Procedures for additional guidance and information.

 

Responsibility

 

The General Counsel will be responsible for administering these procedures.

 

Last Updated: January 2017

 

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(GRAPHIC) PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

Proxy Voting and Corporate Action Policies and Procedures

 

Beach Point Capital Management LP (the “Firm”) acts as discretionary investment adviser for various funds and managed accounts (“Clients”), including Clients subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). While the Firm primarily manages fixed income securities and instruments, its Clients may hold voting securities (or securities for which shareholder action is solicited). Thus, unless a Client (including a “named fiduciary” under ERISA) specifically reserves the right to vote its own proxies or to take shareholder action in other corporate actions, the Firm will vote all proxies or act on all other actions as part of its discretionary authority over the Clients’ assets and consistent with its fiduciary duties. Corporate actions may include, for example and without limitation, tender offers or exchanges, bankruptcy proceedings and class actions.

 

When voting proxies or acting on corporate actions, the Firm’s utmost concern is that all decisions be made solely in the best interest of the Clients (for ERISA accounts, plan beneficiaries and participants, in accordance with ERISA and the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) guidance thereunder). The Firm will act in a manner deemed prudent and diligent and which is intended to enhance the economic value of Client assets. The Firm has retained the services of an independent third party to help receive and evaluate proxies, effect proxy votes and maintain appropriate proxy voting records.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of these Proxy Voting and Corporate Action Policies and Procedures is to memorialize the procedures and policies adopted by the Firm to enable it to comply with its accepted responsibilities and the requirements of Rule 206(4)-6 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Advisers Act”), and ERISA, including DOL Interpretive Bulletin 94-2 issued thereunder.

 

Procedures

 

The Firm’s Operations Department is ultimately responsible for ensuring that all proxies and corporate action notices received by the Firm are voted or acted upon in a timely and consistent manner across all Client portfolios. Although many proxy proposals can be voted in accordance with the Firm’s established guidelines, the Firm recognizes that certain proposals may require special consideration, which may dictate that the Firm make an exception to its general guidelines.

 

Where a proxy proposal or corporate action raises a material conflict of interest between the Firm and one or more Clients, the Firm will (i) disclose the conflict to the relevant Clients and obtain their consent to the proposed vote prior to voting the securities, (ii) vote the securities based on the recommendation of an independent third party or (iii) take such other actions as may be appropriate given the particular facts and circumstances (including abstaining from a vote).

 

Record Keeping

 

In accordance with Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act and DOL Interpretive Bulletin 94-2 issued under ERISA, the Firm will maintain for the time periods set forth in Rule 204-2 (i) these policies and procedures, and all amendments thereto; (ii) all proxy statements received regarding Client securities (provided, however, that the Firm may rely on the proxy statement filed on EDGAR as its records); (iii) a record of all votes cast on behalf of Clients; (iv) records of all Client requests for proxy voting information; (v) any documents prepared by the Firm that were material to making a decision of how to vote or that memorialized the basis for the decision and (vi) all records relating to requests made to Clients regarding conflicts of interest in voting the proxy. As noted above, the Firm currently uses a third party service provider to assist the Firm in meeting its recordkeeping obligations.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES APPENDIX C    
  (GRAPHIC) 1

 

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(GRAPHIC) PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The Firm will describe in Part 2 of its Form ADV its proxy voting policies and procedures and the manner in which Clients may obtain information on how the Firm voted their securities. Clients may obtain information on how their securities were voted or a copy of these policies and procedures by written request addressed to the Firm.

 

General Guidelines

 

Each proxy issue will be considered individually. The following guidelines are a partial list to be used in evaluating voting proposals contained in the proxy statements. To the extent the Firm does not provide voting instructions by the voting deadline, the securities will be voted in accordance with the recommendations of a third party service provider.

 

Vote Against:

 

A. Issues regarding board entrenchment and anti-takeover measures such as the following:

 

1. Proposals to stagger board members’ terms;

 

2. Proposals to limit the ability of shareholders to call special meetings;

 

3. Proposals to require super majority votes;

 

4. Proposals requesting substantial increases in authorized common or preferred shares where management provides no explanation for the use or need of these additional shares;

 

5. Proposals regarding “fair price” provisions;

 

6. Proposals regarding “poison pill” provisions; and

 

7. Permitting “greenmail.”

 

B. Providing cumulative voting rights

 

Vote For:

 

1. Election of directors recommended by management, except if there is a proxy fight.

 

2. Election of auditors recommended by management, unless seeking to replace if there exists a dispute over policies.

 

3. Date and place of annual meeting.

 

4. Rotation of annual meeting place.

 

5. Limitation on charitable contributions or fees paid to lawyers.

 

6. Ratification of directors’ actions on routine matters since previous annual meeting.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES APPENDIX C    
  (GRAPHIC) 2

 

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(GRAPHIC) PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

7. Confidential voting.

 

8. Limiting directors’ liability.

 

Case-by-Case:

 

Proposals to:

 

1. Ratify directors’ compensation (both in cash and equity).

 

2. Eliminate director mandatory retirement policy.

 

3. Establish a mandatory retirement age for directors.

 

4. Rotate annual meeting location/date.

 

5. Grant options or stock to management and directors.

 

6. Allow or modify indemnification of directors and/or officers.

 

7. Address social and environmental issues.

 

8. Review workplace diversity and pay disparity.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES APPENDIX C    
  (GRAPHIC) 3

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I. PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

A. Introduction/General Principles

 

In accordance with the Firm’s fiduciary duty to vote proxies and consents in the best interests of the Firm’s Clients and Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act, the overriding principle of the Firm’s proxy voting is to maximize the financial interests of its Clients. For avoidance of doubt, these Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures apply to any proxy and any shareholder vote or consent, including a vote or consent for a private company that does not involve a public proxy and certain consents relating to debt instruments, such as waivers of covenant breaches.

 

It is the policy of the Firm in voting proxies to consider and vote each proposal with the objective of maximizing investment returns for our clients. These guidelines address a broad range of issues, including board size and composition, executive compensation, anti-takeover proposals, capital structure proposals and social responsibility issues and are meant to be general voting parameters on issues that arise most frequently. The Firm may, however, vote in a manner that is contrary to the following general guidelines if it believes that it would be in Clients’ best interest to do so.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer has the responsibility to administer these policies and procedures and to monitor proxies for any conflicts of interest, regardless of whether they are actual or perceived. The Firm does not take positions outside of the Clients it manages and therefore generally does not anticipate a situation where there would be a conflict between maximizing investment returns for Clients and the Firm’s interests. All proxies, unless voted in accordance with the Firm’s general guidelines on routine, non-routine, corporate governance and social issues described below, will require a mandatory conflicts of interest review by the Chief Compliance Officer in accordance with these policies and procedures, which will include consideration of whether the Firm, any investment professional or other person recommending how to vote and/or the Firm’s affiliates and their clients has an interest in how the proxy is voted that may present a conflict of interest. The Portfolio Manager responsible for voting such proxy will be responsible for notifying the Chief Compliance Officer in advance of any proxy to be voted other than in accordance with such guidelines in a timely manner and must receive advance approval from the Chief Compliance Officer before voting such proxy. If a Portfolio Manager is unsure whether such guidelines address a particular vote, the Portfolio Manager shall inquire of the Chief Compliance Officer. If at any time any investment professional becomes aware of any potential or actual conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest regarding any particular voting decision, he or she should contact the Chief Compliance Officer. If any investment professional is pressured or lobbied either from within or outside of the Firm with respect to any particular voting decision, he or she should contact the Chief Compliance Officer. If the Chief Compliance Officer determines that an actual conflict of interest may exist, he shall notify the Chief Operating Officer who will review and evaluate the proxy proposal and the circumstances surrounding the conflict to determine the vote, which will be in the best interest of the Client. The Chief Operating Officer may also determine whether the conflict of interest will be disclosed to Clients and whether to obtain their consent prior to voting. In addition, where the Chief Operating Officer deems appropriate, unaffiliated third parties may be used to help resolve conflicts. In this regard, the Chief Operating Officer shall have the power to retain independent fiduciaries, consultants, or professionals to assist with voting decisions and/or to delegate voting or consent powers to such fiduciaries, consultants or professionals.

 

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In addition, the Firm will maintain all proxy-voting records, described further below. The Firm’s Proxy Voting Policy and Guidelines will be reviewed and, as necessary, updated periodically by the Chief Compliance Officer to address new or revised proxy voting issues.

 

Please note that although the proxy voting process is well established in the U.S., voting the proxies of foreign companies may involve a number of logistical problems that have a detrimental effect on the Firm’s ability to vote such proxies. The logistical problems include language barriers, untimely or inadequate notice of shareholder meetings, restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to exercise votes, and requirements to vote in person. Such proxies are voted on a best-efforts basis given the above logistical problems.

 

The Firm will make copies of these proxy voting policies and procedures available upon request to Clients and, when the Client is a Fund, to the investors in that Fund.

 

Supervised Persons who receive a proxy statement will consult with the Portfolio Manager responsible for the investment in the security to which the proxy statement relates. The Portfolio Manager is responsible for making sure the proxy is voted in a timely manner. The Portfolio Manager is not required to vote a proxy if the cost of voting a particular proxy due to special translation, delivery or other requirements would outweigh the benefit of voting for the Client. Any question with regard to voting in such situations should be referred to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

B. Guidelines

 

The following represents a guideline for each of the principal policy issues:

 

1. Routine Proposals

 

“Routine proposals” includes such issues as the approval of auditors, and election of directors. Generally, these proposals will be voted with management. As a matter of policy, it is the Firm’s intention to hold corporate officers accountable for actions, either on the basis of specific actions taken as an individual, or as part of a committee, that conflict with the goal of maximizing shareholder value.

 

2. Non-Routine Proposals

 

“Non-routine proposals” includes issues that could have a long-term impact on the way a corporation handles certain matters. Examples of these proposals include: (a) restructuring efforts, (b) changes to the number of directors, (c) name changes, (d) mergers & acquisitions (or equivalent actions,) and (e) changes in the issuance of common or preferred stock, stock options plans, etc. Again, these proposals will be analyzed with a goal of maximizing shareholder value.

 

3. Corporate Governance Proposal

 

This category includes poison pills, golden parachutes, cumulative voting, classified boards, limitations of officer and director liabilities, etc. Generally speaking, these are issues proposed by an entrenched management looking to maximize their own best interests at the expense of shareholders at large. As such, these proposals will usually generate negative responses from the Firm.

 

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4. Social Issues

 

These proposals range from divestment from geographical or industrial representation to environmental or other matters, either internal or external. The Firm will consider voting for issues that have redeeming social merit that neither compromises the company’s competitive position within an industry, nor adversely impacts the goal of maximizing shareholder value.

 

5. Other Shareholder Proposals

 

These proposals, excluding those referenced above, usually deal with subjects such as compensation, employee hiring, and corporate governance issues. These cannot be generalized other than to say that they reflect personal points of view, and typically fall into the category of micro-management, an area that the Firm tends to avoid. These proposals will be viewed in the light of voting in a manner that the Firm believes maximizes shareholder value.

 

C. Recordkeeping

 

In accordance with the Firm’s Record Policies, the Firm must retain copies of (i) its proxy voting policies and procedures and all amendments thereto; (ii) proxy statements received regarding Client securities; (iii) records of votes it casts on behalf of Clients; (iv) records of Client requests for proxy voting information and a copy of any written response by the Firm to any (written or oral) Client request for such information; (v) any documents prepared by the Firm that were material to making a decision on how to vote; and (vi) records relating to requests for consent concerning situations with material conflicts of interest. The information should be retained by the voting Portfolio Manager and copies sent to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

D. Split Voting

 

Though not common, situations may arise in which more than one Client invests in the same company or in which a single Client may invest in the same company but through multiple accounts. In those situations, two or more Clients, or one Client with different accounts, may be invested in strategies having different investment objectives, investment styles or portfolio managers. As a result, the Firm may cast different votes on behalf of different Clients or on behalf of the same Client with different accounts.

 

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Cliffwater LLC

 

Proxy Voting Procedures

 

Rule 206(4)-6 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) requires a registered investment adviser that exercises voting authority with respect to client securities to: (i) adopt written policies reasonably designed to ensure that the investment adviser votes in the best interest of its clients and addresses how the investment adviser will deal with material conflicts of interest that may arise between the investment adviser and its clients; (ii) disclose to its clients information about such policies and procedures; and (iii) upon request, provide information on how proxies were voted.

 

For its non-discretionary clients, Cliffwater does not have authority to vote client securities. These clients will receive their proxies, corporate actions, consents and other solicitations directly from their custodian or the relevant issuer or investment fund. These clients may contact their client service professionals with questions about a particular solicitation.

 

For its discretionary clients, Cliffwater generally takes responsibility for ensuring that proxies solicited by, or with respect to, the issuers of securities held in the client’s investment account, and corporate actions and consents sought by such issuers (including tender offers and rights offerings) are voted. In most cases, the managers of the commingled funds and separate accounts holding the assets vote the proxy solicitations. However, Cliffwater will take such action in limited circumstances which may include private partnership amendments and consents and in the event that an individual security is held by the client outside of a commingled fund or separate account where the manager votes the securities. Cliffwater’s discretionary clients may also retain the right to vote any proxies or take action relating to specified securities held in the client’s investment account, provided the client gives timely written notice to Cliffwater.

 

Cliffwater will not put its own interests ahead of those of any of its client and will resolve any possible conflicts between its interests and those of the client in favor of the client. When voting proxies, Cliffwater follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts of interest that may arise between its interests and those of its clients. Accordingly, prior to voting any proxy, Cliffwater will determine whether a material conflict of interest exists. A conflict of interest will be considered material to the extent that it is determined that the conflict has the potential to influence Cliffwater’s decision making in voting the proxy. If Cliffwater determines that there is a material conflict of interest related to the proxy solicitation, Cliffwater will take appropriate action to resolve the conflict which may include abstaining from a particular vote.

 

Cliffwater will seek to act solely in the best interests of its clients when exercising its voting authority. Cliffwater determines whether and how to vote proxies on a case-by-case basis. In making such determination, Cliffwater: (i) will attempt to consider all aspects of the vote that could affect the value of the issuer or that of the relevant client, (ii) will vote in a manner that it believes is consistent with the relevant client’s stated objectives, (iii) generally will vote in accordance with the recommendation of the issuing company’s management on routine and administrative matters, unless Cliffwater has a particular reason to vote to the contrary, and (iv) may not vote at all to the extent the outcome of the vote or action does not have a material impact on the issuer or value of its securities.

 

Under Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act, Cliffwater must retain: (i) its voting policies and procedures; (ii) corporate action and proxy statements received; (iii) records of votes cast; (iv) records of client requests for voting information; and (v) any documents prepared by Cliffwater that were material to making a decision on how to vote. Under the circumstances where Cliffwater votes a proxy, corporate action or consent solicited by an issuer of securities or an investment fund, Cliffwater will document and maintain its voting record.

 

For private investment funds, Cliffwater may accept a seat on an advisory board or similar group for a fund in which one or more Cliffwater clients have invested. Cliffwater believes advisory board service benefits its clients by allowing Cliffwater greater insight into the fund and its strategies and that, in general, the interests of its clients as investors will be aligned with the interests of all investors in the fund. However, if the interests of Cliffwater’s clients were to diverge from the interests of each other, the Cliffwater representative will take appropriate action to resolve the conflict which may include abstaining from a particular vote.

 

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Crescent Capital Group LP

 

Regulatory Compliance Manual

 

 

 

Excerpt:

PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

This Regulatory Compliance Manual is the property of Crescent Capital Group LP (“CCG”) and Crescent Credit Europe LLP (“CCE”) (together “CRESCENT” or “Company” or “Firm”) must be returned to the Company if an individual’s association with the Company terminates for any reason.

 

The content of this manual is confidential, and should not be revealed to third parties without prior approval from the Chief Compliance Officer. The policies and procedures set forth herein supersede previous manuals, policies, and procedures.

 

April 2018

 

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Proxy Voting and Class Actions

 

 

 

Background

 

In Proxy Voting by Investment Advisers, Investment Advisers Act Release No. 2106 (January 31, 2003), the SEC noted that, “The federal securities laws do not specifically address how an adviser must exercise its proxy voting authority for its clients. Under the Advisers Act, however, an adviser is a fiduciary that owes each of its clients a duty of care and loyalty with respect to all services undertaken on the client’s behalf, including proxy voting. The duty of care requires an adviser with proxy voting authority to monitor corporate events and to vote the proxies.”

 

Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act requires each registered investment adviser that exercises proxy voting authority with respect to client securities to:

 

Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes client securities in the clients’ best interests. Such policies and procedures must address the manner in which the adviser will resolve material conflicts of interest that can arise during the proxy voting process;

 

Disclose to clients how they may obtain information from the adviser about how the adviser voted with respect to their securities; and

 

Describe to clients the adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures and, upon request, furnish a copy of the policies and procedures.

 

Additionally, paragraph (c)(2) of Rule 204-2 imposes additional recordkeeping requirements on investment advisers that execute proxy voting authority, as described in the Maintenance of Books and Records section of this Manual.

 

The Advisers Act lacks specific guidance regarding an adviser’s duty to direct clients’ participation in class actions. However, many investment advisers adopt policies and procedures regarding class actions.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered numerous risks associated with the proxy voting process. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

CRESCENT lacks written proxy voting policies and procedures;

 

Proxies are not identified and processed in a timely manner;

 

Proxies are not voted in Clients’ best interests;

 

Conflicts of interest between CRESCENT and a Client are not identified or resolved appropriately;

 

Third-party proxy voting services do not vote proxies according to CRESCENT’s instructions and in Clients’ best interests;

 

A- 13

 

 

Proxy voting records, Client requests for proxy voting information, and CRESCENT’s responses to such requests, are not properly maintained;

 

CRESCENT lacks policies and procedures regarding Clients’ participation in class actions; and

 

CRESCENT fails to maintain documentation associated with Clients’ participation in class actions.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines as an attempt to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Proxy Voting

 

CRESCENT primarily invests Client assets in fixed income assets which typically do not issue proxies. However, CRESCENT’s Clients also invest in equity securities and therefore will receive proxies in connection with such assets. Proxies are assets of CRESCENT’s Clients that must be voted with diligence, care, and loyalty. CRESCENT will vote each proxy in accordance with its fiduciary duty to its Clients. CRESCENT will generally seek to vote proxies in a way that maximizes the value of Clients’ assets. However, CRESCENT will document and abide by any specific proxy voting instructions conveyed by a Client with respect to that Client’s securities. The Portfolio Administration Group coordinates CRESCENT’s proxy voting process.

 

Paragraph (c)(ii) of Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act requires CRESCENT to maintain certain books and records associated with its proxy voting policies and procedures. CRESCENT’s recordkeeping obligations are described in the Maintenance of Books and Records section of this Manual. The Compliance Group will ensure that CRESCENT complies with all applicable recordkeeping requirements associated with proxy voting.

 

Although they aren’t considered proxies under Rule 206(4)-6, any consent and other bond owner rights received by CRESCENT should be forwarded to the appropriate member of the investment staff and any potential conflicts of interest identified should be escalated in accordance with the “Conflicts of Interest” section below.

 

Absent specific Client instructions, CRESCENT has adopted the following proxy voting procedures designed to ensure that proxies are properly identified and voted, and that any conflicts of interest are addressed appropriately:

 

The Portfolio Administration Group shall coordinate with the custodian for each new Client account to ensure the account is set up so that proxy materials are forwarded to CRESCENT, either by mail or electronically.

 

All proxy voting materials received by CRESCENT shall be immediately forwarded to the Portfolio Administration Group.

 

The Portfolio Administration Group will review the list of Clients and compare the record date of the proxies with a security holdings list for the security or company soliciting the proxy vote. For any Client who has provided specific voting instructions, CRESCENT shall vote that Client’s proxy in accordance with the client’s written instructions. Clients who have selected a third party to vote proxies, and whose proxies were inadvertently received by CRESCENT, shall be forwarded to such third-party designee for voting and submission.

 

A- 14

 

 

The Portfolio Administration Group will provide all proxy solicitation information and materials to the appropriate Investment Personnel of CRESCENT ( i.e. , Portfolio Managers, Research Analysts, etc.) for their review and consideration.

 

CRESCENT’s Investment Personnel shall be responsible for making voting decisions with respect to all Client proxies for accounts where CRESCENT has proxy voting authority.

 

The relevant member of the investment staff should inform the Portfolio Administration Group of his or her proxy vote decision. The Portfolio Administration Group will vote the proxy and submit it in a timely manner. The member of the investment staff must consider any conflicts of interest when making a proxy vote decision (see the “Conflicts of Interest” section below).

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The relevant investment professionals will consider whether CRESCENT is subject to any material conflict of interest in connection with each proxy vote. Supervised Persons must notify the Compliance Officers if they are aware of any material conflict of interest associated with a proxy vote. It is impossible to anticipate all material conflicts of interest that could arise in connection with proxy voting. The following examples are meant to help Supervised Persons identify potential conflicts:

 

CRESCENT provides investment advice to a publicly traded company (an “Issuer”). CRESCENT receives a proxy solicitation from that Issuer, or from a competitor of that Issuer;

 

CRESCENT provides investment advice to an officer or director of an Issuer. CRESCENT receives a proxy solicitation from that Issuer, or from a competitor of that Issuer;

 

An issuer or some other third party offers CRESCENT or a Supervised Person compensation in exchange for voting a proxy in a particular way;

 

A Supervised Person, or a member of a Supervised Person’s household, has a personal or business relationship with an Issuer. CRESCENT receives a proxy solicitation from that Issuer; and

 

CRESCENT’s Clients have potentially conflicting investments in the Issuer, including investments made in different parts of the Issuer’s capital structure.

 

If CRESCENT detects a material conflict of interest in connection with a proxy solicitation, the Company will abide by the following procedures:

 

The Compliance Officers will convene the Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), which is comprised of Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), and the CCO. The CCO serves as the Committee’s chairperson.

 

The relevant member(s) of the investment staff or the Compliance Officers will describe the proxy vote under consideration and identify the perceived conflict of interest. The same individual(s) will also propose the course of action that they believe is in CRESCENT’s Clients’ best interests. The individual(s) presenting will tell the Committee why they believe that this course of action is most appropriate.

 

A- 15

 

 

The Committee members will review any documentation associated with the proxy vote and evaluate the proposal presented. The Committee members may wish to consider, among other things:

 

A vote’s likely short-term and long-term impact on the Issuer;

 

Whether the Issuer has responded to the subject of the proxy vote in some other manner;

 

Whether the issues raised by the proxy vote would be better handled by some other action by the government or the Issuer;

 

Whether implementation of the proxy proposal appears likely to achieve the proposal’s stated objectives; and

 

Whether the proposal appears consistent with Clients’ best interests.

 

If the Committee is unable to reach a unanimous decision regarding the proxy vote, CRESCENT will, at its own expense, engage an outside proxy voting service or consultant to make a recommendation. The CCO will retain documentation of the proxy voting service or consultant’s recommendation and will vote Clients’ proxies in accordance with that recommendation.

 

If no material conflict of interest is identified, the Portfolio Administration Group shall vote the proxy in accordance with the investment staff’s recommendation.

 

CRESCENT will not neglect its proxy voting responsibilities, but the Company may abstain from voting if it deems that abstaining is in its Clients’ best interests. For example, CRESCENT may be unable to vote securities that have been lent by the custodian. Also, proxy voting in certain countries involves “share blocking,” which limits CRESCENT’s ability to sell the affected security during a blocking period that can last for several weeks. CRESCENT believes that the potential consequences of being unable to sell a security usually outweigh the benefits of participating in a proxy vote, so CRESCENT generally abstains from voting when share blocking is required. The Portfolio Administration Group will prepare and maintain memoranda describing the rationale for any instance in which CRESCENT does not vote a Client’s proxy.

 

The Portfolio Administration Group will retain the following information in connection with each proxy vote:

 

The Issuer’s name;

The security’s ticker symbol or CUSIP, as applicable;

The shareholder meeting date;

The number of shares that CRESCENT voted;

A brief identification of the matter voted on;

Whether the matter was proposed by the Issuer or a security-holder;

Whether CRESCENT cast a vote;

How CRESCENT cast its vote (for the proposal, against the proposal, or abstain); and

Whether CRESCENT cast its vote with or against management.

 

A- 16

 

 

If CRESCENT votes the same proxy in two directions, the Portfolio Administration Group will maintain documentation describing the reasons for each vote (e.g., CRESCENT believes that voting with management is in Clients’ best interests, but Client X gave specific instructions to vote against management).

 

Any attempt to influence the proxy voting process by Issuers or others not identified in these policies and procedures should be promptly reported to the CCO. Similarly, any Client’s attempt to influence proxy voting with respect to other Clients’ securities should be promptly reported to the CCO.

 

Proxies received after a Client terminates its advisory relationship with CRESCENT will not be voted. The Portfolio Administration Group will promptly return such proxies to the sender, along with a statement indicating that CRESCENT’s advisory relationship with the Client has terminated, and that future proxies should not be sent to CRESCENT.

 

Legal Actions

 

From time to time, CRESCENT clients and former clients own or have owned securities that are the subject of class action lawsuits or bankruptcy proceedings. Generally, holders of securities within a given class period or bankruptcy are entitled to participate in the recovery or settlement in a lawsuit by filing a Proof of Claim. All class members normally are bound by a court-approved settlement or judgment unless they have filed a timely Opt Out notice with the court or claims administrator.

 

CRESCENT views filing of Proofs of Claim in lawsuits as a corporate action that normally is to be performed by the custodian for the client or fund. In addition, the decision to file an Opt Out notice is an individual decision to be made by the client or fund.

 

Normally, custodians will receive notices of rights to participate in, or opt out of class action settlements or bankruptcy proceedings. CRESCENT sometimes receives such notices and has adopted procedures to assist its clients and funds in the performance legal action processing functions. CRESCENT’s actions and responsibilities with respect to legal actions will depend on the role of the Firm with respect to the client or fund.

 

For Investment Advisory Accounts, CRESCENT will:

not take responsibility for filing notices regarding Opt Out rights and Proofs of Claim on behalf of the Investment Advisory Account, and

notify the Investment Advisory Account’s third party custodian, with a copy to the client/fund, of any Opt Out Notice or Proof of Claim received by CRESCENT from the settlement administrator or the court that is addressed to the Investment Advisory Account at CRESCENT’s address.

 

For CRESCENT/BNY Mellon Custodial Accounts:

CRESCENT will distribute to its clients and funds notices regarding Opt Out rights relating to those clients and funds to the extent CRESCENT receives written notice of such rights.

BNY Mellon will file Proofs of Claim for the Custodial Accounts except when the Account notifies CRESCENT that it intends to opt out (or has already opted out).

CRESCENT has given BNY Mellon a standing instruction to file Proofs of Claim on behalf of CRESCENT/BNY Mellon Custodial Accounts except where the account holder notifies the Firm of the exercise of its Opt Out right.

 

A- 17

 

 

For CRESCENT Funds, if CRESCENT receives written notice of the right to participate in or opt out of, a legal action, the Firm will:

notify the Product Group who will make the determination whether to exercise Opt Out rights relating to those CRESCENT Funds, and

notify Legal of the timing and filing requirements for a Proof of Claim. Legal will coordinate with the Product Group’s analysts and/or custodian to ensure that the Proofs of Claim for the Funds are filed unless the Fund has elected to opt out of the class.

 

Disclosures to Clients and Investors

 

CRESCENT includes a description of its policies and procedures regarding proxy voting and class actions in Part 2 of Form ADV, along with a statement that Clients and Investors can contact the Compliance Group to obtain a copy of these policies and procedures and information about how CRESCENT voted with respect to the Client’s securities.

 

Any request for information about proxy voting or class actions should be promptly forwarded to the Compliance Group, who will respond to any such requests.

 

As a matter of policy, CRESCENT does not disclose how it expects to vote on upcoming proxies. Additionally, CRESCENT does not disclose the way it voted proxies to unaffiliated third parties without a legitimate need to know such information.

 

 

A- 18

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX B – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

B- 1

 

Cliffwater corporate lending Fund

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Financial Statements

 

January 3, 2019

 

B- 2

 

cliffwater corporate lending Fund

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

January 3, 2019

 

Table of Contents

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 3
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 4
Statement of Operations 5
Notes to Financial Statements 6

B- 3

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Shareholder and Board of Trustees of 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

 

We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities of Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) as of January 3, 2019, and the related statement of operations for the one day then ended, including the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Fund as of January 3, 2019, the results of its operations for the one day then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Basis for Opinion

 

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Fund’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Fund in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures include examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of cash owned as of January 3, 2019, by correspondence with the custodian. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

We have served as the Fund’s auditor since 2018.

 

 

COHEN & COMPANY, LTD. 

Chicago, Illinois 

January 11, 2019

B- 4

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING Fund

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

As of January 3, 2019

 

Assets  
Cash $ 100,000  
Receivable from Investment Manager (See Note 2)   189,530  
Deferred offering costs (See Note 2)   169,343  
Total Assets   458,873  
       
Liabilities      
Payable to Investment Manager (See Note 2)   229,318  
Payable for offering costs (See Note 2)   28,179  
Payable for organizational costs (See Note 2)   101,376  
Total Liabilities   358,873  
       
Net Assets $ 100,000  
       
Components of Net assets:      
Paid-in capital $ 100,000  
       
Net Assets $ 100,000  
       
Net assets attributable to:      
       
Class I (10,000 shares outstanding) $ 100,000  
       
Net asset value per share:      
       
Class I $ 10.00  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

B- 5

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING Fund

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Statement of Operations

 

One Day Ended January 3, 2019

 

Expenses  
Organizational costs $ 189,530  
Less: Reimbursement from the Investment Manager   (189,530 )
       
Net Expenses   -  
       
Net Increase in Net Assets Resulting from Operations $ -  

 

See Notes to Financial Statements.

 

B- 6

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING Fund

 

(A Delaware Statutory Trust)

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

1. Organization

 

The Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) is a closed-end non-diversified management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and organized as a Delaware statutory trust on March 21, 2018. The Fund intends to operate as an interval fund. Cliffwater LLC serves as the investment adviser (the “Investment Manager”) of the Fund. The Fund’s investment objective is to seek consistent current income, while the Fund’s secondary objective is capital preservation. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its assets in corporate loans.

 

The Fund has been inactive since the date it was organized except for matters relating to the Fund's establishment, designation, and the registration of 10,000 Class I shares to the Investment Manager on January 3, 2019 for $100,000, which represents the Investment Manager’s seed investment.

 

Class A Shares of the Fund may be subject to a Distribution and Servicing Fee of up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares. There is no Distribution and Servicing Fee imposed on Class I Shares.

 

2. Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Preparation and Use of Estimates

 

The Fund is an investment company and follows the accounting and reporting guidance under Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services Investment Companies. The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of the financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from these estimates.  

 

Organizational and Offering Costs

 

Organizational costs consist of the costs of forming the Fund, drafting of bylaws, administration, custody and transfer agency agreements, legal services in connection with the initial meeting of trustees and the Fund’s seed audit costs. Offering costs consist of the costs of preparation, review and filing with the SEC the Fund’s registration statement, the costs of preparation, review and filing of any associated marketing or similar materials, the costs associated with the printing, mailing or other distribution of the Prospectus, SAI and/or marketing materials, and the amounts of associated filing fees and legal fees associated with the offering. The aggregate amount of the organizational costs and offering costs as of the date of the accompanying financial statements are $164,485 and $153,307, respectively.

 

B- 7

 

The Investment Manager has agreed to advance the Fund’s organizational costs and offering costs already incurred and any additional costs incurred prior to the commencement of operations of the Fund. Organizational costs are expensed as incurred and are subject to recoupment by the Investment Manager in accordance with the Fund's expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 4. Offering costs, which are also subject to the Fund’s expense limitation agreement discussed in Note 4, are accounted for as a deferred charge until Fund shares are offered to the public and will thereafter, be amortized to expense over twelve months on a straight-line basis.

 

Federal Income Taxes

 

The Fund intends to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. If so qualified, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent it distributes substantially all of its net investment income and capital gains to shareholders. Therefore, no federal income tax provision is required. Management of the Fund is required to determine whether a tax position taken by the Fund is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by the applicable taxing authority, based on the technical merits of the position. Based on its analysis, there were no tax positions identified by management of the Fund which did not meet the “more likely than not” standard as of January 3, 2019.

 

Indemnifications

 

In the normal course of business, the Fund enters into contracts that provide general indemnifications. The Fund’s maximum exposure under these agreements is dependent on future claims that may be made against the Fund, and therefore cannot be established; however, the risk of loss from such claims is considered remote.

 

3. Capital Stock

 

The Fund offers two separate classes of shares of beneficial interest (“Shares”) designated as Class A (“Class A Shares”) and Class I (“Class I Shares”). Class A Shares and Class I Shares are subject to different fees and expenses. The Fund may offer additional classes of Shares in the future. The Fund has applied for and expects to receive an exemptive order from the SEC with respect to the Fund’s multi-class structure.  Class A Shares will not be offered to investors until the Fund has received an exemptive order permitting the multi-class structure.

 

The Fund has registered a total of 100,000 Shares and is authorized as a Delaware statutory trust to issue an unlimited number of Shares in one or more classes, with a par value of $0.001. The minimum initial investment in Class I Shares by any investor is $1 million and the minimum initial investment in Class A Shares by any investor is $10,000. However, the Fund, in its sole discretion, may accept investments below this minimum with respect to Class I Shares. Shares may be purchased by principals and employees of the Investment Manager or its affiliates and their immediate family members without being subject to the minimum investment requirements. The Shares will initially be issued at $10.00 per share and thereafter the purchase price for each class of Shares will be based on the NAV per Share of that Class as of the date such Shares are purchased.

 

B- 8

 

Class A Shares will be subject to a sales charge of up to 5.00% while Class I Shares will not be subject to any initial sales charge.

 

Shares will generally be offered for purchase on each business day, except that Shares may be offered more or less frequently as determined by the Board in its sole discretion. The Board may also suspend or terminate offerings of Shares at any time. Class A Shares will not be offered until the Fund has received exemptive relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) permitting the offering of multiple classes of Shares.

 

A substantial portion of the Fund’s investments will be illiquid. For this reason, the Fund is structured as a closed-end interval fund which means that the Shareholders will not have the right to redeem their Shares on a daily basis. In addition, the Fund does not expect any trading market to develop for the Shares. As a result, if investors decide to invest in the Fund, they will have very limited opportunity to sell their Shares. For each repurchase offer the Board will set an amount between 5% and 25% of the Fund’s Shares based on relevant factors, including the liquidity of the Fund’s positions and the Shareholders’ desire for liquidity. A Shareholder whose Shares (or a portion thereof) are repurchased by the Fund will not be entitled to a return of any sales charge that was charged in connection with the Shareholder’s purchase of the Shares.

 

4. Agreements

 

The Fund has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) with the Investment Manager. Pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement, the Fund pays the Investment Manager a monthly Investment Management Fee equal to 1.00% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s “Net Assets.” “Net Assets” means the total assets of the Fund (including any assets attributable to any leverage that may be outstanding) minus the sum of accrued liabilities as of each month-end, subject to certain adjustments.

 

The Investment Manager has entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement”) with the Fund, whereby the Investment Manager has agreed to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”), if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses (excluding any taxes, leverage interest, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage commissions, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.50% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”). For a period not to exceed three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided it is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limitation. The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement has an initial two-year term, which ends two years from the date of commencement of the Fund’s operations. The Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement will automatically renew for consecutive one-year terms thereafter. This Agreement may be terminated at any time by the Fund’s Board of Trustees upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager. This Agreement may be terminated by the Investment Manager as of the end of its then-current term upon 30 days’ written notice to the Fund.

 

B- 9

 

5. Other Agreements

 

Distribution and Services Agreement

 

The Fund has adopted a Distribution and Service Plan which allows the Fund to pay distribution and servicing fees for the sale and servicing of its Class A Shares. Under the Distribution and Service Plan, the Fund may pay as compensation up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the aggregate net assets of the Fund attributable to Class A Shares (the "Distribution and Servicing Fee") to the Fund’s Distributor and/or other qualified recipients. Payment of the Distribution and Servicing Fee is governed by the Distribution and Service Plan, which, pursuant to the conditions of a pending exemptive order issued by the SEC, has been adopted by the Fund with respect to Class A Shares in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. The Distribution and Servicing Fee is paid out of the Fund’s assets and decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Distribution and Servicing Fee is also excluded from the Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement as discussed in Note 4. Class I Shares are not subject to the Distribution and Servicing Fee.

 

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) is the distributor (also known as principal underwriter) of the Shares of the Fund and acts as the agent of the Fund in connection with the continuous offering of shares of the Fund.

 

Fund Administration Agreement

 

The Fund has retained the Administrator, UMB Fund Services, Inc. (the “Administrator”) to provide administrative services, and to assist with operational needs. In consideration for these services, the Fund pays the Administrator a minimum monthly administration fee (the “Administration Fee”). The Administration Fee is paid to the Administrator out of the assets of the Fund and therefore decreases the net profits or increases the net losses of the Fund. The Administrator is also reimbursed by the Fund for out-of-pocket expenses relating to services provided to the Fund, and receives a fee for transfer agency services. The Administration Fee and the other terms of the Administration Agreement may change from time to time as may be agreed to by the Fund and the Administrator.

 

Platform Management Agreement

 

The Fund has retained the Administrator to provide certain services to the Fund regarding its Platform Management Services. The consideration for the Platform Management Services is included as part of the other service agreements between the Fund and the Platform Manager.

 

B- 10

 

Custodian Agreement

 

State Street Bank and Trust Company (the “Custodian”), serves as the primary custodian of the assets of the Fund, and may maintain custody of such assets with U.S. and non-U.S. subcustodians (which may be banks and trust companies), securities depositories and clearing agencies in accordance with the requirements of Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act and the rules thereunder. Assets of the Fund are not held by the Investment Manager or commingled with the assets of other accounts other than to the extent that securities are held in the name of the Custodian or U.S. or non-U.S. sub custodians in a securities depository, clearing agency or omnibus customer account of such custodian. In consideration for these services, the Fund pays the Custodian a minimum monthly custodian fee.

 

6. Subsequent Events

 

In preparing these financial statements, management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of issuance. There have been no subsequent events that occurred during such period that would require disclosure or would be required to be recognized in the financial statements.

 

B- 11

 

PART C:

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “ Registrant ”)

 

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits

 

(1) Financial Statements:

 

Financial Statements are included as Appendix B to the Statement of Additional Information filed herewith.

 

(2) Exhibits

 

(a)(1) Agreement and Declaration of Trust are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on March 30, 2018.

 

(a)(2) Certificate of Trust is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(2) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on March 30, 2018.

 

(a)(3) Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Trust is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (a)(3) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on September 28, 2018.

 

(b) By-Laws are incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on March 30, 2018.

 

(c) Not applicable.

 

(d) Refer to Exhibit (a)(1) and (b)

 

(e) Not applicable.

 

(f) Not applicable.

 

(g)(1) Investment Management Agreement between the Registrant and Cliffwater LLC is filed herewith.

 

(g)(2) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Audax Management Company (NY), LLC is filed herewith.

 

(g)(3) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Beach Point Capital Management LP is filed herewith.

 

(g)(4) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Benefit Street Partners, LLC is filed herewith.

 

 

 

(g)(5) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Crescent Capital Group LP is filed herewith.

 

(g)(6) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and TCP Partners, LLC is filed herewith.

 

(h)(1) Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC is filed herewith.

 

(h)(2) Distribution and Service Plan is filed herewith.

 

(i) Not applicable.

 

(j) Custody Agreement between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is filed herewith.

 

(k)(1) Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement between the Registrant and UMB Fund Services, Inc. is filed herewith.

 

(k)(2) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement is filed herewith.

 

(k)(3) Joint Insured Bond Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (k)(3) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on September 28, 2018.

 

(k)(4) Joint Liability Insurance Agreement is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (k)(4) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on September 28, 2018.

 

(k)(5) Powers of Attorney for Anthony Fischer, Terrance P. Gallagher, David G. Lee, Robert Seyferth and Gary Shugrue are filed herewith.

 

(l) Opinion and Consent of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP is filed herewith.

 

(m) Not applicable.

 

(n) Consent of Cohen & Company, Ltd. is filed herewith.

 

(o) Not applicable.

 

(p) Not applicable.

 

(q) Not applicable.

 

(r)(1) Code of Ethics of Registrant is incorporated by reference to Exhibit (r)(1) to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-2 (Reg. 811-23333) as previously filed on September 28, 2018.

 

(r)(2) Code of Ethics of Cliffwater LLC is filed herewith.

 

 

 

(r)(3) Code of Ethics of Audax Management Company (NY), LLC is filed herewith.

 

(r)(4) Code of Ethics of Beach Point Capital Management LP is filed herewith.

 

(r)(5) Code of Ethics of Benefit Street Partners, LLC is filed herewith.

 

(r)(6) Code of Ethics of Crescent Capital Group LP is filed herewith.

 

(r)(7) Code of Ethics of TCP Partners, LLC is filed herewith.

 

Item 26. Marketing Arrangements

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution of Securities Being Registered

 

All figures are estimates:

 

Registration fees $75,000
Legal fees $240,000
Printing fees $114,000
Blue Sky fees $50,000
Transfer Agent fees $98,000
Total $577,000

 

Item 28. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control With Registrant

 

The Board of Directors of the Registrant is identical to the board of trustees and/or board of directors of certain other funds. Nonetheless, the Registrant takes the position that it is not under common control with the other funds since the power residing in the respective boards arises as a result of an official position with the respective funds.

 

Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities

 

Title of Class Number of Shareholders *
Class I Shares 1

 

* As of March 4, 2019.

 

 

 

Item 30. Indemnification

 

Sections 8.1-8.4 of Article VIII of the Registrant’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust states:

 

Section 8.1 Limitation of Liability. Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust, when acting in such capacity, shall be personally liable to any person other than the Trust or a beneficial owner for any act, omission or obligation of the Trust, any Trustee or any officer of the Trust. Neither a Trustee nor an officer of the Trust shall be liable for any act or omission in his capacity as Trustee or as an officer of the Trust, or for any act or omission of any other officer or any employee of the Trust or of any other person or party, provided that nothing contained herein or in the Act shall protect any Trustee or officer against any liability to the Trust or to Shareholders 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 the office of Trustee or the duties of such officer hereunder.

 

Section 8.2 Indemnification. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees, officers, and persons who serve at the Trust’s request as directors, officers or trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a shareholder, creditor, or otherwise, and may indemnify any trustee, director or officer of a predecessor organization (each a “Covered Person”), against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and expenses including reasonable accountants’ and counsel fees) reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative, regulatory, or legislative body, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while as a Covered Person or thereafter, by reason of being or having been such a Covered Person, except that no Covered Person shall be indemnified against any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which such Covered Person would otherwise be subject by reason of bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person’s office (such willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard being referred to herein as “Disabling Conduct”). Expenses, including accountants’ and counsel fees so incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of (a) an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person to repay amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this Article VIII and (b) any of (i) such Covered Person provides security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising by reason of such payment, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of disinterested, non-party Trustees, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, determines, based on a review of readily available facts, that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

 

 

 

Section 8.3 Indemnification Determinations. Indemnification of a Covered Person pursuant to Section 8.2 shall be made if (a) the court or body before whom the proceeding is brought determines, in a final decision on the merits, that such Covered Person was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct or (b) in the absence of such a determination, a majority of a quorum of disinterested, non-party Trustees or independent legal counsel in a written opinion make a reasonable determination, based upon a review of the facts, that such Covered Person was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct.

 

Section 8.4 Indemnification Not Exclusive. The right of indemnification provided by this Article VIII shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article VIII, “Covered Person” shall include such person’s heirs, executors and administrators, and a “disinterested, non-party Trustee” is a Trustee who is neither an Interested Person of the Trust nor a party to the proceeding in question.

 

Section 8.5 Shareholders. Each Shareholder of the Trust and each Class shall not be personally liable for the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred by, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to, the Trust or by or on behalf of any Class. The Trustees shall have no power to bind any Shareholder personally or to call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree to pay pursuant to terms hereof or by way of subscription for any Shares or otherwise.

 

In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Class shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder of such Class and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives, or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the applicable Class to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust, on behalf of the affected Class, shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against the Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Class and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Class. The indemnification and reimbursement required by the preceding sentence shall be made only out of assets of the one or more Classes whose Shares were held by said Shareholder at the time the act or event occurred that gave rise to the claim against or liability of said Shareholder. The rights accruing to a Shareholder under this Section shall not impair any other right to which such Shareholder may be lawfully entitled, nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Trust or any Class thereof to indemnify or reimburse a Shareholder in any appropriate situation even though not specifically provided herein.

 

 

 

Additionally, the Registrant’s various agreements with its service providers contain indemnification provisions.

 

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

 

Information as to the directors and officers of the Registrant’s investment adviser, Cliffwater LLC (the “Investment Manager”), together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which the Investment Manager, and each director, executive officer, managing member or partner of the Investment Manager, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of director, officer, employee, managing member, partner or trustee, is included in its Form ADV as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 801-63344), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records

 

All accounts, books, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules promulgated thereunder are maintained at the offices of (1) the Registrant’s Administrator, (2) the Investment Manager, (3) Audax Management Company (NY), LLC, (4) Beach Point Capital Management LP, (5) Benefit Street Partners, LLC, (6) Crescent Capital Group LP, (7) TCP Partners, LLC and/or (8) the Registrant’s counsel. The address of each is as follows:

 

1.

UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

2.

Cliffwater LLC

4640 Admiralty Way, 11 th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

 

3.

Audax Management Company (NY), LLC

320 Park Avenue, 19th Floor

New York, NY 10022

 

4.

Beach Point Capital Management LP

1620 26th Street, Suite 6000N

Santa Monica, CA 90404

 

 

 

5.

Benefit Street Partners, LLC

9 West 57th Street, Suite 4920

New York, NY 10019

 

6.

Crescent Capital Group LP

11100 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 2000

Los Angeles, CA 90025

 

7.

Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

2951 28th Street, Suite 1000

Santa Monica, CA 90405

 

8. Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
One Logan Square, Ste. 2000
Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

Item 33. Management Services

 

Not applicable.

 

Item 34. Undertakings

 

1. Registrant undertakes to suspend the offering of its shares until it amends its prospectus if (1) subsequent to the effective date of its Registration Statement, the net asset value declines more than 10 percent from its net asset value as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, or (2) the net asset value increases to an amount greater than its net proceeds as stated in the prospectus.

 

2. Not applicable.

 

3. Not applicable.

 

4. The Registrant undertakes (a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

 

(1)   to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(2)   to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

 

(3)   to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

 

 

(b)   that for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

 

(c)   to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;

 

(d)   that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser, if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C; each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 497(b), (c), (d) or (e) under the Securities Act of 1933, shall be deemed to be part of and included in this Registration Statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in this Registration Statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into this registration statement or prospectus that is part of this registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supercede or modify any statement that was made in this registration statement or prospectus that was part of this registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use;

 

(e)   that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:

 

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

(1)   any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act of 1933;

 

(2)  the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 under the Securities Act of 1933 relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

(3)   any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

5.    Not applicable.

 

6.    The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any Statement of Additional Information.

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Marina del Rey in the State of California on the 28th day of February, 2019.

 

  Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund  
       
  By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
    Name: Stephen Nesbitt  
    Title: President  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and his Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in the capacity and on the date indicated.

 

/s/ Stephen Nesbitt   President   February 28, 2019
Stephen Nesbitt      
         
/s/ Lance J. Johnson   Treasurer   February 28, 2019
Lance J. Johnson        
         
* Anthony Fischer   Trustee   February 28, 2019
Anthony Fischer        
         
* Terrance P. Gallagher   Trustee   February 28, 2019
Terrance P. Gallagher        
         
* David G. Lee   Trustee   February 28, 2019
David G. Lee        
         
* Robert Seyferth   Trustee   February 28, 2019
Robert Seyferth        
         
* Gary Shugrue   Trustee   February 28, 2019
Gary Shugrue        

 

*By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
  Stephen Nesbitt  
  Attorney-In-Fact (pursuant to Power of Attorney)  

 

 

 

Exhibit Index

 

(g)(1) Investment Management Agreement between the Registrant and Cliffwater LLC
(g)(2) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Audax Management Company (NY), LLC
(g)(3) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Beach Point Capital Management LP
(g)(4) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Benefit Street Partners, LLC
(g)(5) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and Crescent Capital Group LP
(g)(6) Sub-Advisory Agreement by and among Registrant, Cliffwater LLC and TCP Partners, LLC
(h)(1) Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC
(h)(2) Distribution and Service Plan
(j) Custody Agreement between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company
(k)(1) Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement between the Registrant and UMB Fund Services, Inc.
(k)(2) Expense Limitation and Reimbursement Agreement
(k)(5) Powers of Attorney for Anthony Fischer, Terrance P. Gallagher, David G. Lee, Robert Seyferth and Gary Shugrue
(l) Opinion and Consent of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
(n) Consent of Cohen & Company, Ltd.
(r)(2) Code of Ethics of Cliffwater LLC
(r)(3) Code of Ethics of Audax Management Company (NY), LLC
(r)(4) Code of Ethics of Beach Point Capital Management LP
(r)(5) Code of Ethics of Benefit Street Partners, LLC
(r)(6) Code of Ethics of Crescent Capital Group LP
(r)(7) Code of Ethics of TCP Partners, LLC

 

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND

 

AGREEMENT made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and between Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the "Fund"), and Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the "Investment Manager").

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and is engaged in the business of supplying investment advice as an independent contractor;

 

WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain the Investment Manager to render investment management services with respect to the Fund and the Investment Manager is willing to render such services; and

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager may, subject to the approval of the Fund’s Board of Trustees, retain one or more sub-advisers (the “Sub-Advisers”) to render portfolio management services to the Fund pursuant to investment sub-advisory agreements among the Fund, the Investment Manager and each such Sub-Adviser (each, a “Sub-Advisory Agreement”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of mutual covenants herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.        APPOINTMENT AND ACCEPTANCE. The Fund hereby appoints the Investment Manager to act as Investment Manager to the Fund for the period and on the terms set forth in this Agreement. The Investment Manager accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The Investment Manager may provide such other additional services to the Fund as reasonably requested by the Fund and agreed to by the Investment Manager, including preparing and reviewing the Fund’s registration statements and any amendments and supplements thereto, preparation and review of materials for Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Board”) and Board committee meetings, preparation and review of Fund shareholder reports, proxy statements, and other applicable regulatory reports and communications, and the provision of the Investment Manager’s employees to act as officers of the Fund.

 

2.        DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES OF INVESTMENT MANAGER. The Fund employs the Investment Manager to furnish and manage a continuous investment program for the Fund. The Investment Manager will continuously review, supervise and (where appropriate) administer the investment program of the Fund, to determine in its discretion (where appropriate) the securities to be purchased, held, sold or exchanged, to provide the Fund with records concerning the Investment Manager’s activities which the Fund is required to maintain and to render regular reports to the Fund’s officers and Trustees concerning the Investment Manager’s discharge of the foregoing responsibilities. The Investment Manager may delegate certain of its duties under this Agreement with respect to the Fund to a Sub-Adviser or Sub-Advisers (subject to the approval of the Fund's Board and, except as otherwise permitted under the terms of any applicable exemptive relief obtained from the Securities and Exchange Commission, or by rule or regulation, a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund) and thereafter supervise the investment activities of one or more Sub-Advisers deemed necessary to carry out the investment program of the Fund. The retention of a Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager shall not relieve the Investment Manager of its responsibilities under this Agreement. The Investment Manager may pay a Sub-Adviser a portion of the compensation received by the Investment Manager hereunder.

 

The Investment Manager shall discharge the foregoing responsibilities subject to the control of the Fund’s Board and in compliance with the objectives, policies, and limitations for the Fund set forth in the Fund's current registration statement and applicable laws and regulations. The Investment Manager also agrees to comply with (a) any policies, guidelines, instructions and procedures approved by the Board, and (b) any future amendments or supplements to the Fund’s registration statement that, in each case, are provided, in writing, to the Investment Manager with reasonable notice prior to implementation.

1

The Investment Manager shall have the power to carry out any and all of the objectives and purposes of the Fund, as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and to, perform all acts and enter into and perform all contracts and other undertakings on behalf of the Fund, including delegating such power to perform or to enter into and perform all contracts and undertaking to the Sub-Advisers, as the Investment Manager deems appropriate or convenient in connection with the provision of its services contained herein. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Investment Manager shall have all specific rights and power to do, or to delegate the power to the Sub-Advisers to do, the following on behalf of the Fund:

 

(i) acquire, hold, manage, vote, own and dispose of loans, equity securities and any other assets held by the Fund;

 

(ii) review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements;

 

(iii) provide service on committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Fund (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Fund whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

(iv) monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Fund and dispose of them in such manner and at such times as the Investment Manager or Sub-Advisers determine;

 

(v) initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings to protect the assets of the Fund, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund;

 

(vi) cooperate with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

 

(vii) employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

 

(viii) take whatever steps are required by governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets; and

 

(ix) take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

 

Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Investment Manager shall also have specific rights and power to do, or to delegate the power to the Sub-Advisers to do, the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

(x) other than in connection with investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents; and

 

(xi) obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

 

3.     FUND TRANSACTIONS. The Investment Manager is authorized to select the brokers or dealers that will execute the purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the Fund and is directed to use its best efforts to obtain “best execution” under the particular circumstances of each transaction taking into account such factors as the Investment Manager deems relevant and considering the Fund’s investment objectives, policies, and restrictions as stated in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as the same may be amended, supplemented or restated from time to time, and resolutions of the Fund’s Board. The Investment Manager will promptly communicate to the officers and the Board such information relating to portfolio transactions as they may reasonably request. In connection with the investment and reinvestment of the assets of the Fund, the Investment Manager is authorized (and can delegate to Sub-Advisers) to execute for the Fund as its agent and attorney-in-fact standard customer agreements and other documentation in connection with opening trading accounts with brokers, dealers or futures commission merchants and other trading counterparties, including, but not limited to, ISDA agreements, and in connection with the rights and powers granted to the Investment Manager under Section 2 of this Agreement, as well as, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures, to do such other things necessary or incidental to the furtherance or conduct of the Fund’s purchases, sales or other transactions.

2

It is understood that the Investment Manager will not be deemed to have acted unlawfully, or to have breached a fiduciary duty to the Fund or be in breach of any obligation owing to the Fund under this Agreement, or otherwise, by reason of its having directed a securities transaction on behalf of the Fund to a broker-dealer in compliance with the provisions of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or as described from time to time by the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

 

On occasions when the Investment Manager deems the purchase or sale of an investment, security or futures contract or options thereon to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, aggregate the order to be sold or purchased. In such event, the Investment Manager will allocate investments, securities or futures contracts or options thereon so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, in the manner the Investment Manager reasonably considers to be equitable and consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to such other clients under the circumstances.

 

The Investment Manager or any of its affiliates may act as broker in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or other investments for the Fund, subject to: (a) the requirement that the Investment Manager seek to obtain best execution under the circumstances for the transaction; (b) the provisions of the 1940 Act; (c) the provisions of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; and (d) other provisions of applicable law. These brokerage services are not within the scope of the duties of the Investment Manager under this Agreement. Subject to the requirements of applicable law and any procedures adopted by the Board, the Investment Manager or its affiliates may receive brokerage commissions, fees or other remuneration from the Fund for these services in addition to the Investment Manager's fees for services under this Agreement.

 

All securities and other property of the Fund shall remain in the direct or indirect custody of the Fund’s custodian except as otherwise authorized by the Board.

 

4.     EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER. The Investment Manager will, at its own expense, render the services and provide the office space, furnishings and equipment, and personnel required by it to perform the services on the terms and for the compensation provided herein. In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Investment Manager shall be responsible for (i) the expenses of printing and distributing extra copies of the Fund’s prospectus, statement of additional information, and sales and advertising materials (but not the legal, auditing or accounting fees attendant thereto) to prospective investors (but not to existing shareholders) to the extent such expenses are not covered by any applicable plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (each, a “12b-1 Plan”) or pursuant to, or as a condition of multiple-class exemptive relief obtained from the Securities and Exchange Commission; (ii) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting convened for the primary benefit of the Investment Manager or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Investment Manager, then the Investment Manager will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Investment Manager and the Fund; and (iii) the costs of the Investment Manager’s in-person attendance at one Fund Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager and the Fund. If the Investment Manager has agreed to limit the operating expenses of the Fund as referenced below, the Investment Manager also shall be responsible on a monthly basis for any operating expenses that exceed the agreed upon expense limit, subject to the terms of such agreement. Except as otherwise specifically stated herein, the Investment Manager shall not be responsible for any of the Fund's expenses, including, but not limited to, brokerage and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments. For the avoidance of doubt, the Fund shall bear all fees and expenses incurred in connection with the organization of the Fund and the offering of the Fund’s shares and will reimburse Investment Manager for any such fees and expenses incurred by the Investment Manager on the Fund’s behalf, including fees and expenses in connection with seeking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of any exemptive relief contemplated in connection with the establishment or operations of the Fund.

3

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Investment Manager compensation at an annual rate of one percent (1%), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10 th business day of the succeeding month based upon the Fund’s average daily net assets. Net assets means the total value of all assets of the Fund, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Fund. In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Investment Manager provided services to the Fund. Compensation will be paid to the Investment Manager before giving effect to any repurchase of any shares in the Fund effective as of that date. The Investment Manager may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement and may agree to make payments to limit the expenses which are the responsibility of the Fund under this Agreement. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Investment Manager hereunder or to continue future payments.

 

All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

5.     BOOKS AND RECORDS. The Investment Manager shall not be responsible for the provision of administrative, bookkeeping or accounting services to the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Investment Manager to supply to the Fund or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement. The Investment Manager will maintain all books and records with respect to the securities transactions of the Fund and will furnish to the Fund’s Board such periodic and special reports as the Board may reasonably request. The Fund and the Investment Manager agree to furnish to each other, if applicable, current registration statements, proxy statements, reports to shareholders, certified copies of their financial statements, and such other information with regard to their affairs as each may reasonably request.

 

Any records required to be maintained and preserved pursuant to the provisions of Rule 31a-1 and Rule 31a-2 promulgated under the 1940 Act which are prepared or maintained by the Investment Manager on behalf of the Fund are the property of the Fund and will be surrendered promptly to the Fund on request; provided that the Investment Manager may make and retain copies of such records.

 

6.     STATUS OF INVESTMENT MANAGER. The services of the Investment Manager to the Fund are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Investment Manager shall be free to render similar services to others so long as its services to the Fund are not impaired thereby. The Investment Manager shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

7.     LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION OF INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

(a) In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Investment Manager and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Investment Manager, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, shall not be subject to liability to the Fund or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Investment Manager or any affiliate of the Investment Manager or by any Sub-Adviser, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby.

 

(b) The Fund shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Investment Manager, or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Investment Manager, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives (each such person being an “Indemnitee”), against any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney's fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) to which the person may be liable that arises or results from (i) this Agreement or the performance of any services under this Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) the Investment Manager’s obligation to indemnify a Sub-Adviser or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives under the terms of the Sub-Adviser’s Sub-Advisory Agreement so long as such indemnification obligations did not arise primarily from the such Indemnitee’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section  to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

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(c) The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liability to which the person may be liable that results from the Investment Manager's willful misfeasance or gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Investment Manager's obligations under this Agreement, or from the Investment Manager's reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section  to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

(d) The Investment Manager shall not be obligated to perform any service not described in this Agreement. The Investment Manager shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that Investment Manager's overall management of the Fund will be successful. The Fund understands that investment decisions made for the Fund by the Investment Manager are subject to various market, currency, economic, political and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be profitable.

 

8.     PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS. Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Investment Manager (or any successor thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Investment Manager are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Investment Manager (or any successor) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

 

9.     AUTHORITY; NO CONFLICT. The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that: it has the authority to enter into and perform the services contemplated by this Agreement; and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Investment Manager or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

10.   FUND REPRESENTATIONS: The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that it: (a) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement; (b) has taken all necessary actions to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement; and has furnished to the Investment Manager copies of each of the following documents: (i) the governing documents of the Fund; (ii) the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Investment Manager as investment adviser of the Fund and approving this Agreement; and (iii) current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information. The Fund shall furnish the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to each of the foregoing, if any, with reasonable notice prior to implementation.

 

11.   LICENSE OF INVESTMENT MANAGER’S NAME. The Investment Manager grants to the Fund a license to use the name "Cliffwater" (the "Name") as part of the name of the Fund. The foregoing authorization by the Investment Manager to the Fund to use the Name as part of the name of the Fund is not exclusive of the right of the Investment Manager itself to use, or to authorize others to use, the Name. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that, as between the Fund and the Investment Manager, the Investment Manager has the right to use, or authorize others to use, the Name. The Fund shall (1) only use the Name in a manner consistent with uses approved by the Investment Manager; (2) adhere to such specific quality control standards as the Investment Manager may from time to time promulgate; and (3) protect the reputation and goodwill of the Name. The Fund acknowledges that the Name and the trademark associated therewith are the valuable property of the Investment Manager or its affiliates. The Fund will (a) submit to the Investment Manager for review and preapproval prior to use any promotional materials using the Name; and (b) change the name of the Fund within one month of its receipt of the Investment Manager's request, or such other shorter time period as may be required under the terms of a settlement agreement or court order, so as to eliminate all reference to the Name and will not thereafter transact any business using the Name in the name of the Fund; provided, however, that to the extent required by law, regulation or regulatory guidance, the Fund may continue to make reference to the prior name of the Fund in its prospectuses, regulatory filings, marketing materials and similar documents and the Fund may continue to use beyond such date any supplies of prospectuses, marketing materials and similar documents that the Fund had on the date of such name change in quantities not exceeding those historically produced and used in connection with such Fund. If the Fund makes any unauthorized use of the Name or the Investment Manager’s derivatives, logos, trademarks, or service marks or trade names, the Fund acknowledges that the Investment Manager shall suffer irreparable harm for which monetary damages may be inadequate and thus, the Investment Manager shall be entitled to injunctive relief, as well as any other remedy available under law.

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12.   DURATION AND TERMINATION. This Agreement, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall remain in effect until March 1, 2021 and thereafter, may continue in effect only if such continuance is specifically approved at least annually (a) by the vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Board who are not parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any party to this Agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by a vote of a majority of the Fund’s Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund; provided, however, that if the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Agreement as provided herein, the Investment Manager may continue to serve hereunder in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated as to the Fund at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of members of the Fund’s Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days written notice to the Investment Manager, or by the Investment Manager at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on 60 days written notice to the Fund. This Agreement will automatically and immediately terminate in the event of its assignment. Any notice under this Agreement shall be given in writing, addressed and delivered, or mailed postpaid, to the other party at any office of such party.

 

As used in this Section 12, the terms "assignment", "interested persons", and a "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities" shall have the respective meanings set forth in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission under said Act.

 

13.   NOTICE. Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other shall be deemed sufficient if sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

  If to the Investment Manager:  
   
  Cliffwater LLC
 

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

  4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor
  Marina del Rey, CA 90292
  Facsimile: (310) 448-5001
  Telephone: (310) 448-5000
   
  If to the Fund:

 

  Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund
  c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.
  Attn: Regulatory Administration
  235 West Galena Street
  Milwaukee, WI 53212
  Facsimile: (414) 271-9717
  Telephone: (414) 299-2000

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14.   SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.

 

15.   GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

16. AMENDMENT. No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

17. COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

18. TRACK RECORD. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the Investment Manager shall retain a right to use the investment performance and track record of the Fund (including in marketing materials) to the extent permitted by law. Further, for the avoidance of doubt, the Investment Manager shall be entitled to retain a copy and use records of each of its transactions and other records pertaining to the Fund as are necessary to support any such uses of the investment performance and track record.

 

19. MISCELLANEOUS .   Where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

20. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an Indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
     

By: 

/s/ Lance Johnson

 
Title: Treasurer  
   

Cliffwater Llc  

 
     
By:    /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  

 

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INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Manager”), and Audax Management Company (NY), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) dated March 1, 2019 with the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”, and each Board member individually a “Trustee”, and together, the “Trustees”) and the Investment Manager desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory and other services to a portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to the Sub-Adviser, in the manner and on the terms hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager has the authority under the Investment Management Agreement to retain sub-advisers; and

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Investment Manager and the Fund;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:

 

1.           APPOINTMENT OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to, and invested and managed by, the Sub-Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”), subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Investment Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Investment Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

 

2.           ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT.

 

The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The assets of the Fund will be maintained in the custody of a custodian (who shall be identified by the Investment Manager in writing) (the “Custodian”).  The Sub-Adviser will not have custody of any securities, cash or other assets of the Fund. The Sub-Adviser will not be liable for any loss resulting from any act or omission of the Custodian; provided, however, the Sub-Adviser may be held liable for providing written instructions to the Custodian, in each case solely to the extent (x) specified Section 14 of this Agreement and (y) the Custodian engaged in acts or omissions in reasonable reliance on such written instructions of the Sub-Adviser.

 

3.           DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

a. The Fund has furnished or will furnish to the Sub-Adviser copies of each of the following documents:

i. the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund as in effect on the date hereof;

 

ii. the By-Laws of the Fund in effect on the date hereof;

 

iii. the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser for the Allocated Portion and approving the form of this Agreement;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (as defined below) of the Fund as currently in effect; and

 

v. current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

 

The Fund shall furnish the Sub-Adviser from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser has furnished or will furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager with copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent Form ADV;

 

ii. upon reasonable request of the Investment Manager or the Fund, the Sub-Adviser’s most recent balance sheet or, at the option of the Sub-Adviser, such other information that adequately informs the Board of the financial condition of the Sub-Adviser;

 

iii. separate lists of persons whom the Sub-Adviser wishes to have authorized to give written and/or oral instructions to the Custodian and accounting agent of the Fund’s assets;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (defined below) of the Sub-Adviser as currently in effect;

 

v. the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies as currently in effect;

 

vi. the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures as currently in effect;

 

vii. any exemptive order granted to the Sub-Adviser by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other regulatory body that will be relied upon by the Sub-Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund; and

 

viii. complete and accurate copies of any compliance manuals, trading reports and such other management or operational documents as the Investment Manager may reasonably request in writing (on behalf of itself or the Board) in assessing the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all amendments of or supplements to the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures prior to such amendments or supplements becoming effective. With respect to the other documents requested above, the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, within thirty (30) days of the time such materials became available to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Additionally, the Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Fund and the Investment Manager such other documents relating to its services under this Agreement as the Fund or the Investment Manager may reasonably request on a periodic basis.

 

4.           SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUB-ADVISER TO THE FUND.

 

As an investment adviser to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board and the Investment Manager, manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion.

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As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Sub-Adviser will:

 

a. advise the Investment Manager and the Fund in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by it regarding the Fund and, upon reasonable request, furnish the Investment Manager and the Fund with such research, economic and statistical data in connection with the Fund’s investments and investment policies as the Sub-Adviser has relied upon in connection with its advice; in this regard, the Sub-Adviser shall, with respect to the Allocated Portion, determine in its discretion the securities, cash, and other financial instruments to be purchased, retained or sold for the Allocated Portion within the parameters of the investment objective, policies, restrictions and guidelines applicable to the Allocated Portion as provided in advance and in writing by the Adviser to the Sub-Adviser, as amended in writing from time to time by the Adviser and acknowledged by the Sub-Adviser (the “Investment Guidelines”), provided that no material changes to the Sub-Adviser’s investment strategy employed for the Allocated Portion may be imposed without the Sub-Adviser’s consent;

 

b. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Allocated Portion as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

c. take whatever steps are commercially reasonable to implement the investment program for the Allocated Portion by arranging for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments, including issuing directives to the administrator of the Fund as necessary for the appropriate implementation of the investment program of the Allocated Portion;

 

d. keep the Trustees of the Fund and the Investment Manager reasonably informed in writing on an ongoing basis in a form agreed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser as to (i) material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion and (ii) the Sub-Adviser and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Investment Manager or the Trustees of the Fund; and attend meetings with the Investment Manager and/or the Trustees, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing;

 

e. subject to the Board’s ultimate authority to determine the valuation of the Fund’s assets and in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees of the Fund, which may be amended from time to time, report calculations of the fair value of all securities and other investments/assets within the Allocated Portion and provide all reasonably necessary assistance and information to the Investment Manager and the Board to allow the Investment Manager and the Board to oversee and review (i) the valuation methodologies used by the Sub-Adviser and its valuation agents and (ii) the historical accuracy of the valuations determined by the Sub-Adviser;

 

f. to the extent reasonably requested by the Fund or the Investment Manager, use its commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund in respect of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including, without limitation, providing the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund or the Investment Manager with (i) current copies of the compliance manual of the Sub-Adviser in effect from time to time (including reasonably prompt notice of any material changes thereto), (ii) reports of any material violations of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures that occurred in connection with the provision of services to the Fund (which will include, without limitation, any violation of the Sub-Adviser’s Code of Ethics (defined below), whether or not material, by any “access person” as defined in such Code of Ethics that is providing services to the Fund), (iii) a summary of the Sub Adviser’s annual compliance report, in a form determined by the Sub-Adviser, in its sole discretion, (iv) a summary, in a form determined in the Sub-Adviser’s sole discretion, of any correspondence between the Sub-Adviser and a regulatory agency in connection with examinations or proceedings, to the extent the Sub-Adviser determines that such examinations or proceedings relate to the Fund and (v) a certificate of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser to the effect that the policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Federal Securities Laws (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1) with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides to the Fund;

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g. use commercially reasonable efforts to comply in all material respects with all reasonable procedures and policies adopted by the Board in connection with the Fund in compliance with applicable law, including without limitation, Rules 10f-3, 12d3-1, 17a-7, 17e-1, 17j-1, and 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, and the Pricing and Valuation Procedures (together, “Fund Procedures”) provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund and notify (except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is advised by legal counsel with the requisite experience in the applicable area) the Investment Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon (i) detection of any breach of such Fund Procedures which would be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on the Fund or (ii) determination that a Fund Procedure conflicts with a procedure adopted by the Sub-Adviser;

 

h. maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, a copy of which will be provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund, including any amendments thereto, and institute and enforce procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons,” as such term is defined in as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1, from violating its Code of Ethics;

 

i. complete promptly and return to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, Investment Manager or the Fund any reasonable compliance questionnaires or other reasonable inquiries submitted to the Sub-Adviser in writing;

 

j. furnish to the Trustees such information as may reasonably be requested in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto for the purpose of approving this Agreement, the renewal thereof or any amendment hereto;

 

k. maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Allocated Portion as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and Advisers Act and the rules thereunder and the Fund Procedures;

 

l. use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians, the Fund’s transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Investment Manager; provide reasonably prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and maintain any appropriate interfaces with each such person so as to promote the efficient exchange of information; and

 

m. upon request, will review the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, periodic reports to shareholders, reports and schedules filed with the SEC (including any amendment, supplement or sticker to any of the foregoing) and advertising and sales material relating to the Fund (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”) in order to confirm that, solely with respect to the disclosures solely about (x) the Sub-Adviser, (y) the manner in which the Sub-Adviser manages the Allocated Portion and (z) other information relating directly to the Sub-Adviser (in each case of the preceding clauses (x), (y) and (z), as previously approved in writing by the Sub-Adviser, the “Sub-Adviser Disclosure”), such Sub-Adviser Disclosure contains no untrue statements of material fact and does not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other entities or managed accounts advised or managed by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser from time to time (collectively with the Fund, the “Audax Clients”) and when permitted by applicable law, allocation of the securities so purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in the manner which the Sub-Adviser, in its sole discretion, considers to be fair and equitable, consistent with its obligations to the Fund and to the other Audax Clients over time and consistent with applicable law.  The Investment Manager and the Fund agree that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates will give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of the other Audax Clients that will differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of actions taken, with respect to the Fund.  The Investment Manager and the Fund also acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates are fiduciaries to other entities, some of which have the same or similar investment objectives (and will hold the same or similar investments) as the Fund, and that the Sub-Adviser will carry out its duties hereunder together with its duties under such relationships.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer upon the Sub-Adviser any obligation to purchase or to recommend for purchase for the Fund any investment that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, officers or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own account or for the account of any other Audax Client.

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In furnishing services hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall be subject to, and shall perform in accordance with, the following: (a) the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and/or other governing instruments, as the same may be hereafter modified and/or amended from time to time, in the form previously provided to the Sub-Adviser (“Governing Documents”); (b) the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time and provided to the Sub-Adviser; (c) the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules under each, and all other federal and state laws or regulations and/or self-regulatory organization regulations applicable to the Fund and the Sub-Adviser, including, but not limited to, the Commodity Exchange Act, the rules of the National Futures Association, and those requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (d) the Fund’s compliance manual and other policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Board, in the form previously provided to the Sub-Adviser; and (e) written copies of other investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund from time to time, which shall become effective at such time as agreed upon by the parties in writing. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have full discretionary authority to manage the investment of the assets of the Allocated Portion. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser shall have all specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Allocated Portion, to the extent determined by the Sub-Adviser:

 

a. acquire, hold, manage, vote, own and dispose of loans, equity securities and any other assets held by the Allocated Portion;

 

b. review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements;

 

c. provide service on committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

d. monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Allocated Portion and dispose of them in such manner and at such times as the Sub-Adviser determines;

 

e. initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings to protect the assets of the Allocated Portion, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion;

 

f. cooperate with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

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g. employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

 

h. take whatever steps are required by governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets; and

 

i. take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

 

Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser, by delegation from the Investment Manager, shall also have specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

a. obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s relationship with the Fund is that of a statutory fiduciary under the Advisers Act. Without limitation on the preceding sentence, the Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, to the extent provided under applicable law (including Delaware law), it has certain fiduciary duties to the Fund under this Agreement, as such duties are modified by this Agreement (which modifications are intended to replace duties otherwise existing at law or in equity to the extent inconsistent therewith).

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, it is hereby acknowledged and agreed that (a) the Sub-Adviser’s valuation procedures may be different from the valuation policies of the Fund’s pricing agent or similar party (b) the Fund’s valuation of the Allocated Portion may differ from the valuations of the Sub-Adviser for other Audax Clients and (c) the Sub-Adviser is not the pricing agent for the Fund or the Allocated Portion.

 

5.           PROXY VOTING.

 

The Investment Manager hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund, provided however, that the Fund may request that the Sub-Adviser vote proxies for the Allocated Portion in accordance with the Fund’s proxy voting policies, in the form previously provided to the Sub-Adviser. Absent specific instructions to the contrary provided to it by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and subject to its receipt of all necessary voting materials, the Sub-Adviser shall vote all proxies with respect to investments of the Fund in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy as most recently provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies shall comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC, as reasonably determined by the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall maintain and preserve a record, in an easily-accessible place for a period of not less than three (3) years (or longer, if required by law), of the Sub-Adviser’s voting procedures, of the Sub-Adviser’s actual votes, and such other information reasonably required for the Fund to comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Sub-Adviser shall supply updates of this record to the Investment Manager or any authorized representative of the Investment Manager, or to the Fund on a quarterly basis (or more frequently, upon the reasonable request of the Investment Manager). The Sub-Adviser shall provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with reasonable information regarding the policies and procedures that the Sub-Adviser uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to the Allocated Portion.

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6.           NOTIFICATION.

 

The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Investment Manager and the Fund about developments relating to its duties as Sub-Adviser of which the Sub-Adviser has knowledge that would materially and adversely affect (i) the Fund or (ii) the ability of the Sub-Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with prompt written notification of:

 

a. any transaction or other event that will result in an assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act (and the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide such notification in a manner that allows the Fund to implement an interim agreement with the Sub-Adviser or take similar actions);

 

b. the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise;

 

c. any material change in the employment status of key investment management personnel involved in the management of the Fund which would result in changes to the Fund’s Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information;

 

d. any material changes in the investment process used to manage the Fund which would result in changes to the Fund’s Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information;

 

e. any modification or other amendment to the Sub-Adviser’s valuation procedures;

 

f. any financial condition that will impair materially the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sub-Adviser;

 

g. any (i) felony conviction by the Sub-Adviser or Audax Management Company, LLC, or any of their respective senior management or key investment management personnel (as reasonably determined by the Sub-Adviser) and (ii) violation of applicable law not included in clause (i) above (including a U.S. federal or state securities law indictment or conviction) by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or key investment management personnel which would result in changes to the Fund’s Prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information;

 

h. any breach of this Agreement by the Sub-Adviser or Audax Management Company, LLC which will either (i) have a material adverse effect on the Fund or (ii) have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or

 

i. any action, suit, or proceeding, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or government regulator, in which the Sub-Adviser, Audax Management Company, LLC and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (i) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (ii) will have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

To the extent legally permitted, except to the extent the Sub-Adviser is advised by legal counsel with the requisite experience in the applicable area, the Sub-Adviser shall forward promptly, to the Investment Manager any correspondence (or portion of such correspondence) from the SEC or other regulatory authority that relates to the Fund.

 

The Investment Manager agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Sub-Adviser about developments relating to the Fund of which Investment Manager has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Investment Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager agrees to provide the Sub-Adviser with prompt written notification of: (i) any breach of any material provision of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, an affiliate of the Investment Manager, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees; (ii) the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise; (iii) any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body in which the Investment Manager, any affiliate of the Investment Manager, and/or any key personnel of the Investment Manager are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (A) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (B) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement; (iv) any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Investment Manager; and (v) any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser promptly if it becomes aware that any statement regarding the Investment Manager or the Fund contained in the Fund’s registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, becomes untrue or incomplete in any material respect.

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7.           CONSULTATION WITH OTHER SUB-ADVISERS.

 

In performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund, except as permitted by the Fund Procedures, except that such consultations are permitted between the current and successor sub-investment advisers of the Fund in order to effect an orderly transition of sub-advisory duties so long as such consultations are not transactions prohibited by Section 17(a) of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser shall not provide investment advice to any assets of the Fund other than the Allocated Portion.

 

8.           REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

c. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met any and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

d. The Sub-Adviser is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Sub-Adviser by applicable law and regulations, except to the extent that any such violation or breach or would not have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its duties under this Agreement.

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e. The Sub-Adviser shall procure and maintain insurance in amounts customarily required by other similarly situated sub-advisers, including but not limited to general commercial liability and errors & omissions insurance consistent with its current level of coverage. Any coverage may be provided by any combination of primary and excess insurance policies in the Sub-Adviser’s reasonable discretion.

 

f. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Sub-Adviser will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Fund and the Investment Manager.

 

9.           REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Investment Manager (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Investment Manager or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

c. The Investment Manager has been duly authorized by the Board to delegate to the Sub-Adviser the provision of investment services to the Fund as contemplated hereby.

 

d. Neither the Investment Manager nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met any and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

e. The Investment Manager is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Investment Manager by applicable law and regulations, except to the extent that any such violation or breach or would not have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to fulfill its duties under this Agreement.

 

f. The Investment Manager shall procure and maintain insurance in amounts customarily required by other similar situated investment managers, including but not limited to general commercial liability and errors & omissions insurance consistent with its current level of coverage. Any coverage may be provided by any combination of primary and excess insurance policies in the Investment Manager’s reasonable discretion.

 

g. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Investment Manager will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Sub-Adviser.

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10.         REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND.

 

The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that it (a) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (b) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which the Fund or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

11.         EXPENSES.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall pay the expenses for all facilities (including office space used by the Sub-Adviser, furnishings, and equipment) and personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel (including employees that monitor and value the Allocated Portion) required for the Sub-Adviser to perform its duties under this Agreement (except as otherwise provided in this Section 11). In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall pay (i) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting specifically requested by, and convened for the primary benefit of, the Sub-Adviser or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Sub-Adviser, then the Sub-Adviser will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; (ii) the Sub-Adviser’s costs for the Sub-Adviser’s in-person attendance at one Fund Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; and (iii) subject to Section 14 (including the exculpation provisions therein), reasonable expenses incurred by the Fund in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Fund but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Sub-Adviser to which neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager is a party.

 

Except to the extent specified in this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will not be responsible for any costs, expenses, liabilities or losses incurred by or on behalf of the Fund, including the fees paid to the Sub-Adviser as set forth below or to any other sub-adviser of the Fund and all fees and expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with its organization and the offering of the Fund’s shares, including fees and expenses in connection with seeking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of any exemptive relief contemplated in connection with the establishment or operations of the Fund.

 

In addition, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for, and the Fund shall pay (or cause the payment of), any costs, expenses, liabilities and obligations relating to the Fund’s operations, activities or investments, whether incurred directly or indirectly by or on behalf of the Fund by the Sub-Adviser, including the following : (x) reasonable research and due diligence expenses relating to the selection of investments (including expenses of news and quotation subscriptions, market or industry research, consultants or experts related to the Allocated Portion); (xi) reasonable legal, consulting, reporting (including securities filings related to the Fund), custodial, and accounting expenses (including any fees payable to third parties, including third party administrators, for the monitoring, valuation or confirmation of assets), (xii) reasonable expenses associated with the identification, investigation, acquisition, holding and disposition of the Allocated Portion’s assets; (xiii) software and systems expenses incurred in relation to entering into, the reviewing, reporting, monitoring or administration of the investments (including expenses of engaging third party valuation consultants and agents and expenses of loan administration with non-affiliates) or other matters (including online systems used to obtain pricing and trading information and systems used by the Sub-Adviser for the allocation of investments); (xiv) reasonable expenses attributable to investment transactions that are not consummated; (xv) other investment-related expenses, such as, brokerage commissions, custody fees, interest, administrative, servicing and other similar fees and expenses, and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments or any expenses relating to leverage or indebtedness of the Allocated Portion (including any interest thereon) including investment-related software and databases relating thereto; (xvi) litigation costs and expenses, judgments and settlements directly related to the preservation of the value of the investment; (xvii) all taxes, fees or other governmental charges required to be paid or withheld with respect to assets of the Allocated Portion; (xviii) expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit relating to the Fund; (xix) extraordinary expenses such as fees or expenses incurred in litigation; (xx) ad hoc expenses directly related to the Allocated Portion incurred at the specific request of the Investment Manager or Board of Trustees, and (xxi) management fees (as set forth in Section 12).

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Subject to Section 14 (including the exculpation provisions therein), the Fund shall pay reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Sub-Adviser but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Fund or the Investment Manager, to which the Sub-Adviser is not a party.

 

The Fund shall pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund in connection with the termination of this Agreement, including any related legal and accounting fees and expenses.

 

12.         COMPENSATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Sub-Adviser compensation, on an annual basis, equal the sum of (i) 0.95 percent (0.95%) on the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets for the first fifty million dollars ($50,000,000), (ii) 0.85 percent (0.85%) on the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets that exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) up to one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), and (iii) 0.65 percent (0.65%) on the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets that exceeds one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10th business day of the succeeding month. In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Sub-Adviser provided services to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Sub-Adviser hereunder or to continue future payments. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the fact that the Agreement has not been terminated, no fee will be accrued under this Agreement with respect to any day that the value of the assets of the Allocated Portion equals zero.

 

All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

13.         STATUS OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

14.         LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

Subject to the terms of this Agreement, including this Section 14, the Sub-Adviser shall have responsibility for the accuracy and completeness (and liability for the lack thereof) only of the Sub-Adviser Disclosure approved by the Sub-Adviser.

 

In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser and any partner, member, manager, director, officer and employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Fund, the Investment Manager or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) that may be sustained in connection with the Fund, the Investment Manager (solely with respect to its role as investment adviser to the Fund) or their respective activities (in the case of the Investment Manager, solely with respect to its activities related to its role as investment adviser to the Fund), including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as provided under provisions of applicable state law or federal securities law, to the extent such provisions cannot be waived or modified hereby.

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The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liabilities to which the person may be liable that (i) arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Sub-Adviser Disclosure or the omission or alleged omission from a Sub-Adviser Disclosure of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; or (ii) results from the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations to the Fund. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 14 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 14 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

In the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, the Investment Manager, the Fund, and their respective partners, members, managers, directors, officers and employees, and their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Sub-Adviser for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any Liability that may be sustained in connection with the Fund, the Investment Manager (solely with respect to its role as investment adviser to the Fund) or their respective activities (in the case of the Investment Manager, solely with respect to its activities related to its role as investment adviser to the Fund), including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as provided under provisions of applicable state law or federal securities law to the extent such provisions cannot be waived or modified hereby.

 

The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Sub-Adviser, or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any Liability to which the person may be liable that arises or results from this Agreement or the performance of any services under this Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 14 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 14 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Subject to its fiduciary duties to the Fund, the Investment Manager shall use its best efforts to pursue any indemnity claims against the Fund that the Investment Manager has (and any applicable insurance provided by the Fund and Investment Manager) in connection with the payment of the foregoing indemnification.

 

The Investment Manager and the Fund hereby agree that the Sub-Adviser has not made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion will be successful. The Investment Manager and the Fund acknowledge that the Sub-Adviser may make investments on behalf of the Fund that may involve a high degree of risk, including those risks set forth in Part 2 of the Sub-Adviser’s Form ADV applicable to the investments permitted to be made by the Sub-Adviser on behalf of the Fund, and there is no assurance as to the performance of, or rate of return on, any such investment, and the Fund may lose all of the assets of the Allocated Portion.

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15.         PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS.

 

Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Sub-Adviser (or any successor thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Sub-Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Sub-Adviser (or any successor) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

 

16.         BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund copies of any of such records in the event of termination of this Agreement or upon the Fund’s or the Investment Manager’s request, provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of any records to the extent required for it to comply with applicable laws or internal documentation retention requirements and further provided, that subject to the express provisions regarding confidentiality and the use of the Allocated Portion’s track record contained herein, the Investment Manager and the Fund grant the Sub-Adviser a perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, nonexclusive license to use such records with respect to the Allocated Portion. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing herein requires the Sub-Adviser or its representatives to erase any records that are in an archived computer backup system in accordance with its or their respective security and/or disaster recovery procedures. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records relating to its activities hereunder required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve the records relating to its activities hereunder required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the period specified in said Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sub-Adviser has no responsibility for the maintenance of the records of the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Investment Manager, the Fund, or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

 

17.         CERTIFICATIONS; DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder, the Fund is required to make certain certifications and have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. To the extent reasonably requested by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to assist the Fund in complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implementing the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to inform the Fund of any material development related to the Fund that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

18.         COOPERATION WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR OTHER ACTIONS.

 

The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of performing its obligations under this Agreement.

 

19.         NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

 

Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser hereto agrees (a) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund (i) all records and other information relative to the Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (ii) any “Non-public Personal Information,” as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (b) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Fund and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser.

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Each party to this Agreement shall keep confidential all Confidential Information (defined below) concerning the other parties and will not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, unless the non-disclosing parties have authorized such disclosure or if such disclosure is compelled by subpoena or is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state laws, regulations, or regulatory authorities. A receiving party may disclose or disseminate the disclosing party’s Confidential Information to its officers, directors, manager, affiliates, consultants, accountants, attorneys, partners, members, employees and agents that have a legitimate need to know such Confidential Information in order to assist the receiving party in performing its obligations under this Agreement. The receiving party shall advise all such foregoing persons of the receiving party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Agreement, and the receiving party shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by such persons with such obligations.

 

Each party shall take commercially reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to each other party’s Confidential Information. In addition, each party shall promptly notify the other parties in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of another party’s Confidential Information by such party or its agents.

 

The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, means any of a party’s proprietary or confidential information including, without limitation, any Non-public Personal Information of such party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other persons with whom they do business, that is disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the other party by or on behalf of the disclosing party, whether in writing, orally or by other means and whether or not such information is marked as confidential. Confidential Information shall not include information that was (a) rightfully acquired by such receiving party from third parties whom such receiving party reasonably believes are not under an obligation of confidentiality to the other party to which the Confidential Information relates; (b) placed in public domain prior to or after the date of this Agreement without a violation of this Agreement by such receiving party or its affiliates; or (c) independently developed by such receiving party without reference or reliance upon the nonpublic information. In addition, with respect to the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Manager only, “Confidential Information” shall not include any information that had been or will be provided by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates to the Investment Manager that is not specifically related to the purpose of this Agreement or the Fund, including without limitation, any information provided in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliates’ other funds, accounts or products.

 

Each party acknowledges and agrees that due to the unique nature of Confidential Information there may be no adequate remedy at law for any breach of its obligations under this Section 19, that any such breach or threatened breach may allow a party or third parties to unfairly compete with the other party resulting in irreparable harm to such party, and therefore, that upon any such breach or any threat thereof, each party will be entitled to seek appropriate temporary (until the matter may be resolved) equitable and injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction without the necessity of proving actual loss.

 

The provisions of this Section 19 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary herein, the Sub-Adviser shall retain a non-exclusive right to use the investment performance and track record of the Allocated Portion (including in marketing materials) without restriction as to confidentiality, provided that the name of the Fund is not specifically identified without the prior written approval of the Investment Manager and the Fund.

 

20.         DURATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first above written, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved:  (a) by a vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board provided that in such event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

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21.         TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund and the other party.  This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, (a) in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (b) in the event the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason.  This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. In the event of a termination, the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate in the orderly transfer of the Fund’s affairs.

 

In addition to any other provisions of this Agreement which survive pursuant to the terms thereof, the following sections of this Agreement will survive any termination of this Agreement: 11, 12 (to the extent set forth in the last sentence of 12 only), 13 through 15 (inclusive) and 22 through 30 (inclusive).

 

22.         ASSIGNMENT.

 

Any assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of this Agreement made by the Sub-Adviser shall result in the automatic termination of this Agreement, as provided in Section 21 hereof.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be deemed to result from any changes in the directors, officers or employees of such Sub-Adviser except as may be provided to the contrary in the 1940 Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

 

23.         NOTICE.

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by any party to another shall be deemed sufficient if given in person or sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

If to the Investment Manager:

 

Cliffwater LLC

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Facsimile: (310) 448-5001

Telephone: (310) 448-5000

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Audax Management Company (NY), LLC

Attn: General Counsel

101 Huntington Avenue, 24 th Floor

Boston, MA 02199

Facsimile: (617) 859-1600

Telephone: (617) 859-1500

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If to the Fund:

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Attn: Regulatory Administration

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Facsimile: (414) 271-9717

Telephone: (414) 299-2000

 

24.         SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement’s subject matter.

 

25.         GOVERNING LAW.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

26.         AMENDMENT.

 

No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

27.         COUNTERPARTS.

 

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be communicated by electronic transmission (which shall include facsimile or email) and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.

 

28.         HEADINGS.

 

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

 

29.         INTERPRETATION .

 

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

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30.         NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

Cliffwater Llc

 

By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  
     
Audax Management Company (NY), LLC  
     
By: /s/ Byron Pavano  
Title: Authorized Person  
     
CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
     
By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
Title: Treasurer  

 

INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Manager”), and Beach Point Capital Management LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) dated March 1, 2019 with the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”, and each Board member individually a “Trustee”, and together, the “Trustees”) and the Investment Manager desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory and other services to a portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to the Sub-Adviser, in the manner and on the terms hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager has the authority under the Investment Management Agreement to retain sub-advisers; and

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Investment Manager and the Fund;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:

 

1. APPOINTMENT OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to, and invested and managed by, the Sub-Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”), subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Investment Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Investment Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

 

2. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT.

 

The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The assets of the Fund will be maintained in the custody of a custodian (who shall be identified by the Investment Manager in writing) (the “Custodian”).  The Sub-Adviser will not have custody of any securities, cash or other assets of the Fund and will not be liable for any loss resulting from any act or omission of the Custodian other than acts or omissions arising in reliance on instructions of the Sub-Adviser.

 

3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

a. The Fund has furnished or will furnish to the Sub-Adviser written copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund as in effect on the date hereof;

 

ii. the By-Laws of the Fund in effect on the date hereof;

 

iii. the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser for the Allocated Portion and approving the form of this Agreement;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (as defined below) of the Fund as currently in effect;

 

v. current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

vi. current copies of the Fund’s compliance manual and other policies and procedures adopted by the Board; and

 

vii. current copies of the Fund’s investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion.

 

The Fund shall promptly furnish the Sub-Adviser with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser has furnished or will furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager with copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent Form ADV;

 

ii. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent balance sheet;

 

iii. separate lists of persons whom the Sub-Adviser wishes to have authorized to give written and/or oral instructions to the Custodian and accounting agent of the Fund’s assets;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (defined below) of the Sub-Adviser as currently in effect;

 

v. the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies and procedures as currently in effect;

 

vi. the Sub-Adviser’s valuation policy as currently in effect; and

 

vii. complete and accurate copies of any compliance manuals, trading, commission and other reports, insurance policies, and such other management or operational documents as the Investment Manager may reasonably request in writing (on behalf of itself or the Board) in assessing the Sub-Adviser.

 

With respect to the documents requested above, the Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, on a quarterly basis.

 

Additionally, the Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Fund and the Investment Manager such other documents relating to its services under this Agreement as the Fund or the Investment Manager may reasonably request on a periodic basis.

 

4. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUB-ADVISER TO THE FUND.

 

As an investment adviser to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board and the Investment Manager, manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion.

 

As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Sub-Adviser will: 

 

a. advise the Investment Manager and the Fund in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by it regarding the Fund and, upon request, furnish the Investment Manager and the Fund with research, economic and statistical data in connection with the Fund’s investments and investment policies;

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b. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Allocated Portion consistent with the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information to the extent applicable to the Allocated Portion;

 

c. take whatever steps are necessary to implement the investment program for the Allocated Portion by arranging for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments, including issuing directives to the administrator of the Fund as necessary for the appropriate implementation of the investment program of the Allocated Portion;

 

d. keep the Trustees of the Fund and the Investment Manager fully informed in writing on an ongoing basis as agreed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser as to (i) all material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion and (ii) the Sub-Adviser and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Investment Manager or the Trustees of the Fund; and attend meetings with the Investment Manager and/or the Trustees, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing;

 

e. subject to the Board’s ultimate authority to determine the valuation of the Fund’s assets and in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees of the Fund, which may be amended from time to time, upon request, provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians in determining or confirming the fair value of the securities and other investments/assets within the Allocated Portion for which the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and/or foreign custodians seek assistance from the Sub-Adviser or identify for review by the Sub-Adviser and provide all reasonable assistance and information to the Investment Manager and the Board to allow the Investment Manager and the Board to oversee and review (i) the valuation methodologies used by the Sub-Adviser and its valuation agents and (ii) the historical accuracy of the valuations provided by the Sub-Adviser;

 

f. to the extent reasonably requested by the Fund or the Investment Manager, use reasonable efforts to assist the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund in respect of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including, without limitation, providing the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund or the Investment Manager with (i) current copies of the compliance policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser in effect from time to time, (ii) reports of any violations of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures that occurred in connection with the provision of services to the Fund, (iii) access to the Sub-Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer during normal business hours to discuss the results of the Sub-Adviser’s annual compliance report as required by Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act, (iv) copies of any correspondence specifically in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s investment management activities hereunder between the Sub-Adviser and a regulatory agency with appropriate jurisdiction over the Sub-Adviser in connection with regulatory examinations or proceedings, and (v) upon request, a certificate of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser to the effect that the policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Federal Securities Laws (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1) with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides to the Fund;

 

g. comply with all procedures and policies adopted by the Board in compliance with applicable law, including without limitation, Rules 10f-3, 12d3-1, 17a-7, 17e-1, 17j-1, and 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, and the Pricing and Valuation Procedures (together, “Fund Procedures”) provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund and notify the Investment Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon (i) detection of any breach of such Fund Procedures or (ii) determination that a Fund Procedure conflicts with a procedure adopted by the Sub-Adviser; provided, that, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for compliance with, or held liable for failure to take any action in accordance with, the Fund Procedures or any other documents to be delivered to the Sub-Adviser pursuant to Section 3(a) above or any supplements or amendments to any of the foregoing, unless and until the Sub-Adviser has received such materials (or has been notified of the public availability of such materials) in writing and had a reasonable opportunity to review such materials;

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h. maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, a copy of which will be provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund, including any amendments thereto, and institute and enforce procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons,” as such term is defined in as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1, from violating its Code of Ethics;

 

i. promptly complete and return to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, Investment Manager or the Fund any compliance questionnaires or other inquiries reasonably submitted to the Sub-Adviser in writing;

 

j. furnish to the Trustees such information as may reasonably be requested in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto for the purposes of approving this Agreement, the renewal thereof or any amendment hereto;

 

k. maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Allocated Portion pursuant to Section 15 below;

 

l. cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians, the Fund’s transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Investment Manager; keep all such persons fully informed as to such matters as they may reasonably deem necessary to the performance of their obligations to the Fund and the Investment Manager; and provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and

 

m. upon request and with an allowance for at least 5 business days’ review time, will review and approve for use portions of the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, periodic reports to shareholders, reports and schedules filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (including any amendment, supplement or sticker to any of the foregoing) and advertising and sales material relating to the Fund (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”) in order to ensure that, with respect to the specific disclosures about the Sub-Adviser, the manner in which the Sub-Adviser manages the Allocated Portion and information relating directly to the Sub-Adviser (such specific disclosures, to the extent reviewed and approved by the Sub-Adviser, the “Sub-Adviser Disclosure”), such Sub-Adviser Disclosures contain no untrue statements of material fact and do not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the securities to be purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, in order to obtain the most favorable execution. In such event, allocation of the securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in a manner which the Sub-Adviser considers to be fair and equitable, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to its other clients over time and consistent with applicable law.  The Investment Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their other clients that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of actions taken, with respect to the Fund.  The Investment Manager also acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates are fiduciaries to other entities, some of which may have the same or similar investment objectives (and may hold the same or similar investments) as the Fund, and that the Sub-Adviser will carry out its duties hereunder together with its duties under such relationships. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer upon the Sub-Adviser any obligation to purchase or to recommend for purchase for the Fund any investment that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, officers or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own account or for the account of any client, if in the sole and absolute discretion of the Sub-Adviser it is for any reason impractical or undesirable to take such action or make such recommendation for the Fund. The Fund agrees that it will provide to the Sub-Adviser a list of all affiliated persons of the Fund, all principal underwriters of the Fund’s shares and all affiliated persons of such affiliated persons or principal underwriter (other than affiliated persons of the Sub-Adviser) and will promptly provide the Sub-Adviser with any updates to such list.

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In the selection of brokers or dealers and the placing of trade orders the Sub-Adviser is directed at all times to seek to obtain for the Fund the most favorable execution possible, taking into account such factors it deems relevant, which may include, without limitation, breadth of and availability of accurate information regarding the market in the security, price (including the applicable brokerage commission or dealer spread), size and type of the order, difficulty of execution, the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and trends, the reputation, experience, financial condition, execution capability, past execution history and operational facilities of the brokerage firm, the extent to which the brokerage firm makes a market in the securities involved or has access to such market, the liquidity of the market for the security, the quality and usefulness of investment ideas presented by the brokerage firm, the brokerage firm’s expertise in the specific securities or sectors in which the Sub-Adviser seeks to trade, the brokerage firm’s ability to accommodate any special execution or order handling requirements that may surround the particular transaction, and the brokerage firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities, and confidentiality considerations. It is also understood that it may be desirable for the Fund that the Sub-Adviser have access to supplemental investment and market research and security and economic analyses that are consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and are provided by brokers who may execute brokerage transactions at a higher cost to the Fund than may result when allocating brokerage to other brokers on the basis of seeking the most favorable price and efficient execution. Therefore, subject to compliance with the safe harbor provided by Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act and such other conditions and limitations as may be established by the Investment Manager from time to time, if any, the Sub-Adviser is authorized to consider such services provided to the Fund and other accounts over which the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates exercises investment discretion and to place orders for the purchase and sale of securities for the Fund with such brokers, if the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that the amount of commissions for executing such portfolio transactions is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such brokers, viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the Sub-Adviser’s overall responsibilities with respect to the Allocated Portion and/or to other clients of the Sub-Adviser as to which the Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion, subject to review by the Investment Manager and the Board from time to time with respect to the extent and continuation of this practice. It is understood that the services provided by such brokers may be useful to the Sub-Adviser in connection with its services to other clients.

 

In furnishing services hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall be subject to, and shall perform in accordance with, the provisions of the following to the extent that such provisions are specifically applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion pursuant to this Agreement: (a) the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws, as the same may be hereafter modified and/or amended from time to time (“Governing Documents”); (b) the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time and provided to the Sub-Adviser; (c) the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules under each, and all other federal and state laws or regulations and/or self-regulatory organization regulations applicable to the Fund, including, but not limited to, the Commodity Exchange Act, the rules of the National Futures Association, and the portfolio management requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, calculated as if the Allocated Portion was itself a regulated investment company; (d) the Fund’s compliance manual and other policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Board; and (e) written copies of other investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund from time to time, which shall become effective at such time as agreed upon by both parties. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have full discretionary authority to manage the investment of the assets of the Allocated Portion without prior consent of the Investment Manager or the Fund. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser shall have all specific rights, authority and power to do the following on behalf of the Allocated Portion:

5

 

a. acquire, hold, manage, vote, own, exchange, convert, lend and dispose of loans, securities, cash and any other assets held by the Allocated Portion;

 

b. review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute (as agent of the Fund), assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments, representation letters, releases, consents, elections, confirmations and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements and any schedules and annexes to any of the foregoing;

 

c. provide service on committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

d. monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Allocated Portion and hold or dispose of them in such manner and at such times as the Sub-Adviser determines;

 

e. initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings to protect the assets of the Allocated Portion, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion;

 

f. cooperate with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

 

g. employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

 

h. take whatever steps are required by governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets;

 

i. instruct the Custodian: (i) to pay cash for securities and other property delivered to the Custodian, (ii) to deliver securities and other property against payment for the Allocated Portion, and (iii) to transfer assets and funds to such executing brokers as the Sub-Adviser may designate, all consistent with the powers, authorities and limitations set forth herein; and

 

j. take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

 

Notwithstanding the power and authority granted by the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have no responsibility or obligation, to advise or act for the Fund in any legal proceedings, including bankruptcy proceedings or class action litigation, including, without limitation, to file proofs of claim or other documents related to such proceedings (the “Litigation”), or to investigate, initiate, or supervise the Litigation, involving investments held in the Allocated Portion or issuers of those investments, and the Investment Manager acknowledges and agrees that such power and authority, but no such responsibility or obligation, is delegated hereunder, unless otherwise agreed by the parties. Nevertheless, the Sub-Adviser agrees that it shall provide the Investment Manager with any and all documentation or information relating to the Litigation as may reasonably be requested by the Investment Manager. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser, by delegation from the Investment Manager, shall also have specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

k. obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

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5. PROXY VOTING.

 

The Investment Manager hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund. Absent specific instructions to the contrary provided to it by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and subject to its receipt of all necessary voting materials, the Sub-Adviser shall vote all proxies with respect to investments of the Allocated Portion, or abstain from voting, in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy as most recently provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund. The Fund agrees to forward, or cause to be forwarded, in a timely fashion to the Sub-Adviser all proxy solicitation materials that the Fund receives with respect to the Allocated Portion.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies shall comply with any rules or regulations applicable to the Sub-Adviser promulgated by the SEC.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall maintain and preserve a record, in an easily-accessible place for a period of not less than three (3) years (or longer, if required by law), of the Sub-Adviser’s voting procedures, of the Sub-Adviser’s actual votes, and such other information regarding proxy voting that the Investment Manager or the Fund may reasonably request in advance in writing in order for the Fund to comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Sub-Adviser shall supply updates of this record to the Investment Manager or any authorized representative of the Investment Manager, or to the Fund upon the request of the Investment Manager.

 

6. NOTIFICATION.

 

The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Investment Manager and the Fund about developments relating to its duties as Sub-Adviser of which the Sub-Adviser has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Sub-Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with prompt written notification of:

 

a. The occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise;

 

b. Any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act;

 

c. Any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Sub-Adviser;

 

d. Any change of the Chief Investment Officers of the Sub-Adviser’s firm;

 

e. Any material changes in the employment status of key investment management personnel responsible for the management of the Allocated Portion;

 

f. Any material changes in the investment process used to manage the Allocated Portion;

 

g. [RESERVED]

 

h. Any financial condition that is likely to impair the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sub-Adviser;

 

i. Any violation of applicable law (including a felony conviction or U.S. federal or state securities law indictment or conviction) by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or key investment management personnel, which is reasonably likely to have an adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to carry out its obligations to the Fund under this Agreement;

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j. Any breach of fiduciary duty to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

k. Any breach of any material provision of this Agreement by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

l. Any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, in which the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (i) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (ii) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on such person’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

m. The commencement of any formal investigation of the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser by the SEC or any other regulatory authority or administrative body that involves an allegation of a violation of law by any such person and the outcome, when resolved, of any such investigation; or

 

n. Any other event that is likely to have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

To the extent legally permitted, the Sub-Adviser shall promptly forward to the Investment Manager any correspondence (or portion of such correspondence) from the SEC or other regulatory authority that relates to the Fund other than correspondence relating to routine regulatory examinations.

 

The Investment Manager agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Sub-Adviser about developments relating to the Fund of which Investment Manager has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Investment Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager agrees to provide the Sub-Adviser with prompt written notification of: (i) any breach of any material provision of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, an affiliate of the Investment Manager, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees; (ii) the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise; (iii) any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body in which the Investment Manager, any affiliate of the Investment Manager, and/or any key personnel of the Investment Manager are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (A) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (B) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement; (iv) any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Investment Manager; and (v) any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser promptly if it becomes aware that any statement regarding the Investment Manager or the Fund contained in the Fund’s registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, becomes untrue or incomplete in any material respect.

 

7. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER SUB-ADVISERS.

 

In performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund, except as permitted by the Fund Procedures; provided that the Investment Manager has provided a list of such sub-advisers to the Sub-Adviser and will promptly provide any updates to such list to the Sub-Adviser. For the avoidance of doubt, the Sub-Adviser may consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund on any and all transactions, or potential transactions, without providing any notice to the Investment Manager so long as such consultations do not concern transactions for the Fund in securities or other assets. The Sub-Adviser shall not provide investment advice to any assets of the Fund other than the Allocated Portion.

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8. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

c. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

d. The Sub-Adviser is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Sub-Adviser by applicable law and regulations.

 

e. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain an appropriate amount of errors and omissions insurance coverage and shall provide written notice to the Fund (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage or (ii) of any material claims made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Fund with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

 

f. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Sub-Adviser will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Fund and the Investment Manager.

 

9. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Investment Manager (i) is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of formation, (ii) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement (including the power and authority to appoint the Sub-Adviser hereunder) and (iii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Investment Manager or any of its affiliates are a party.

9

 

c. The Investment Manager has been duly authorized by the Board to delegate to the Sub-Adviser the provision of investment services to the Fund as contemplated hereby.

 

d. Neither the Investment Manager nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the obligations contemplated by this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement and (ii) has met and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the obligations contemplated by this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement.

 

e. The Investment Manager is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Investment Manager by applicable law and regulations.

 

10. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND.

 

The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that it (a) is duly organized and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization and has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, (b) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, (c) is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Fund by applicable law and regulations, (d) so long as the Sub-Adviser provides services to the Fund on the terms set forth herein (as such terms may be further modified from time to time by the mutually agreement of the parties hereto), the provision of services by the Sub-Adviser to the Fund shall comply with all applicable law and regulations, including, but not limited to, the 1940 Act, (e) is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act and shall maintain such registration with respect to the Fund throughout the term of this Agreement; (f) has adopted and implemented written policies and procedures, as required by Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, which are reasonably designed to prevent violations of the Federal securities laws by the Fund, its employees, officers and agents; and (g) has received a copy of the Sub-Adviser’s Form ADV (Parts 1 and 2). The Fund further represents, warrants and agrees that (i) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which the Fund or any of its affiliates are a party and (ii) this Agreement has been duly approved by the shareholders of the Fund and the Board in accordance with all applicable requirements of the 1940 Act or otherwise in accordance with any applicable exemption from such requirements granted to the Investment Manager, the Fund and their affiliates pursuant to an order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

11. EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser, at its expense, shall furnish: (a) all necessary facilities (including office space, furnishings, and equipment) and personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel (including employees that monitor and value the Allocated Portion) required for the Sub-Adviser to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement; and (b) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, and all equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the Sub-Adviser’s duties under this Agreement. The Fund shall be responsible for payment of brokerage commissions, dealer spreads, transfer fees, registration costs, clearing and custody fees, transaction-related taxes, and other similar costs and transaction-related expenses and fees arising out of transactions effected on behalf of the Fund, which may be deducted from the Allocated Portion. In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for (i) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting specifically requested by, and convened for the primary benefit of, the Sub-Adviser or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Sub-Adviser, then the Sub-Adviser will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; (ii) the Sub-Adviser’s costs for the Sub-Adviser’s in-person attendance at one Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; and (iii) subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), reasonable expenses incurred by the Fund in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Fund but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Sub-Adviser to which neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager is a party.

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Subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), the Fund shall pay reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Sub-Adviser but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Fund or the Investment Manager, to which the Sub-Adviser is not a party.

 

The Fund shall pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund in connection with the termination of this Agreement, including any related legal and accounting fees and expenses.

 

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Sub-Adviser compensation at an annual rate of 0.65 percent (0.65%), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10th business day of the succeeding month based upon the Allocated Portion’s average daily net assets. Net assets means the total value of the Allocated Portion’s assets, less an amount equal to all accrued debts, liabilities and obligations of the Allocated Portion’s assets. In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Sub-Adviser provided services to the Fund. Compensation will be paid to the Sub-Adviser before giving effect to any repurchase of any shares in the Fund effective as of that date. The Sub-Adviser may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Sub-Adviser hereunder or to continue future payments. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the fact that the Agreement has not been terminated, no fee will be accrued under this Agreement with respect to any day that the value of the net assets of the Allocated Portion equals zero.

 

All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

12. STATUS OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; STANDARD OF CARE; AND INDEMNIFICATION OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall have responsibility for the accuracy and completeness (and liability for the lack thereof) only of Disclosure Documents furnished to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and only with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure in such Disclosure Documents that was reviewed and approved for use by the Sub-Adviser.

 

In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund or the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, shall not be subject to liability to the Fund, the Investment Manager or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney's fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except (i) as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby or (ii) in the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations to the Fund or the Investment Manager, for contractual liabilities resulting from of a breach of the first sentence of the immediately succeeding paragraph.

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The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liabilities to which the person may be liable that (i) arise out of or based upon any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Sub-Adviser Disclosure or the omission from a Sub-Adviser Disclosure of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) result from the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance or gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement, or from the Sub-Adviser’s reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

In the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, the Investment Manager, the Fund, and their respective partners, members, managers, directors, officers and employees, and their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Sub-Adviser for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Investment Manager, the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except (i) as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby or (ii) in the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, for contractual liabilities resulting from a breach of the first sentence of the immediately succeeding paragraph.

 

The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Sub-Adviser, and any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any Liability to which the person may be liable that arises or results from this Agreement or the performance of or omission to perform any services under this Agreement, or otherwise relates to the Fund, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Subject to its fiduciary duties to the Fund, the Investment Manager shall use its best efforts to pursue any indemnity claims against the Fund that the Investment Manager has (and any applicable insurance provided by the Fund and Investment Manager) in connection with the payment of the foregoing indemnification.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion will be successful. The Fund and Investment Manager understand that investment decisions made for the Allocated Portion by the Sub-Adviser are subject to various market, currency, economic, political and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be profitable.

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14. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS.

 

Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Sub-Adviser (or any successor thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Sub-Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Sub-Adviser (or any successor) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

 

15. BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund copies of any of such records in the event of termination of this Agreement or upon the Fund’s or the Investment Manager’s request, provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of any records to the extent required for it to comply with applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records relating to its activities hereunder as an investment adviser to a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve the records relating to its activities hereunder required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the period specified in said Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sub-Adviser has no responsibility for the maintenance of the records of the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Investment Manager, the Fund, or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

 

16. CERTIFICATIONS; DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder, the Fund is required to make certain certifications and have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. To the extent reasonably requested by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser agrees to use its best efforts to assist the Fund in complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implementing the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to inform the Fund of any material development related to the Fund that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

17. COOPERATION WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR OTHER ACTIONS.

 

The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of performing its obligations under this Agreement.

 

18. NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

 

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Adviser hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, partners, members, and employees (a) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund (i) all records and other information relative to the Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (ii) any “Non-public Personal Information,” as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (b) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Fund and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser.

13

 

Each party to this Agreement shall keep confidential all Confidential Information (defined below) concerning the other parties and will not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, unless the non-disclosing parties have authorized such disclosure or if such disclosure is compelled by subpoena or is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state laws, regulations, or regulatory or self-regulatory authorities or judicial process. A receiving party may disclose or disseminate the disclosing party’s Confidential Information to its officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents that have a legitimate need to know such Confidential Information in order to assist the receiving party in performing its obligations under this Agreement. The receiving party shall advise all such foregoing persons of the receiving party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Agreement, and the receiving party shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by such persons with such obligations.

 

Each party shall take commercially reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to each other party’s Confidential Information. In addition, each party shall promptly notify the other parties in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of another party’s Confidential Information by such party or its agents.

 

The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, means any of a party’s proprietary or confidential information including, without limitation, any Non-public Personal Information of such party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other persons with whom they do business, that is disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the other party by or on behalf of the disclosing party, whether in writing, orally or by other means and whether or not such information is marked as confidential. Confidential Information shall not include information that was (a) rightfully acquired by such receiving party from third parties whom such receiving party reasonably believes are not under an obligation of confidentiality to the other party to which the Confidential Information relates; (b) placed in public domain prior to or after the date of this Agreement without a violation of this Agreement by such receiving party or its affiliates; or (c) independently developed by such receiving party without reference or reliance upon the nonpublic information. In addition, with respect to the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Manager only, “Confidential Information” shall not include any information that had been or will be provided by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates to the Investment Manager that is not specifically related to the purpose of this Agreement or the Fund, including without limitation, any information provided in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliates’ other funds, accounts or products.

 

Each party acknowledges and agrees that due to the unique nature of Confidential Information there can be no adequate remedy at law for any breach of its obligations under this Section 18, that any such breach or threatened breach may allow a party or third parties to unfairly compete with the other party resulting in irreparable harm to such party, and therefore, that upon any such breach or any threat thereof, each party will be entitled to appropriate temporary (until the matter may be resolved) equitable and injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction without the necessity of proving actual loss. The Investment Manager agrees not to use the information provided by the Sub-Adviser to try to “reverse engineer” the investment and trading methodologies and strategies of the Sub-Adviser.

 

The provisions of this Section 18 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

19. DURATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first above written, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved:  (a) by a vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board or by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities provided that in such event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

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20. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund and the other party.  This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, (a) in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (b) in the event the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason.  This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. In the event of a termination, the Sub-Adviser shall cooperate in the orderly transfer of the Fund’s affairs.

 

21. ASSIGNMENT.

 

Any assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of this Agreement made by the Sub-Adviser shall result in the automatic termination of this Agreement, as provided in Section 20 hereof.   Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be deemed to result from any changes in the directors, officers or employees of such Sub-Adviser except as may be provided to the contrary in the 1940 Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

 

22. NOTICE.

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by any party to another shall be deemed sufficient if given in person or sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

If to the Investment Manager:

 

Cliffwater LLC

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Facsimile: (310) 448-5001

Telephone: (310) 448-5000

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Beach Point Capital Management LP

Attn: Legal and Compliance

1620 26 th Street, Suite 6000N

Santa Monica, CA 90404

Facsimile: (310) 996-9688

Telephone: (310) 996-9720

 

If to the Fund:

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Attn: Regulatory Administration

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Facsimile: (414) 271-9717

Telephone: (414) 299-2000

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23. SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement’s subject matter.

 

24. GOVERNING LAW.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

25. AMENDMENT.

 

No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

26. COUNTERPARTS.

 

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be communicated by electronic transmission (which shall include facsimile or email) and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.

 

27. HEADINGS.

 

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

 

28. INTERPRETATION .

 

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

29. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

Cliffwater Llc

 

By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  
     
BEACH POINT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP  
     
By: /s/ Thomas Boyack  
Title: Chief Financial Officer  
     
CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
     
By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
Title: Treasurer  

 

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INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Manager”), and Benefit Street Partners L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) dated March 1, 2019 with the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”, and each Board member individually a “Trustee”, and together, the “Trustees”) and the Investment Manager desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory and other services to a portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to the Sub-Adviser, in the manner and on the terms hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager has the authority under the Investment Management Agreement to retain sub-advisers; and

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Investment Manager and the Fund;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:

 

1. APPOINTMENT OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to, and invested and managed by, the Sub-Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”), subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Investment Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Investment Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

 

2. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT.

 

The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The assets of the Fund will be maintained in the custody of a custodian (who shall be identified by the Investment Manager in writing) (the “Custodian”).  The Sub-Adviser will not have custody of any securities, cash or other assets of the Fund and will not be liable for any loss resulting from any act or omission of the Custodian other than acts or omissions arising in reliance on valid instructions of the Sub-Adviser.

 

3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

a. The Fund has furnished or will furnish to the Sub-Adviser copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund as in effect on the date hereof;

 

ii. the By-Laws of the Fund in effect on the date hereof;

 

iii. the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser for the Allocated Portion and approving the form of this Agreement;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (as defined below) of the Fund as currently in effect;

 

v. current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

vi. The Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund; and

 

vii. A copy of any policy (including any valuation policy), guidelines, and other limitations applicable to the Allocated Portion.

 

The Fund shall furnish the Sub-Adviser from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser has furnished or will furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager with copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent Form ADV;

 

ii. upon request of the Investment Manager or the Fund, the Sub-Adviser’s most recent balance sheet which, for the avoidance of doubt, may be the consolidated balance sheet of its parent company, to the extent applicable;

 

iii. separate lists of persons whom the Sub-Adviser wishes to have authorized to give written and/or oral instructions to the Custodian and accounting agent of the Fund’s assets;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (defined below) of the Sub-Adviser as currently in effect;

 

v. the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies as currently in effect;

 

vi. the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures as currently in effect;

 

vii. any exemptive order granted to the Sub-Adviser by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other regulatory body that will be relied upon by the Sub-Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund; and

 

viii. upon request of the Investment Manager or the Fund, complete and accurate copies of any compliance manuals, trading, commission and other reports, insurance policies, and such other management or operational documents as the Investment Manager may reasonably request in writing (on behalf of itself or the Board) in assessing the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all amendments of or supplements to the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures prior to such amendments or supplements becoming effective. With respect to the other documents requested above, upon request of the Investment Manager or the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of any material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, within a reasonable time after such materials became available to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Additionally, the Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Fund and the Investment Manager such other documents relating to its services under this Agreement as the Fund or the Investment Manager may reasonably request on a periodic basis.

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4. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUB-ADVISER TO THE FUND.

 

As an investment adviser to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board and the Investment Manager, manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion.

 

As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Sub-Adviser will: 

 

a. advise the Investment Manager and the Fund in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by it regarding the Fund and, upon request, furnish the Investment Manager and the Fund with research, economic and statistical data in connection with the Fund’s investments and investment policies;

 

b. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Allocated Portion as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

c. take whatever steps are necessary to implement the investment program for the Allocated Portion by arranging for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments, including issuing directives to the administrator of the Fund as necessary for the appropriate implementation of the investment program of the Allocated Portion;

 

d. upon request of the Investment Manager or the Fund, keep the Trustees of the Fund and the Investment Manager fully informed in writing on an ongoing basis as agreed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser as to (i) all material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion and (ii) the Sub-Adviser and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Investment Manager or the Trustees of the Fund; and attend meetings with the Investment Manager and/or the Trustees, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing (which attendance may be by telephone);

 

e. subject to the Board’s ultimate authority to determine the valuation of the Fund’s assets and in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees of the Fund, which may be amended from time to time, determine the fair value of all securities and other investments/assets within the Allocated Portion and provide all reasonably necessary assistance and information to the Investment Manager and the Board to allow the Investment Manager and the Board to oversee and review (i) the valuation methodologies used by the Sub-Adviser and its valuation agents and (ii) the historical accuracy of the valuations determined by the Sub-Adviser;

 

f. to the extent reasonably requested by the Fund or the Investment Manager, use its best efforts to assist the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund in respect of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including, without limitation, providing the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund or the Investment Manager, upon request, with (i) current copies of the compliance policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser in effect from time to time (including prompt notice of any material changes thereto), (ii) copies of any correspondence between the Sub-Adviser and a regulatory agency in connection with any examination or proceeding related to or arising out of the Sub-Adviser’s services to the Fund, (iii) information related to any material violations of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures that occurred in connection with the provision of services to the Fund; and (iv) upon request, a certificate of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser to the effect that the policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Federal Securities Laws (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1) with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides to the Fund and a certification that the Sub-Adviser has addressed any material violations of such policies and procedures;

 

g. comply, in all material respects, with all procedures and policies adopted by the Board in compliance with applicable law, including without limitation, Rules 10f-3, 12d3-1, 17a-7, 17e-1, 17j-1, and 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, and the Pricing and Valuation Procedures (together, “Fund Procedures”) provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund and notify the Investment Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon (i) detection of any breach of such Fund Procedures or (ii) determination by the Sub-Adviser that a Fund Procedure conflicts with a procedure adopted by the Sub-Adviser;

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h. maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, a copy of which will be provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund, including any material amendments thereto, and institute and enforce procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons,” as such term is defined in as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1, from violating its Code of Ethics;

 

i. promptly complete and return to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, Investment Manager or the Fund any compliance questionnaires or other inquiries submitted to the Sub-Adviser in writing;

 

j. furnish to the Trustees such information as may reasonably be requested in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto for the purposes of approving this Agreement, the renewal thereof or any amendment hereto;

 

k. maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Allocated Portion as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and Advisers Act and the rules thereunder and the Fund Procedures, in accordance with the provisions of Section 15 hereof;

 

l. cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians, the Fund’s transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Investment Manager; provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and maintain any appropriate interfaces with each such person so as to promote the efficient exchange of information; and

 

m. upon request, will review the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, periodic reports to shareholders, reports and schedules filed with the SEC (including any amendment, supplement or sticker to any of the foregoing) and advertising and sales material relating to the Fund (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”) in order to ensure that, with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, the manner in which the Sub-Adviser manages the Allocated Portion and information relating directly or indirectly to the Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Adviser Disclosure”), such Disclosure Documents contain no untrue statements of material fact and do not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, as of the date of such Disclosure Documents.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Investment Manager acknowledges that (a) the Sub-Adviser is not the pricing agent for the Fund or the Allocated Portion, (b) the Sub-Adviser’s valuation policies may differ from the valuation policies of the Fund’s pricing agent and valuation committee and (c) therefore, the valuations made by the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion may differ from the valuations made by or on behalf of the Sub-Adviser for other accounts that the Sub-Adviser manages.

 

On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser may aggregate the order for securities to be sold or purchased (including, for purposes of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Regulation 43.6(h)(6) and for any other purposes, and to the extent permitted, under applicable law). In such event, the Sub-Adviser will allocate securities so purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, in a manner which the Sub-Adviser considers to be fair and equitable, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to its other clients under the circumstances and consistent with applicable law.  The Investment Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their other clients that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of actions taken, with respect to the Fund.  The Investment Manager also acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates are fiduciaries to other entities, some of which have the same or similar investment objectives (and will hold the same or similar investments) as the Fund, and that the Sub-Adviser will carry out its duties hereunder together with its duties under such relationships.  Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer upon the Sub-Adviser any obligation to purchase or to recommend for purchase for the Fund any investment that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, officers or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own account or for the account of any client, if in the sole and absolute discretion of the Sub-Adviser it is for any reason impractical or undesirable to take such action or make such recommendation for the Fund.

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In furnishing services hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall be subject to, and shall perform in accordance with, the following: (a) the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and/or other governing instruments, as the same may be hereafter modified and/or amended from time to time (“Governing Documents”); (b) the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time and provided to the Sub-Adviser; (c) the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules under each, and all other federal and state laws or regulations and/or self-regulatory organization regulations applicable to the Fund, including, but not limited to, the Commodity Exchange Act, the rules of the National Futures Association, and those requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (d) applicable portions of the Fund’s compliance manual and other policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Board and provided to the Sub-Adviser; and (e) written copies of other investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund from time to time, which shall become effective at such time as agreed upon by both parties; provided, however the Investment Manager or the Fund promptly provides any such documents and policies to the Sub-Adviser, including any material amendments or supplements thereto. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have full discretionary authority to manage the investment of the assets of the Allocated Portion. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser shall have all specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Allocated Portion:

 

a. acquire, hold, manage, vote, own and dispose of loans, equity securities and any other assets held by the Allocated Portion;

 

b. review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements;

 

c. provide service on committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

d. monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Allocated Portion and dispose of them in such manner and at such times as the Sub-Adviser determines;

 

e. initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings to protect the assets of the Allocated Portion, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion;

 

f. cooperate with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

 

g. employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

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h. take whatever steps are required by governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets; and

 

i. take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

 

Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser, by delegation from the Investment Manager, shall also have specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

j. obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

 

In the event the Investment Manager or Custodian engages in securities lending activities with respect to the Allocated Portion, the Sub-Adviser will not be a party to or may not necessarily be aware of such lending activities. It is understood that the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for settlement delay or failure, corporate action failure or any related costs or loss due to such activities.

 

5. PROXY VOTING.

 

The Investment Manager hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund, provided however, that the Fund may request that the Sub-Adviser vote or abstain from voting proxies for the Allocated Portion in accordance with the Fund’s proxy voting policies; provided, however, the Fund provide such proxy voting policies to the Sub-Adviser in advance. Absent specific instructions to the contrary provided to it by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and subject to its receipt of all necessary voting materials, the Sub-Adviser shall vote or abstain from voting all proxies with respect to investments of the Fund in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy as most recently provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies shall comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall maintain and preserve a record, in an easily-accessible place for a period of not less than three (3) years (or longer, if required by law), of the Sub-Adviser’s voting procedures, of the Sub-Adviser’s actual votes, and such other information required for the Fund to comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Sub-Adviser shall supply updates of this record to the Investment Manager or any authorized representative of the Investment Manager, or to the Fund on a quarterly basis (or more frequently, upon the request of the Investment Manager). Upon request by the Investment Manager or the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with information regarding the policies and procedures that the Sub-Adviser uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to the Allocated Portion.

 

6. NOTIFICATION.

 

The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Investment Manager and the Fund about developments relating to its duties as Sub-Adviser of which the Sub-Adviser has, or should have, knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Sub-Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with written notification of:

 

a. The occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise;

 

b. Any assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act;

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c. Any transaction or other event that will result in an assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act (and the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide such notification in a manner that allows the Fund to implement an interim agreement with the Sub-Adviser or take similar actions);

 

d. Any material changes in senior management or financial condition of the Sub-Adviser’s firm;

 

e. Any material changes in the employment status of key investment management personnel involved in the management of the Fund;

 

f. Any material changes in the investment process used to manage the Fund;

 

g. Any modification or other amendment to the Sub-Adviser’s valuation procedures;

 

h. Any financial condition that is reasonably likely to impair the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sub-Adviser;

 

i. Any violation of applicable law (including a felony conviction or U.S. federal or state securities law indictment or conviction) by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or key investment management personnel, which violation would adversely affect the business or financial condition of the Sub-Adviser or are reasonably likely to have an adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to carry out its obligations to the Fund under this Agreement;

 

j. Any breach of any material provision of this Agreement by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

k. Any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, in which the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (i) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (ii) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on such person’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or

 

l. The commencement of any formal investigation of the Sub-Adviser and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser by the SEC or any other regulatory authority or administrative body, in each case, that involves an allegation of a violation of law by any such person, and the outcome, when resolved, of any such investigation. 1

 

The Sub-Adviser shall promptly forward to the Investment Manager any correspondence (or portion of such correspondence) from the SEC or other regulatory authority that relates to the Fund; provided, however, any correspondence not specifically related to the Fund or arising out of the Sub-Adviser’s services to the Fund or relating to a routine or sweep examination shall not be required to be provided under this Section 6.

 

The Investment Manager agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Sub-Adviser about developments relating to the Fund of which Investment Manager has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Investment Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager agrees to provide the Sub-Adviser with prompt written notification of: (i) any breach of any material provision of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, an affiliate of the Investment Manager, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees; (ii) the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise; (iii) any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body in which the Investment Manager, any affiliate of the Investment Manager, and/or any key personnel of the Investment Manager are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (A) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (B) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement; (iv) any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Investment Manager; and (v) any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser promptly if it becomes aware that any statement regarding the Investment Manager or the Fund contained in the Fund’s registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, becomes untrue or incomplete in any material respect.

 

 
1 NTD: Affiliate of the Sub-Adviser was removed here because we do not have visibility to any regulatory matters with respect to our new parent entity.

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7. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER SUB-ADVISERS.

 

In performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund, except as permitted by the Fund Procedures. The Sub-Adviser shall not provide investment advice to any assets of the Fund other than the Allocated Portion.

 

8. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate, to the extent such affiliate is involved in providing services to the Fund, is a party.

 

c. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

d. The Sub-Adviser is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Sub-Adviser by applicable law and regulations.

 

e. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an amount not less than its current level of coverage and shall provide written notice to the Fund (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage or (ii) of any material claims made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Fund with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance to the extent such changes or claims relate to the Fund.

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f. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Sub-Adviser will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Fund and the Investment Manager.

 

9. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Investment Manager will promptly notify the Sub-Adviser of the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act.

 

c. The Investment Manager is an entity duly organized and validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization and in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which the nature or conduct of its business requires such qualification and the failure to be duly qualified would materially affect the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

d. The Investment Manager (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any instrument by which Investment Manager or any of its affiliates are bound or any order, rule, statue or regulation applicable to the Investment Manager of any court or any governmental body or administrative agency having jurisdiction over the Investment Manager including, without limitation the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act.

 

e. The Investment Manager has been duly authorized by the Board to delegate to the Sub-Adviser the provision of investment services to the Fund as contemplated hereby.

 

10. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND.

 

The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Fund is registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act and shall maintain such registration in good standing throughout the term of this Agreement.

 

b. The Fund (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which the Fund or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

11. EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser, at its expense, shall furnish: (a) all necessary facilities (including office space, furnishings, and equipment) and personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel required (including employees that monitor and value the Allocated Portion) for the Sub-Adviser to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement; and (b) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, and all equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the Sub-Adviser’s duties in respect of the Allocated Portion under this Agreement. In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for (i) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting specifically requested by, and convened for the primary benefit of, the Sub-Adviser or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Sub-Adviser, then the Sub-Adviser will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; (ii) the Sub-Adviser’s costs for the Sub-Adviser’s in-person attendance at one Fund Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; and (iii) subject to Section 14 (including the exculpation provisions therein), reasonable expenses incurred by the Fund in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Fund but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Sub-Adviser to which neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager is a party.

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Except to the extent contemplated by this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will not be responsible for any costs, expenses, liabilities or losses of the Fund or the Investment Manager in fulfilling the obligations hereunder, including the fees paid to the Sub-Adviser as set forth below or to any other sub-adviser of the Fund and all fees and expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with its organization and operation and the offering of the Fund’s shares, including fees and expenses in connection with seeking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of any exemptive relief contemplated in connection with the establishment or operations of the Fund.

 

In addition, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for any costs or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly arising out of the following investment related operations of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion: (x) reasonable research and due diligence expenses relating to the selection of investments (including expenses of news and quotation subscriptions, market or industry research, consultants or experts related to the Allocated Portion); (xi) reasonable legal, third party consultant, and investment-related software and databases expenses incurred in relation to entering into, the reviewing, monitoring and or administration of the investments (including expenses of engaging third party valuation consultants and agents and expenses of loan administration or servicing) including ; (xii) out-of-pocket costs and other expenses directly relating to investment transactions that are not consummated; (xiii) other investment-related expenses, such as, brokerage commissions, custody fees, interest, administrative, servicing and other similar fees and expenses, and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments or any expenses relating to leverage or indebtedness of the Allocated Portion (including any interest thereon) including investment-related software and databases relating thereto; (xiv) any litigation costs and expenses, judgments and settlements directly related to the preservation of the value of the investment; (xv) all taxes, fees or other governmental charges required to be paid or withheld with respect to assets of the Allocated Portion; (xvi) any expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit relating to the Fund; (xvii) ad hoc expenses directly related to the Allocated Portion incurred at the specific request of the Investment Manager or the Board of Trustees; and (xviii) any fees and expenses in connection with seeking the SEC’s approval of any exemptive relief (or amending existing exemptive relief) contemplated in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion.

 

Subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), the Fund shall pay expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Sub-Adviser but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Fund or the Investment Manager, to which the Sub-Adviser is not a party.

 

The Fund shall pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund in connection with the termination of this Agreement, including any related legal and accounting fees and expenses.

 

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Sub-Adviser compensation at an annual rate of one percent (1.00%), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10th business day of the succeeding month based upon the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets.  In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Sub-Adviser provided services to the Fund.  The Sub-Adviser may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement.  Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Sub-Adviser hereunder or to continue future payments.  For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the fact that the Agreement has not been terminated, no fee will be accrued under this Agreement with respect to any day that the value of the assets of the Allocated Portion equals zero.

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All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

12. STATUS OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; STANDARD OF CARE; AND INDEMNIFICATION OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for the accuracy and completeness of any Disclosure Documents, except with respect to Sub-Adviser Disclosure presented to and approved by the Sub-Adviser for use in such documents.

 

In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, shall not be subject to liability to the Fund, the Investment Manager or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney's fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser in respect of their performance of services under this Agreement or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby, in each case, as the same is finally determined by judicial proceedings.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liabilities to which the person may be liable that (i) arises out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Disclosure Document or the omission or alleged omission from a Disclosure Document of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case solely with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure (to the extent such Sub-Adviser Disclosure was presented to and approved by the Sub-Adviser); or (ii) results from the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance or gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement, or from the Sub-Adviser’s reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

In the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, the Investment Manager, the Fund, and their respective partners, members, managers, directors, officers and employees, and their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Sub-Adviser for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Investment Manager, the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser in respect of their performance of services under this Agreement, or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby, in each case, as the same is finally determined by judicial proceedings.

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The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Sub-Adviser, or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any Liability to which the person may be liable that arises or results from this Agreement or the performance of any services under this Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Subject to its fiduciary duties to the Fund, the Investment Manager shall use its best efforts to pursue any indemnity claims against the Fund that the Investment Manager has (and any applicable insurance provided by the Fund and Investment Manager) in connection with the payment of the foregoing indemnification.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall not be obligated to perform any service not described in this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion will be successful. The Fund and Investment Manager understand that investment decisions made for the Allocated Portion by the Sub-Adviser are subject to various market, currency, economic, political and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be profitable.

 

14. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS.

 

Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Sub-Adviser (or any successor thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Sub-Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Sub-Adviser (or any successor) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

 

15. BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund copies of any of such records in the event of termination of this Agreement or upon the Fund’s or the Investment Manager’s request, provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of any records to the extent required for it to comply with applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records relating to its activities hereunder required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve the records relating to its activities hereunder required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the period specified in said Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sub-Adviser has no responsibility for the maintenance of the records of the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Investment Manager, the Fund, or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

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16. CERTIFICATIONS; DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder, the Fund is required to make certain certifications and have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. To the extent reasonably requested by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser agrees to use its best efforts to assist the Fund in complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implementing the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to inform the Fund of any material development related to the Fund that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

17. COOPERATION WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR OTHER ACTIONS.

 

The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of performing its obligations under this Agreement.

 

18. NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

 

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Adviser hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates (to the extent such affiliates have access to any such Confidential Information) and their respective officers, directors, partners, members, and employees (a) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund (i) all records and other information relative to the Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (ii) any “Non-public Personal Information,” as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (b) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Fund and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Each party to this Agreement shall keep confidential all Confidential Information (defined below) concerning the other parties and will not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, unless the non-disclosing parties have authorized such disclosure or if such disclosure is compelled by subpoena or is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state laws, regulations, or regulatory authorities. A receiving party may disclose or disseminate the disclosing party’s Confidential Information to its officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents that have a legitimate need to know such Confidential Information in order to assist the receiving party in performing its obligations under this Agreement. The receiving party shall advise all such foregoing persons of the receiving party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Agreement, and the receiving party shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by such persons with such obligations.

 

Each party shall take commercially reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to each other party’s Confidential Information. In addition, each party shall promptly notify the other parties in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of another party’s Confidential Information by such party or its agents.

 

The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, means any of a party’s proprietary or confidential information including, without limitation, any Non-public Personal Information of such party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other persons with whom they do business, that is disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the other party by or on behalf of the disclosing party, whether in writing, orally or by other means and whether or not such information is marked as confidential. Confidential Information shall not include information that was (a) known to such receiving party prior to disclosure to such party by the other party or its representatives and not otherwise subject to a separate confidentiality obligation (b) rightfully acquired by such receiving party from third parties whom such receiving party reasonably believes are not under an obligation of confidentiality to the other party to which the Confidential Information relates; (c) placed in public domain prior to or after the date of this Agreement without a violation of this Agreement by such receiving party or its affiliates; or (d) independently developed by such receiving party without reference or reliance upon the nonpublic information. In addition, with respect to the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Manager only, “Confidential Information” for purposes of this Agreement shall not include any information that had been or will be provided by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates to the Investment Manager that is not specifically related to the purpose of this Agreement or the Fund, including without limitation, any information provided in connection with the Sub-Adviser's or its affiliates' other funds, accounts or products.

13

Each party acknowledges and agrees that due to the unique nature of Confidential Information there can be no adequate remedy at law for any breach of its obligations under this Section 18, that any such breach or threatened breach may allow a party or third parties to unfairly compete with the other party resulting in irreparable harm to such party, and therefore, that upon any such breach or any threat thereof, each party will be entitled to appropriate temporary (until the matter may be resolved) equitable and injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction without the necessity of proving actual loss.

 

The provisions of this Section 18 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

19. DURATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first above written and shall continue in effect for a period of two years from the date of execution, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved:  (a) by a vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. Thereafter, this Agreement shall continue automatically for successive annual periods, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board or (ii) a vote of a “majority” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of the Board who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

20. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement may be terminated at any time (including during the initial two year term), without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund and the other party.  This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, (a) in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (b) in the event the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason.  This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. In the event of a termination, the Sub-Adviser shall cooperate in the orderly transfer of the Fund’s affairs. Sections 11, 13 and 18 herein shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

21. ASSIGNMENT.

 

Any assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of this Agreement made by the Sub-Adviser shall result in the automatic termination of this Agreement, as provided in Section 20 hereof.   Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be deemed to result from any changes in the directors, officers or employees of such Sub-Adviser except as may be provided to the contrary in the 1940 Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

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22. NOTICE.

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by any party to another shall be deemed sufficient if given in person or sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

If to the Investment Manager:

 

Cliffwater LLC

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Facsimile: (310) 448-5001

Telephone: (310) 448-5000

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Benefit Street Partners L.L.C.

Attn: Alexander McMillan, Chief Compliance Officer  

9 West 57th Street, Suite 4920

New York, NY 10019  

Facsimile: (212) 588-6769

Telephone: (212) 588-6712

 

If to the Fund:

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Attn: Regulatory Administration

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Facsimile: (414) 271-9717

Telephone: (414) 299-2000

 

23. SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement’s subject matter.

 

24. GOVERNING LAW.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

25. AMENDMENT.

 

No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

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26. COUNTERPARTS.

 

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be communicated by electronic transmission (which shall include facsimile or email) and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.

 

27. HEADINGS.

 

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

 

28. INTERPRETATION .

 

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

29. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

Cliffwater Llc  
     
By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  
     
Benefit Street Partners L.L.C.   
   
By: /s/ Bryan Martoken  
Title:  Chief Financial Officer  
     
CLIFFWATER Corporate LENDING FUND  
   
By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
Title:  Treasurer  

 

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INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Manager”), and Crescent Capital Group LP, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) dated March 1, 2019 with the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”, and each Board member individually a “Trustee”, and together, the “Trustees”) and the Investment Manager desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to render investment advisory and other services to a portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to the Sub-Adviser, in the manner and on the terms hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager has the authority under the Investment Management Agreement to retain sub-advisers; and

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is willing to furnish such services to the Investment Manager and the Fund;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:

 

1. APPOINTMENT OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to, and invested and managed by, the Sub-Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”), subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Investment Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Investment Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

 

2. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT.

 

The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The assets of the Fund will be maintained in the custody of a custodian in accordance with the 1940 Act (who shall be identified by the Investment Manager in writing) (the “Custodian”). The Sub-Adviser will not have custody of any securities, cash or other assets of the Fund and will not be liable for any loss resulting from any act or omission of the Custodian other than acts or omissions arising in reliance on instructions of the Sub-Adviser that violate the Sub-Adviser’s standard of care in this Agreement.

 

3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

a. The Fund has furnished or will furnish to the Sub-Adviser copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund as in effect on the date hereof;

 

ii. the By-Laws of the Fund in effect on the date hereof;

 

 

iii. the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser for the Allocated Portion and approving the form of this Agreement;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (as defined below) of the Fund as currently in effect; and

 

v. current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

 

The Fund shall furnish the Sub-Adviser with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, as soon as reasonably practicable.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser has furnished or will furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager with copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent Form ADV;

 

ii. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent unaudited balance sheet;

 

iii. separate lists of persons whom the Sub-Adviser wishes to have authorized to give written and/or oral instructions to the Custodian and accounting agent of the Fund’s assets;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (defined below) of the Sub-Adviser as currently in effect;

 

v. the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies as currently in effect;

 

vi. the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures as currently in effect;

 

vii. any exemptive order granted to the Sub-Adviser by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other regulatory body that will be relied upon by the Sub-Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund; and

 

viii. complete and accurate copies of any compliance manuals, trading, commission and other reports, insurance policies, and such other management or operational documents as the Investment Manager may reasonably request in writing (on behalf of itself or the Board) in assessing the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all amendments of or supplements to the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures within thirty (30) days of such amendments or supplements becoming effective. With respect to the other documents requested above, the Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, within thirty (30) days of the time such materials became available to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Additionally, the Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Fund and the Investment Manager such other documents relating to its services under this Agreement as the Fund or the Investment Manager may reasonably request from time to time.

 

4. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUB-ADVISER TO THE FUND.

 

As an investment adviser to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board and the Investment Manager, manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion.

 

As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Sub-Adviser will:

2  

 

a. advise the Investment Manager and the Fund in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by it regarding the Fund and, upon request, furnish the Investment Manager and the Fund with research, economic and statistical data in connection with the Fund’s investments and investment policies;

 

b. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Allocated Portion as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

c. take whatever steps are necessary to implement the investment program for the Allocated Portion by arranging for the purchase and sale of securities and other investments, including issuing directives to the administrator of the Fund as necessary for the appropriate implementation of the investment program of the Allocated Portion;

 

d. keep the Trustees of the Fund and the Investment Manager fully informed in writing on an ongoing basis as agreed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser as to (i) all material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion and (ii) the Sub-Adviser and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Investment Manager or the Trustees of the Fund; and attend meetings with the Investment Manager and/or the Trustees, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing;

 

e. subject to the Board’s ultimate authority and responsibility to determine the valuation of the Fund’s assets and in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Trustees of the Fund, which may be amended from time to time, provide the Sub-Adviser’s determination of the fair value of all securities and other investments/assets within the Allocated Portion in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures and provide all necessary assistance and information to the Investment Manager and the Board to allow the Investment Manager and the Board to oversee and review (i) the valuation methodologies used by the Sub-Adviser and its valuation agents and (ii) the historical accuracy of the valuations determined by the Sub-Adviser. For the avoidance of doubt, the Board and the Fund shall be fully responsible for determining the final valuation of the Fund’s assets and the Sub-Adviser shall not bear any responsibility for determining or approving the final valuation of any assets of the Fund;

 

f. to the extent reasonably requested by the Fund or the Investment Manager, use its best efforts to assist the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund in respect of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including, without limitation, providing the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund or the Investment Manager with, upon request, (i) current copies of the compliance policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser in effect from time to time (including prompt notice of any material changes thereto), (ii) reports of any violations of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures that occurred in connection with the provision of services to the Fund, (iii) a copy of the Sub-Adviser’s annual compliance report as required by Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act, (iv) copies of any correspondence between the Sub-Adviser and a regulatory agency in connection with regulatory examinations or proceedings, and (v) a certificate of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser to the effect that the policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Federal Securities Laws (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1) with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides to the Fund;

 

g. comply with all procedures and policies adopted by the Board in compliance with applicable law, including without limitation, Rules 10f-3, 12d3-1, 17a-7, 17e-1, 17j-1, and 23c-3 under the 1940 Act (together, “Fund Procedures”), provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund and notify the Investment Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon (i) detection of any breach of such Fund Procedures or (ii) determination that a Fund Procedure conflicts with a procedure adopted by the Sub-Adviser;

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h. maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, a copy of which will be provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund, including any amendments thereto, and institute and enforce procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons,” as such term is defined in as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1, from violating its Code of Ethics;

 

i. promptly complete and return to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, Investment Manager or the Fund any compliance questionnaires or other inquiries submitted to the Sub-Adviser in writing;

 

j. furnish to the Trustees such information as may reasonably be requested in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto for the purposes of approving this Agreement, the renewal thereof or any amendment hereto;

 

k. maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Allocated Portion as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and Advisers Act and the rules thereunder and the Fund Procedures;

 

l. cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians, the Fund’s transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Investment Manager; keep all such persons fully informed as to such matters as they may reasonably deem necessary to the performance of their obligations to the Fund and the Investment Manager; provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and maintain any appropriate interfaces with each such person so as to promote the efficient exchange of information; and

 

m. will review the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, periodic reports to shareholders, reports and schedules filed with the SEC (including any amendment, supplement or sticker to any of the foregoing (together, the “SEC Filings”)) and the Sub-Adviser Disclosure (as defined below) in advertising and sales material relating to the Fund (the “Marketing Documents” and, collectively with the SEC Filings, the “Disclosure Documents”) in order to ensure that, solely with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, the manner in which the Sub-Adviser manages the Allocated Portion and information relating directly or indirectly to the Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Adviser Disclosure”), such Disclosure Documents, solely with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure, contain no untrue statements of material fact and do not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, the statements therein not misleading. The Fund and the Investment Manager shall provide copies of all SEC Filings to the Sub-Adviser at least a reasonable period of time in advance of use. The Fund and the Investment Manager shall provide all Marketing Documents to the Sub-Adviser at least a reasonable period in advance of use for the Sub-Adviser’s review at least once per calendar quarter or more frequently if such Marketing Document contains any changes to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure from a version that the Sub-Adviser had previously reviewed and approved. The Fund and the Investment Manager agree to amend the Sub-Adviser Disclosure at other times upon the reasonable request of the Sub-Adviser.

 

On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser and when permitted by applicable law, allocation of the securities so purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in a manner which the Sub-Adviser considers to be fair and equitable, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to its other clients over time and consistent with applicable law. The Investment Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their other clients that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of actions taken, with respect to the Fund. The Investment Manager also acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates are fiduciaries to other entities, some of which have the same or similar investment objectives (and will hold the same or similar investments) as the Fund, and that the Sub-Adviser will carry out its duties hereunder together with its duties under such relationships. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer upon the Sub-Adviser any obligation to purchase or to recommend for purchase for the Fund any investment that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, officers or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own account or for the account of any client, if in the sole and absolute discretion of the Sub-Adviser it is for any reason impractical or undesirable to take such action or make such recommendation for the Fund.

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In furnishing services hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall be subject to, and shall perform in accordance with, the following: (a) the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and/or other governing instruments, as the same may be hereafter modified and/or amended from time to time (“Governing Documents”); (b) the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time and provided to the Sub-Adviser; (c) the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules under each, and all other federal and state laws or regulations and/or self-regulatory organization regulations applicable to the Fund, including, but not limited to, the Commodity Exchange Act, the rules of the National Futures Association, and those requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (d) the Fund’s compliance manual and other policies and procedures adopted from time to time by the Board and provided to the Sub-Adviser; and (e) written copies of other investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund from time to time, which shall become effective at such time as agreed upon by both parties. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have full discretionary authority to manage the investment of the assets of the Allocated Portion. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser shall have all specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Allocated Portion:

 

a. acquire, hold, manage, vote, own and dispose of loans, equity securities and any other assets held by the Allocated Portion;

 

b. review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements;

 

c. provide service on committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

d. monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Allocated Portion and dispose of them in such manner and at such times as the Sub-Adviser determines;

 

e. initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings to protect the assets of the Allocated Portion, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion;

 

f. cooperate with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

 

g. employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

 

h. take whatever steps are required by governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets; and

 

i. take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

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Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser, by delegation from the Investment Manager, shall also have specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

j. obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

 

5. PROXY VOTING.

 

The Investment Manager hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund, provided however, that the Fund may request that the Sub-Adviser vote proxies for the Allocated Portion in accordance with the Fund’s proxy voting policies. Absent specific instructions to the contrary provided to it by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and subject to its receipt of all necessary voting materials, the Sub-Adviser shall vote all proxies with respect to investments of the Fund in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy as most recently provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies shall comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall maintain and preserve a record, in an easily-accessible place for a period of not less than three (3) years (or longer, if required by law), of the Sub-Adviser’s voting procedures, of the Sub-Adviser’s actual votes, and such other information required for the Fund to comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Sub-Adviser shall supply updates of this record to the Investment Manager or any authorized representative of the Investment Manager, or to the Fund on a quarterly basis (or more frequently, upon the reasonable request of the Investment Manager). The Sub-Adviser shall provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with information regarding the policies and procedures that the Sub-Adviser uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to the Allocated Portion.

 

6. NOTIFICATION.

 

The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Investment Manager and the Fund about developments relating to its duties as Sub-Adviser of which the Sub-Adviser has, or should have, knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Sub-Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with prompt written notification of:

 

a. The occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise;

 

b. Any proposed transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act;

 

c. Any anticipated or otherwise reasonably foreseeable material change in the ownership or any change of control of the Sub-Adviser within a reasonable time prior to such change being effected;

 

d. Any material changes in senior management, operations, or financial condition of the Sub-Adviser’s firm;

 

e. Any material changes in the employment status of key investment management personnel involved in the management of the Fund;

 

f. Any material changes in the investment process used to manage the Fund;

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g. Any modification or other amendment to the Sub-Adviser’s valuation procedures;

 

h. Any financial condition that is likely to impair the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sub-Adviser;

 

i. Any material violation of applicable law (including a felony conviction or U.S. federal or state securities law indictment or conviction) by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or key investment management personnel;

 

j. Any breach of fiduciary duty to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

k. Any breach of any material provisions of this Agreement by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

l. Any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, in which the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (i) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (ii) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on such person’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

m. The commencement of any formal investigation of the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser by the SEC or any other regulatory authority or administrative body that involves an allegation of a material violation of law by any such person and the outcome, when resolved, of any such investigation; or

 

n. Any other event that is likely to have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall immediately forward, upon receipt, to the Investment Manager any correspondence (or portion of such correspondence) from the SEC or other regulatory authority that relates to the Fund.

 

The Investment Manager agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Sub-Adviser about developments relating to the Fund of which Investment Manager has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Investment Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager agrees to provide the Sub-Adviser with prompt written notification of: (i) any breach of any material provision of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, an affiliate of the Investment Manager, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees; (ii) the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise; (iii) any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body in which the Investment Manager, any affiliate of the Investment Manager, and/or any key personnel of the Investment Manager are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (A) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (B) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement; (iv) any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Investment Manager; and (v) any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser promptly if it becomes aware that any statement regarding the Investment Manager or the Fund contained in the Fund’s registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, becomes untrue or incomplete in any material respect.

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7. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER SUB-ADVISERS.

 

In performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund, except as permitted by the Fund Procedures. The Sub-Adviser shall not provide investment advice to any assets of the Fund other than the Allocated Portion.

 

8. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

c. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

d. The Sub-Adviser is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Sub-Adviser by applicable law and regulations.

 

e. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an amount not less than its current level of coverage and shall provide written notice to the Fund (i) of any material changes in its insurance policies or insurance coverage or (ii) of any material claims made on its insurance policies. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Fund with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

 

f. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Sub-Adviser will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Fund and the Investment Manager.

 

9. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

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b. The Investment Manager (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which Investment Manager or any of its affiliates are a party.

 

c. The Investment Manager has been duly authorized by the Board to delegate to the Sub-Adviser the provision of investment services to the Fund as contemplated hereby.

 

10. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND.

 

The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that it (a) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (b) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, any agreement to which the Fund or any of its affiliates are a party. The Fund represents that the Disclosure Documents (other than the Sub-Adviser Disclosure) when viewed in their entirety contain no untrue statements of material fact and do not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, the statements therein not misleading.

 

11. EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser, at its expense, shall furnish: (a) all necessary facilities (including office space, furnishings, and equipment) and personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel (including employees that monitor and value the Allocated Portion) required for the Sub-Adviser to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement; and (b) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, and all equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the Sub-Adviser’s duties under this Agreement. In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for (i) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting specifically requested by, and convened for the primary benefit of, the Sub-Adviser or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Sub-Adviser, then the Sub-Adviser will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; (ii) the Sub-Adviser’s costs for the Sub-Adviser’s in-person attendance at one Fund Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; and (iii) subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), reasonable expenses incurred by the Fund in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Fund but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Sub-Adviser to which neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager is a party.

 

Except to the extent contemplated by this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will not be responsible for any costs, expenses, liabilities or losses of the Fund, including the fees paid to the Sub-Adviser as set forth below or to any other sub-adviser of the Fund and all fees and expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with its organization and the offering of the Fund’s shares, including fees and expenses in connection with seeking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of any exemptive relief contemplated in connection with the establishment or operations of the Fund.

 

In addition, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for any costs or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly arising out of the following investment related operations of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion: (x) reasonable research and due diligence expenses relating to the selection of investments (including expenses of news and quotation subscriptions, market or industry research, consultants or experts directly related to the Allocated Portion); (xi) reasonable legal, third party consultant, and investment-related software and databases expenses incurred in relation to entering into, the reviewing, monitoring and or administration of the investments (including expenses of engaging third party valuation consultants and agents and expenses of loan administration with non-affiliates) including ; (xii) out-of-pocket costs directly relating to investment transactions that are not consummated; (xiii) other investment-related expenses, such as, brokerage commissions, custody fees, interest, administrative, servicing and other similar fees and expenses, and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments or any expenses relating to leverage or indebtedness of the Allocated Portion (including any interest thereon) including investment-related software and databases relating thereto; (xiv) reasonable litigation costs and expenses, judgments and settlements directly related to the preservation of the value of the investment; (xv) all taxes, fees or other governmental charges required to be paid or withheld with respect to assets of the Allocated Portion; (xvi) reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit relating to the Fund; (xvii) ad hoc expenses directly related to the Allocated Portion incurred at the specific request of the Investment Manager or Board of Trustees; and (xviii) any fees and expenses in connection with seeking the SEC’s approval of any exemptive relief (or amending existing exemptive relief) contemplated in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion.

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Subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), the Fund shall pay reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Sub-Adviser but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Fund or the Investment Manager, to which the Sub-Adviser is not a party.

 

The Fund shall pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund in connection with the termination of this Agreement, including any related legal and accounting fees and expenses.

 

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Sub-Adviser compensation at an annual rate of one percent (1.00%), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10th business day of the succeeding month based upon the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets. In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Sub-Adviser provided services to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Sub-Adviser hereunder or to continue future payments. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the fact that the Agreement has not been terminated, no fee will be accrued under this Agreement with respect to any day that the value of the assets of the Allocated Portion equals zero.

 

All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

12. STATUS OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; STANDARD OF CARE; AND INDEMNIFICATION OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall have responsibility for the accuracy and completeness (and liability for the lack thereof) only of Disclosure Documents furnished to and approved by the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and only with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure approved by the Sub-Adviser in such Disclosure Documents.

 

In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, shall not be subject to liability to the Fund, the Investment Manager or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security, investment or other assets by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby.

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The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liabilities to which the person may be liable that (i) arises out of or based upon any untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Disclosure Document or the omission from a Disclosure Document of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case solely with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure; or (ii) results from the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance or gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement, or from the Sub-Adviser’s reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

In the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, the Investment Manager, the Fund, and their respective partners, members, managers, directors, officers and employees, and their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Sub-Adviser for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Investment Manager, the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby.

 

The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Sub-Adviser, or any partner, member, manager, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, and any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives, against any Liability to which the person may be liable that arises or results from this Agreement or the performance of any services under this Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Subject to its fiduciary duties to the Fund, the Investment Manager shall use its best efforts to pursue any indemnity claims against the Fund that the Investment Manager has (and any applicable insurance provided by the Fund and Investment Manager) in connection with the payment of the foregoing indemnification.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion will be successful. The Fund and Investment Manager understand that investment decisions made for the Allocated Portion by the Sub-Adviser are subject to various market, currency, economic, political and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be profitable.

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14. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS.

 

Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Sub-Adviser (or any successor thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Sub-Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Sub-Adviser (or any successor) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

 

15. BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund copies of any of such records in the event of termination of this Agreement or upon the Fund’s or the Investment Manager’s request, provided, however, that the Sub-Adviser may retain copies of any records to the extent required for it to comply with applicable laws. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records relating to its activities hereunder required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve the records relating to its activities hereunder required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the period specified in said Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sub-Adviser has no responsibility for the maintenance of the records of the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Investment Manager, the Fund, or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

 

16. CERTIFICATIONS; DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder, the Fund is required to make certain certifications and have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. To the extent reasonably requested by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Fund in complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implementing the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to inform the Fund of any material development related to the Fund that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

17. COOPERATION WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR OTHER ACTIONS.

 

The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of performing its obligations under this Agreement.

 

18. NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

 

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Adviser hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, partners, members, and employees (a) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund (i) all records and other information relative to the Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (ii) any “Non-public Personal Information,” as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (b) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Fund and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Each party to this Agreement shall keep confidential all Confidential Information (defined below) concerning the other parties and will not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, unless the non-disclosing parties have authorized such disclosure or if such disclosure is compelled by subpoena or is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state laws, regulations, or regulatory authorities. A receiving party may disclose or disseminate the disclosing party’s Confidential Information to its officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents that have a legitimate need to know such Confidential Information in order to assist the receiving party in performing its obligations under this Agreement. The receiving party shall advise all such foregoing persons of the receiving party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Agreement, and the receiving party shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by such persons with such obligations.

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Each party shall take commercially reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to each other party’s Confidential Information. In addition, each party shall promptly notify the other parties in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of another party’s Confidential Information by such party or its agents.

 

The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, means any of a party’s proprietary or confidential information including, without limitation, any Non-public Personal Information of such party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other persons with whom they do business, that is disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the other party by or on behalf of the disclosing party, whether in writing, orally or by other means and whether or not such information is marked as confidential. Confidential Information shall not include information that was (a) rightfully acquired by such receiving party from third parties whom such receiving party reasonably believes are not under an obligation of confidentiality to the other party to which the Confidential Information relates; (b) placed in public domain prior to or after the date of this Agreement without a violation of this Agreement by such receiving party or its affiliates; or (c) independently developed by such receiving party without reference or reliance upon the nonpublic information. In addition, with respect to the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Manager only, “Confidential Information” shall not include any information that had been or will be provided by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates to the Investment Manager that is not specifically related to the purpose of this Agreement or the Fund, including without limitation, any information provided in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliates’ other funds, accounts or products.

 

Each party acknowledges and agrees that due to the unique nature of Confidential Information there can be no adequate remedy at law for any breach of its obligations under this Section 18, that any such breach or threatened breach may allow a party or third parties to unfairly compete with the other party resulting in irreparable harm to such party, and therefore, that upon any such breach or any threat thereof, each party will be entitled to appropriate temporary (until the matter may be resolved) equitable and injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction without the necessity of proving actual loss.

 

The provisions of this Section 18 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

19. DURATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first above written, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved: (a) by a vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board provided that in such event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

20. TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund and the other party. This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, (a) in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (b) in the event the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason. This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. In the event of a termination, the Sub-Adviser shall cooperate in the orderly transfer of the Fund’s affairs.

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21. ASSIGNMENT.

 

Any assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of this Agreement made by the Sub-Adviser shall result in the automatic termination of this Agreement, as provided in Section 20 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be deemed to result from any changes in the directors, officers or employees of such Sub-Adviser except as may be provided to the contrary in the 1940 Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

 

22. NOTICE.

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by any party to another shall be deemed sufficient if given in person or sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

If to the Investment Manager:

 

Cliffwater LLC

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Facsimile: (310) 448-5001

Telephone: (310) 448-5000

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Crescent Capital Group LP

Attn: Jason Breaux

11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 2000

Los Angeles, California 90025

Facsimile: (310) 861-1473

Telephone: (310) 235-5900

 

With a copy to:

 

Crescent Capital Group LP

Attn: General Counsel

11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Ste. 2000

Los Angeles, California 90025

Facsimile: (310) 861-1473

Telephone: (310) 235-5900

 

If to the Fund:

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Attn: Regulatory Administration

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Facsimile: (414) 271-9717

Telephone: (414) 299-2000

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23. SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement’s subject matter.

 

24. GOVERNING LAW.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

 

25. AMENDMENT.

 

No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

26. COUNTERPARTS.

 

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be communicated by electronic transmission (which shall include facsimile or email) and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.

 

27. HEADINGS.

 

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

 

28. INTERPRETATION .

 

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

29. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

CLIFFWATER LLC  
     
By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  
     
CRESCENT CAPITAL GROUP LP  
     
By: /s/ Jason Breaux  
Title: Managing Director  
     
By: /s/ George Hawley  
Title: General Counsel  
     
CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
     
By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
Title: Treasurer  

 

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INVESTMENT SUB-ADVISORY AGREEMENT

 

This AGREEMENT is made this 1st day of March, 2019, by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investment Manager”), and Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sub-Adviser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is a closed-end, management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”) and has entered into an investment management agreement (the “Investment Management Agreement”) dated March 1, 2019 with the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act;

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Management Agreement permits the Investment Manager, at its option, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the “Board”, and each Board member individually a “Trustee”, and together, the “Trustees”) and, to the extent necessary, shareholders of the Fund, to delegate certain of its duties under the Investment Management Agreement to other investment advisers, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act; and

 

WHEREAS, the Board and the Investment Manager desire to retain the Sub-Adviser to assist it in the provision of a continuous investment program for that portion, or all, of the Fund’s assets that the Investment Manager, in its sole discretion, may allocate to the Sub-Adviser from time to time, and the Sub-Adviser is willing to render such services subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and the Sub-Adviser agree as follows:

 

1. APPOINTMENT OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

a. The Investment Manager hereby appoints the Sub-Adviser to act as an investment adviser for the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund allocated to, and invested and managed by, the Sub-Adviser (the “Allocated Portion”), subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Sub-Adviser will be an independent contractor and will have no authority to act for or represent the Fund or the Investment Manager in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund or the Investment Manager except as expressly authorized in this Agreement or another writing by the Fund, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser.

 

b. It is acknowledged and agreed that the Investment Manager may appoint from time to time other sub-advisers in addition to the Sub-Adviser to manage the assets of the Fund that do not constitute the Allocated Portion and nothing in this Agreement shall be construed or interpreted to grant the Sub-Adviser an exclusive arrangement to act as the sole sub-adviser to the Fund. It is further acknowledged and agreed that the Investment Manager makes no commitment to designate any particular portion of the Fund’s assets to the Sub-Adviser as the Allocated Portion and the Investment Manager may increase or decrease, by written notice, the Allocated Portion at any time and the Sub-Adviser will cooperate with effecting any such increase or decrease.

 

2. ACCEPTANCE OF APPOINTMENT.

 

The Sub-Adviser accepts such appointment and agrees to furnish the services herein set forth for the compensation herein provided. The assets of the Fund will be maintained in the custody of a custodian (who shall be identified by the Investment Manager in writing) (the “Custodian”). The Sub-Adviser will not have custody of any securities, cash or other assets of the Fund and will not be liable for any loss resulting from any act or omission of the Custodian other than acts or omissions arising in reliance on instructions of the Sub-Adviser.

 

 

3. DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS.

 

a. The Fund has furnished or will furnish to the Sub-Adviser copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of the Fund as in effect on the date hereof;

 

ii. the By-Laws of the Fund in effect on the date hereof;

 

iii. the resolutions of the Board approving the engagement of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser for the Allocated Portion and approving the form of this Agreement;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (as defined below) of the Fund as currently in effect; and

 

v. current copies of the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.

 

The Fund shall furnish the Sub-Adviser from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser has furnished or will furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager with copies of each of the following documents:

 

i. the Sub-Adviser’s most recent Form ADV;

 

ii. the most recent balance sheet for the Sub-Adviser’s parent, BlackRock, Inc.;

 

iii. separate lists of persons whom the Sub-Adviser wishes to have authorized to give written and/or oral instructions to the Custodian and accounting agent of the Fund’s assets;

 

iv. the Code of Ethics (defined below) of the Sub-Adviser as currently in effect;

 

v. the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies as currently in effect;

 

vi. the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures as currently in effect;

 

vii. any exemptive order granted to the Sub-Adviser by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or any other regulatory body that will be relied upon by the Sub-Adviser in connection with its services to the Fund; and

 

viii. complete and accurate copies of any applicable compliance manuals, evidence of insurance policies providing coverage to the Sub-Adviser or the Fund, and such other management or operational documents as the Investment Manager may reasonably request in writing (on behalf of itself or the Board) in assessing the Sub-Adviser.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall furnish the Fund and the Investment Manager from time to time with copies of all material amendments of or material supplements to the foregoing, if any, within one quarter after the time such materials became available to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Additionally, the Sub-Adviser shall provide to the Fund and the Investment Manager such other documents relating to its services under this Agreement as the Fund or the Investment Manager may reasonably request on a periodic basis. For purposes of this Agreement, the Sub-Advisor’s obligation to deliver policies, procedures, regulatory or other compliance-related documents may be satisfied by making such documents available for review in the Sub-Adviser’s New York office.

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4. SERVICES TO BE RENDERED BY THE SUB-ADVISER TO THE FUND.

 

a. As an investment adviser to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall, subject to the supervision and oversight of the Board and the Investment Manager, manage the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion. As part of the services it will provide hereunder, the Sub-Adviser will:

 

i. advise the Investment Manager and the Fund in connection with investment policy decisions to be made by the Sub-Adviser regarding the Fund and, upon request, furnish the Investment Manager and the Fund with any research, economic and statistical data that the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates may have internally generated in connection with the Fund’s investments and investment policies;

 

ii. formulate and implement a continuous investment program for the Allocated Portion (the “Investment Program”) as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information;

 

iii. take commercially reasonable steps necessary to implement the Investment Program for the Allocated Portion, including determining in the Sub-Adviser’s discretion the securities, cash and other financial instruments to be purchased, retained or sold for the Allocated Portion, as well as issuing directives to the administrator of the Fund as necessary for the appropriate implementation of the Investment Program;

 

iv. keep the Trustees of the Fund and the Investment Manager fully informed in writing on an ongoing basis as agreed by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser as to (i) all material facts concerning the investment and reinvestment of the Allocated Portion and (ii) the Sub-Adviser and its key investment personnel and operations; make regular and periodic special written reports of such additional information concerning the same as may reasonably be requested from time to time by the Investment Manager or the Trustees of the Fund; and attend meetings with the Investment Manager and/or the Trustees, as reasonably requested, to discuss the foregoing;

 

v. subject to the Board’s ultimate authority to determine the valuation of the Fund’s assets and in accordance with procedures and methods established by the Board, which may be amended from time to time, the Sub-Adviser will provide information and assistance reasonably required by the Investment Manager and its designated agent(s) in determining or assessing the fair value of all securities or other investments/assets held within the Allocated Portion, including those securities or investments for which market quotations are not readily available or for which the Investment Manager or the Board has otherwise determined are to be fair valued. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser will provide recommendations for the market or fair value determinations of the Allocated Portion’s portfolio investments and will provide the data and methodologies underlying such market or fair value recommendations to the Investment Manager or its designated agent(s) as the Investment Manager reasonably requests. The Sub-Adviser does not guarantee, and absent the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, will not be responsible for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of any market or fair market value determinations of the Allocated Portion’s portfolio investments;

 

vi. to the extent reasonably requested by the Fund or the Investment Manager, use its commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund in respect of Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act including, without limitation, providing the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund or the Investment Manager with (i) current copies of the compliance policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser applicable to the Fund in effect from time to time (including notice of any material changes thereto within one quarter after such change), (ii) reports of any violations of the Sub-Adviser’s compliance policies and procedures that occurred in connection with the provision of services to the Fund, (iii) a copy of the Sub-Adviser’s annual compliance report as required by Rule 206(4)-7 of the Advisers Act, (iv) an oral summary of any correspondence between the Sub-Adviser and a regulatory agency in connection with regulatory examinations or proceedings, and (v) upon request, a certificate of the Chief Compliance Officer of the Sub-Adviser to the effect that the policies and procedures of the Sub-Adviser are reasonably designed to prevent violation of the Federal Securities Laws (as such term is defined in Rule 38a-1) with respect to the services the Sub-Adviser provides to the Fund;

3  

 

vii. materially comply with the Sub-Adviser’s procedures and policies including Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, and materially comply with the Fund’s procedures and policies under Rules 10f-3, 12d3-1, 17a-7, 17e-1 and 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, adopted by the Board in compliance with applicable law, and the Sub-Adviser’s pricing and valuation procedures (together, “Fund Procedures”) and notify the Investment Manager as soon as reasonably practicable upon (i) detection of any breach of such Fund Procedures or (ii) determination that a Fund Procedure conflicts with a procedure adopted by the Sub-Adviser;

 

viii. maintain a written code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”) that it reasonably believes complies with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act, a copy of which will be provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund, including any amendments thereto, and institute and enforce procedures reasonably necessary to prevent “access persons,” as such term is defined in as such term is defined in Rule 17j-1, from violating its Code of Ethics;

 

ix. within twenty (20) business days after submission of such compliance questionnaire or other inquiry complete and return to the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer, Investment Manager or the Fund any compliance questionnaires or other inquiries reasonably submitted to the Sub-Adviser in writing;

 

x. furnish to the Trustees such information as may reasonably be requested in order for the Board to evaluate this Agreement or any proposed amendments thereto for the purposes of approving this Agreement, the renewal thereof or any amendment hereto;

 

xi. maintain all accounts, books and records with respect to the Allocated Portion as are required of an investment adviser of a registered investment company pursuant to the 1940 Act and Advisers Act and the rules thereunder and the Fund Procedures;

 

xii. cooperate with and provide reasonable assistance to the Investment Manager, the Fund’s administrator, the Custodian and foreign custodians, the Fund’s transfer agent and pricing agents and all other agents and representatives of the Fund and the Investment Manager; keep all such persons fully informed as to such matters as they may reasonably deem necessary to the performance of their obligations to the Fund and the Investment Manager; provide prompt responses to reasonable requests made by such persons; and maintain any appropriate interfaces with each such person so as to promote the efficient exchange of information;

 

xiii. subject to the supervision and oversight of the Investment Manager and the Board, establish and maintain accounts on behalf of the Fund with, and place orders for the purchase and sale of the Allocated Portion’s portfolio securities or other investments with or through, such persons, brokers, dealers or other counterparties (including, to the extent permitted by applicable law and by the Fund or the Investment Manager, any broker, dealer or other counterparty affiliated with the Sub-Adviser) (collectively, “brokers”) as the Sub-Adviser may elect and negotiate commissions or spreads to be paid on such transactions. In the selection of such brokers and the placing of such orders, the Sub-Adviser shall seek to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, except to the extent permitted in accordance with Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, SEC guidance thereunder or otherwise. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser agree that, in seeking to obtain for the Fund the most favorable price and execution available, the Sub-Adviser, bearing in mind the best interests of the Allocated Portion at all times, shall consider all factors it deems relevant, including price, the size of the transaction, the breadth and nature of the market for the security, the difficulty of the execution, the amount of the commission, if any, the timing of the transaction, market prices and trends, the reputation, experience and financial stability of the broker involved, and the quality of service rendered by the broker in other transactions. Subject to the Fund’s governing documents, or as may be mutually agreed to by the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser in writing, the Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed to have acted unlawfully or to have breached any duty created by this Agreement or otherwise solely by reason of its having caused the Fund to pay a broker that provides brokerage and research services (within the meaning of Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) to the Sub-Adviser an amount of commission for effecting an investment transaction for the Allocated Portion that is in excess of the amount of commission that another broker would have charged for effecting that transaction if, but only if, the Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such commission was reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by such broker viewed in terms of either that particular transaction or the overall responsibility of the Sub-Adviser with respect to the accounts as to which it exercises investment discretion. It is recognized that the services provided by such brokers may be useful to the Sub-Adviser in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s services to other clients.

4  

 

The Sub-Adviser shall render such reports as reasonably requested to the Investment Manager and/or to the Board regarding the total amount and usage of all commissions generated as a result of trades executed for the Fund, as well as information regarding third-party services, if any, received by the Sub-Adviser as a result of trading activity with select brokers and dealers.

 

On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, to the extent permitted by applicable laws and regulations, may, but shall be under no obligation to, aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased in order to obtain the most favorable price or lower brokerage commissions and efficient execution; provided the allocation of such aggregated trades and the associated costs are not less favorable to the Fund than other clients of the Sub-Adviser. In such event, allocation of securities so sold or purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in accordance with the procedures approved by the Sub-Adviser and provided to the Investment Manager; and

 

xiv. upon request, will review the Fund’s Prospectus, Statement of Additional Information, periodic reports to shareholders, reports and schedules filed with the SEC (including any amendment, supplement or sticker to any of the foregoing) and advertising and sales material relating to the Fund (collectively, the “Disclosure Documents”) in order to ensure that, with respect to the disclosure about the Sub-Adviser, the manner in which the Sub-Adviser manages the Allocated Portion and information relating directly or indirectly to the Sub-Adviser (the “Sub-Adviser Disclosure”), such Disclosure Documents contain no untrue statements of material fact and do not omit any statement of material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in light of the circumstances in which they are made. The Investment Manager shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Sub-Adviser with reasonable notice to review and comment upon all Disclosure Documents that contain any changes to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure from a version that the Sub-Adviser had previously reviewed, and the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to review and comment promptly upon all Disclosure Documents; provided, however, that the Investment Manager will use its reasonable efforts to cause the Fund not to use any disclosure to which the Sub-Adviser has objected in writing within the foregoing timeframe as being inaccurate; provided, further, that the Sub-Adviser shall not unreasonably prevent the Fund from meeting its regulatory obligations.

5  

 

b. On occasions when the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase of a security to be in the best interest of the Fund as well as other clients of the Sub-Adviser and when permitted by applicable law, allocation of the securities so purchased, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made by the Sub-Adviser in the manner which the Sub-Adviser considers to be the most equitable, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to the Fund and to its other clients over time and consistent with applicable law. The Investment Manager agrees that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates may give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their other clients that may differ from advice given, or the timing or nature of actions taken, with respect to the Fund. The Investment Manager also acknowledges that the Sub-Adviser and its affiliates are fiduciaries to other entities, some of which have the same or similar investment objectives (and will hold the same or similar investments) as the Fund, and that the Sub-Adviser will carry out its duties hereunder together with its duties under such relationships. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to confer upon the Sub-Adviser any obligation to purchase or to recommend for purchase for the Fund any investment that the Sub-Adviser, its affiliates, officers or employees may purchase or sell for its or their own account or for the account of any client, if in the sole and absolute discretion of the Sub-Adviser it is for any reason impractical or undesirable to take such action or make such recommendation for the Fund.

 

c. In furnishing services hereunder, the Sub-Adviser shall be subject to, and shall perform in accordance with, the following: (i) the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, By-Laws and/or other governing instruments, as the same may be hereafter modified and/or amended from time to time (“Governing Documents”); (ii) the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented from time to time and provided to the Sub-Adviser; (iii) the 1940 Act and the Advisers Act and the rules under each, and all other federal and state laws or regulations and/or self-regulatory organization regulations applicable to the Fund, including, but not limited to, the Commodity Exchange Act, the rules of the National Futures Association, and those requirements applicable to regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (iv) the reasonable instructions and directions received in writing from the Investment Manager or the Board; (v) the Fund Procedures; and (vi) written copies of other investment policies, guidelines and restrictions applicable to the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion provided to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund from time to time, which shall become effective at such time as agreed upon by both parties. The Fund will provide the Sub-Adviser with copies of those portions of the minutes of the meetings of the Board to the extent they (A) may materially affect the duties of the Sub-Adviser, (B) discuss presentations made by or information provided by the Sub-Adviser to the Board, (C) discuss the performance of the Sub-Adviser or the Allocated Portion or (D) discuss the Board’s approval or re-approval of this Agreement. The Fund will provide the Sub-Adviser with copies of any financial statements or reports made by the Fund to its shareholders, and any further materials or information which the Sub-Adviser may reasonably request to enable it to perform its functions under this Agreement. The Fund will provide the Sub-Adviser with sixty (60) days’ written notice of any change in the Fund’s investment objectives, policies and restrictions as stated in the Prospectus, in any procedures and policies adopted by the Board. In addition to such written notice, the Fund shall provide to the Sub-Adviser a copy of any modified Prospectus, procedures or policies. Subject to the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser shall have full discretionary authority to manage the investment of the assets of the Allocated Portion. Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser shall have all specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Allocated Portion without the written consent of the Investment Manager:

6  

 

i. cause the Fund to acquire, hold, manage, vote, own and dispose of loans, equity securities revolving loans, bonds, delayed funding commitments and similar instruments, and any other assets held by the Allocated Portion;

 

ii. subject to any other written instructions of the Investment Manager or the Fund, act as the Fund’s agent and attorney-in-fact for the purposes of executing routine account documentation, agreements, contracts and other documents as the Sub-Adviser shall be requested by brokers, dealers, counterparties and other persons in connection with its management of the Allocated Portion;

 

iii. review, select, analyze, structure, negotiate and close investment transactions and their related agreements, instruments and other documents, and in connection with such investment transactions, enter into, execute, assist in the preparation of, deliver and consummate all agreements, instruments and other documents, including credit agreements, collateral agreements, security agreements, and other similar agreements;

 

iv. provide service on boards of directors (or equivalent governing bodies) and committees of, and in other capacities with, issuers of and obligors on investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion (including on creditors’ committees), vote with respect to investments and other assets of the Allocated Portion whether in person, by proxy, consent or otherwise, sell short investments and cover such sales;

 

v. monitor, supervise and direct the investments of the Allocated Portion and cause the Fund to dispose of such investments in such manner and at such times as the Sub-Adviser determines;

 

vi. initiate, participate in and settle judicial, arbitration, administrative or similar proceedings on behalf of the Fund, including without limitation class action and bankruptcy proceedings, to protect the assets of the Allocated Portion, enforce the Fund’s rights or otherwise defend the interests of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion;

 

vii. provide reasonable cooperation with persons or entities engaged by the Fund to render services to the Fund, including without limitation, attorneys, accountants, custodians, investment brokers or finders, investment bankers, appraisers, loan servicers, and business advisors;

 

viii. employ techniques to hedge portfolio risk (but not for speculative purposes) including, without limitation, through the use of options, forward and futures contracts and other instruments (relating to securities, currencies or other assets);

 

ix. act in good faith to comply with requirements of governmental authorities having jurisdiction over the Fund or its assets;

 

x. as permitted by rule, regulation or position of the staff of the SEC, utilize the personnel of its affiliates including foreign affiliates in providing services under this Agreement, provided that Sub-Adviser remains solely responsible for the provision of services under this Agreement; and

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xi. take such other actions as may be necessary or advisable in connection with the foregoing.

 

Without limiting the foregoing powers, the Sub-Adviser, by delegation from the Investment Manager, shall also have specific rights and power to do the following on behalf of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Board to the extent required by the 1940 Act and/or the Fund’s policies and procedures:

 

xii. obtain financing, borrow money, incur indebtedness, issue guarantees, mortgage, pledge, loan, impose liens upon and grant security interests in all or any part of the Fund’s assets; execute promissory notes, loan, pledge or security agreements, or other agreements, documents and instruments in connection therewith.

 

5. PROXY VOTING AND CONSENTS.

 

The Investment Manager hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to exercise voting rights with respect to the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund. Subject to its receipt of all necessary voting materials, the Sub-Adviser shall vote all proxies with respect to investments of the Fund in accordance with the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy as most recently provided to the Investment Manager and the Fund.

 

The Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policies shall comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall maintain and preserve a record, in an easily-accessible place for a period of not less than three (3) years (or longer, if required by law), of the Sub-Adviser’s voting procedures, of the Sub-Adviser’s actual votes, and such other information required for the Fund to comply with any rules or regulations promulgated by the SEC. The Sub-Adviser shall supply updates of this record to the Investment Manager or any authorized representative of the Investment Manager, or to the Fund on a quarterly basis (or more frequently, upon the request of the Investment Manager). The Sub-Adviser shall provide the Investment Manager and the Fund with information regarding the policies and procedures that the Sub-Adviser uses to determine how to vote proxies relating to the Allocated Portion.

 

The Investment Manager also hereby delegates to the Sub-Adviser the Investment Manager’s discretionary authority to consent, waive, amend and confirm any of the terms and/or conditions of the securities and investments of the Allocated Portion of the Fund.

 

6. NOTIFICATION.

 

a. The Sub-Adviser agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Investment Manager and the Fund, to the extent permitted by applicable law or regulatory authorities, about developments of which the Sub-Adviser has knowledge that would materially adversely affect the Fund or the ability of the Sub-Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Sub-Adviser agrees to provide, to the extent permitted by applicable law or regulatory authorities, the Investment Manager and the Fund with prompt written notification of:

 

i. The occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Sub-Adviser from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise;

 

ii. Any proposed transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act;

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iii. Any anticipated or otherwise reasonably foreseeable material change in the ownership of the Sub-Adviser within a reasonable time prior to such change being effected;

 

iv. Any material changes in senior management, operations, or financial condition of the Sub-Adviser’s firm;

 

v. Any material changes in the employment status of the voting members of the Sub-Adviser’s investment committee for the Fund;

 

vi. Any material changes in the investment process used to manage the Fund;

 

vii. Any financial condition that is likely to materially impair the Sub-Adviser’s ability to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Sub-Adviser;

 

viii. Any material violation of applicable law (including any felony conviction under applicable law or U.S. federal or state securities law indictment or conviction) by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser that is involved in the provision of services to the Fund, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or key investment management personnel that are involved in the provision of services to the Fund;

 

ix. Any breach of fiduciary duty to the Fund by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

x. Any material breach of this Agreement by the Sub-Adviser, an affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees;

 

xi. Any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body, in which the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser that is involved in the provision of services to the Fund, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (i) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (ii) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on such person’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

xii. The commencement of any formal investigation of the Sub-Adviser, any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser that is involved in the provision of services to the Fund, and/or any key personnel of the Sub-Adviser by the SEC or any other regulatory authority or administrative body that involves an allegation of a material violation of law by any such person and the outcome, when resolved, of any such investigation; or

 

xiii. Any other event that is likely to have a material adverse effect on the Sub-Adviser’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall immediately forward, upon receipt, to the Investment Manager any correspondence (or portion of such correspondence) from the SEC or other regulatory authority that relates to the Fund.

 

The Investment Manager agrees that it will provide prompt notice to the Sub-Adviser about developments relating to the Fund of which Investment Manager has knowledge that would materially affect the Fund or the ability of the Investment Manager to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investment Manager agrees to provide the Sub-Adviser with prompt written notification of: (i) any breach of any material provision of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement by the Investment Manager, an affiliate of the Investment Manager, or any of their respective directors, principals, partners, members, managers, officers, or employees; (ii) the occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Investment Manager from serving as an investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9 of the 1940 Act or otherwise; (iii) any action, suit, proceeding, or investigation, at law or in equity, before or by any court, public board or body in which the Investment Manager, any affiliate of the Investment Manager, and/or any key personnel of the Investment Manager are named parties if such lawsuit or legal proceeding (A) involves the affairs of the Fund (provided, however, that routine regulatory examinations shall not be required to be reported by this provision) or (B) is reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Investment Manager’s ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement; (iv) any imminent change in control (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Investment Manager; and (v) any imminent transaction or other event that could reasonably be expected to result in an assignment of this Agreement or the Investment Management Agreement within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Investment Manager further agrees to notify the Sub-Adviser promptly if it becomes aware that any statement regarding the Investment Manager or the Fund contained in the Fund’s registration statement, or any amendment or supplement thereto, becomes untrue or incomplete in any material respect.

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7. CONSULTATION WITH OTHER SUB-ADVISERS.

 

In performance of its duties and obligations under this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser shall not consult with any other sub-adviser to the Fund or a sub-adviser to a portfolio that is under common control with the Fund concerning transactions for the Fund, except as permitted by the Fund Procedures. The Sub-Adviser shall not provide investment advice to any assets of the Fund other than Allocated Portion.

 

8. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Sub-Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Sub-Adviser is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with the power to own and possess its assets, perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to carry on its business as it is now being, and to be, conducted.

 

c. This Agreement is enforceable against the Sub-Adviser in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

d. The Sub-Adviser (i) has all requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize its execution, delivery, and performance of this Agreement.

 

e. (i) The execution, delivery and performance by the Sub-Adviser of this Agreement are within the Sub-Adviser’s powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action and any individuals whose signatures are affixed to this Agreement on behalf of the Sub-Adviser have full authority and power to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Sub-Adviser, (ii) no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Sub-Adviser for the execution, delivery and performance by the Sub-Adviser of this Agreement, and (iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Sub-Adviser of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, (A) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (B) the Sub-Adviser’s governing instruments, or (C) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliates.

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f. Neither the Sub-Adviser nor any “affiliated person” of it, as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act, is subject to any disqualification that would make it unable to serve as an investment adviser to a registered investment company under Section 9 of the 1940 Act. The Sub-Adviser (i) is not otherwise prohibited by the 1940 Act, the Advisers Act or other law, regulation or order from performing the services contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) has met and will seek to continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any applicable federal or state requirements or the applicable requirements of any regulatory or industry self-regulatory agency (including any licensing or registration requirements), necessary to be met in order to perform the services contemplated by this Agreement.

 

g. The Sub-Adviser is currently in material compliance and shall at all times continue to materially comply with the requirements imposed upon the Sub-Adviser by applicable law and regulations.

 

h. The Sub-Adviser agrees to maintain errors and omissions insurance coverage in an amount appropriate for its business taking into account any material claims made on its insurance policies that would materially impact the amounts available for future claims, and shall provide written evidence of insurance from time to time upon request from the Investment Manager or the Fund. Furthermore, the Sub-Adviser shall, upon reasonable request, provide the Fund with any information it may reasonably require concerning the amount of or scope of such insurance.

 

i. Except as otherwise specified herein, the Sub-Adviser will not delegate any obligation assumed pursuant to this Agreement to any third party without first obtaining the written consent of the Fund and the Investment Manager.

 

9. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE INVESTMENT MANAGER.

 

The Investment Manager represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Investment Manager is registered as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act and will continue to be so registered for so long as this Agreement remains in effect.

 

b. The Investment Manager is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with the power to own and possess its assets, perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Investment Management Agreement, and to carry on its business as it is now being, and to be, conducted.

 

c. (i) The execution, delivery and performance by the Investment Manager of this Agreement are within the Investment Manager’s powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action and any individuals whose signatures are affixed to this Agreement on behalf of the Investment Manager have full authority and power to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Investment Manager, (ii) no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Investment Manager for the execution, delivery and performance by the Investment Manager of this Agreement, and (iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Investment Manager of this Agreement do not, and will not, conflict with, or result in any violation or default under, (A) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (B) the Investment Manager’s governing instruments, or (C) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Investment Manager or any of its affiliates.

 

d. This Agreement is enforceable against the Investment Manager in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

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e. The Investment Manager has duly entered into the Investment Management Agreement.

 

f. The Investment Manager has been duly authorized by the Board to delegate to the Sub-Adviser the provision of investment services to the Fund as contemplated hereby.

 

10. REPRESENTATIONS OF THE FUND.

 

The Fund represents, warrants and agrees that:

 

a. The Fund will be a registered investment company under the 1940 Act.

 

b. The Fund is a statutory trust duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware with the power to own and possess its assets, perform its obligations under this Agreement, and to carry on its business as it is now being, and to be, conducted.

 

c. (i) The execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement are within the Fund’s powers and have been duly authorized by all necessary action and any individuals whose signatures are affixed to this Agreement on behalf of the Fund have full authority and power to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Fund, (ii) no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official is required on the part of the Fund for the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement, and (iii) the execution, delivery and performance by the Fund of this Agreement do not contravene or constitute a default under (A) any provision of applicable law, rule or regulation, (B) the Fund’s governing instruments, or (C) any agreement, judgment, injunction, order, decree or other instrument binding upon the Fund or any of its affiliates.

 

d. This Agreement is enforceable against the Fund in accordance with its terms, subject as to enforcement to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium, and other similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

 

e. The Fund has duly entered into this Agreement and the Investment Management pursuant to which the Fund authorized the Investment Manager to enter into this Agreement.

 

f. The Fund shall seek to comply with all requirements applicable to a registered investment company like the Fund under the 1940 Act in all material respects.

 

g. The Board (i) has reviewed the Sub-Adviser’s allocation policy and procedures, (ii) understands that investment opportunities will be allocated among the Fund and other clients of the Sub-Adviser in accordance with such policy and procedures, and (iii) consents to the Sub-Adviser’s use of such policy and procedures in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser’s duties hereunder.

 

11. EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF THE SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser, at its expense, shall furnish: (a) all necessary facilities (including office space, furnishings, and equipment) and personnel, including salaries, expenses and fees of any personnel (including employees that monitor and value the Allocated Portion) required for the Sub-Adviser to faithfully perform its duties under this Agreement; and (b) administrative facilities, including bookkeeping, and all equipment necessary for the efficient conduct of the Sub-Adviser’s duties under this Agreement. In addition, with respect to the operation of the Fund, the Sub-Adviser shall be responsible for (i) the reasonable costs of any special Board meeting or shareholder meeting specifically requested by, and convened for the primary benefit of, the Sub-Adviser or, if such special Board meeting or shareholder meeting includes one or more agenda or discussion items that are not for the primary benefit of the Sub-Adviser, then the Sub-Adviser will be responsible for only its pro-rata share of such costs as determined in good faith by the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; (ii) the Sub-Adviser’s costs for the Sub-Adviser’s in-person attendance at one Fund Board meeting each year, the date of such Board meeting to be agreed to by the Investment Manager, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund; and (iii) subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), reasonable expenses incurred by the Fund in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Fund but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Sub-Adviser to which neither the Fund nor the Investment Manager is a party.

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Except to the extent contemplated by this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser will not be responsible for and shall be reimbursed by the Fund for any costs, expenses, liabilities or losses of the Fund, including the fees paid to the Sub-Adviser as set forth below or to any other sub-adviser of the Fund and all fees and expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with its organization and the offering of the Fund’s shares, including fees and expenses in connection with seeking the Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of any exemptive relief contemplated in connection with the establishment or operations of the Fund.

 

In addition, the Sub-Adviser shall not be responsible for and shall be reimbursed by the Fund for any costs or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses directly arising out of the following investment related operations of the Fund with respect to the Allocated Portion: (x) reasonable research and due diligence expenses relating to the selection of investments (including expenses of news and quotation subscriptions, market or industry research, consultants or experts directly related to the Allocated Portion); (xi) reasonable legal, third party consultant, and investment-related software and databases expenses incurred in relation to entering into, the reviewing, monitoring and or administration of the investments (including expenses of engaging third party valuation consultants and agents and expenses of loan administration with non-affiliates) including ; (xii) out-of-pocket costs directly relating to investment transactions that are not consummated; (xiii) other investment-related expenses, such as, brokerage commissions, custody fees, interest, administrative, servicing and other similar fees and expenses, and other expenses incurred in placing orders for the purchase and sale of securities and other investment instruments or any expenses relating to leverage or indebtedness of the Allocated Portion (including any interest thereon) including investment-related software and databases relating thereto; (xiv) reasonable litigation costs and expenses, judgments and settlements directly related to the preservation of the value of the investment; (xv) all taxes, fees or other governmental charges required to be paid or withheld with respect to assets of the Allocated Portion; (xvi) reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit relating to the Fund; (xvii) ad hoc expenses directly related to the Allocated Portion incurred at the specific request of the Investment Manager or Board of Trustees; and (xviii) any fees and expenses in connection with seeking the SEC’s approval of any exemptive relief (or amending existing exemptive relief) contemplated in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion.

 

Subject to Section 13 (including the exculpation provisions therein), the Fund shall pay reasonable expenses incurred by the Sub-Adviser in responding to a legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit unrelated to the Sub-Adviser but resulting from the actions or omissions of the Fund or the Investment Manager, to which the Sub-Adviser is not a party.

 

The Fund shall pay all costs, fees and expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund in connection with the termination of this Agreement, including any related legal and accounting fees and expenses.

 

For the services provided and the expenses assumed pursuant to this Agreement, the Fund shall pay to the Sub-Adviser compensation at an annual rate of one percent (1.00%), accrued daily and payable monthly in arrears by the 10th business day of the succeeding month based upon the value of the Allocated Portion’s average daily assets (for the avoidance of doubt, the Allocated Portion does not include any unfunded portion of a revolving loan, delayed funding commitment, or similar instrument). In the case of a partial month, compensation will be based on the number of days during the month in which the Sub-Adviser provided services to the Fund. The Sub-Adviser may, in its discretion and from time to time, reduce any portion of the compensation or reimbursement of expenses due to it pursuant to this Agreement. Any such reduction or payment shall be applicable only to such specific reduction or payment and shall not constitute an agreement to reduce any future compensation or reimbursement due to the Sub-Adviser hereunder or to continue future payments. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the fact that the Agreement has not been terminated, no fee will be accrued under this Agreement with respect to any day that the value of the assets of the Allocated Portion equals zero.

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All rights of compensation under this Agreement for services performed as of the termination date shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

12. STATUS OF SUB-ADVISER; EXCLUSIVITY.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall be deemed to be an independent contractor and shall, unless otherwise expressly provided or authorized, have no authority to act for or represent the Fund in any way or otherwise be deemed an agent of the Fund.

 

The services of the Sub-Adviser to the Fund are not to be deemed exclusive, and the Sub-Adviser shall be free to render similar services to others provided that the Sub-Adviser continues to fulfill its fiduciary duty to the Fund.

 

13. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; STANDARD OF CARE; AND INDEMNIFICATION OF SUB-ADVISER.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall have responsibility for the accuracy and completeness (and liability for the lack thereof) only of Disclosure Documents furnished to the Sub-Adviser by the Investment Manager or the Fund, and only with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure in such Disclosure Documents.

 

In the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund, the Sub-Adviser and any partner, member, manager, director, officer or employee of the Sub-Adviser, or any of their affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors or other legal representatives (each of the foregoing, a “Sub-Adviser Party”), shall not be subject to liability to the Fund, the Investment Manager or otherwise under this Agreement for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any claim, loss, damage, liability, reasonable cost, or reasonable expense (including reasonable attorney’s fees, judgments, and other related expenses in connection therewith and amounts paid in defense and settlement thereof) (individually, the “Liability,” and collectively, the “Liabilities”) that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser or by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby. For the avoidance of doubt, in the absence of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations to the Fund on the part of any Sub-Adviser Party, no Sub-Adviser Party shall be liable to the Investment Manager for (i) any acts of the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser to the Fund with respect to the portion of the assets of the Fund not managed by the Sub-Adviser, or (ii) acts of the Sub-Adviser made in accordance with the written instructions of the Investment Manager, including, but not limited to, a failure of the Investment Manager to provide accurate and current information with respect to any records maintained by the Investment Manager or any other sub-adviser to the Fund, which records are not also maintained by or otherwise available to the Sub-Adviser upon reasonable request.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Fund, the Investment Manager, and all controlling persons of the Fund (as described in Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended), against any Liabilities to which the person may be liable that (i) arises out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Disclosure Document or the omission or alleged omission from a Disclosure Document of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case solely with respect to the Sub-Adviser Disclosure; or (ii) results from the Sub-Adviser’s willful misfeasance or gross negligence in connection with the performance of the Sub-Adviser’s obligations under this Agreement, or from the Sub-Adviser’s reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

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In the absence of its own willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the obligations hereunder on the part of the Investment Manager or the Fund, as applicable, the Investment Manager, the Fund, and their respective partners, members, managers, directors, officers and employees, and their respective affiliates, executors, heirs, assigns, successors and other legal representatives shall not be subject to liability to the Sub-Adviser for any act or omission in the course of, or connected with, rendering services hereunder or for any losses that may be sustained in the purchase, holding or sale of any security by the Fund, including, without limitation, for any error of judgment, for any mistake of law, for any act or omission by the Investment Manager, the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or any affiliate of the Sub-Adviser, or any other sub-adviser of the Fund, except as may otherwise be provided under provisions of applicable state law or Federal securities law which cannot be waived or modified hereby.

 

The Investment Manager shall indemnify, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Sub-Adviser Parties, against any Liability to which the person may be liable that arises or results from this Agreement or the performance of any services under this Agreement, so long as such Liabilities did not arise primarily from such person’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. In addition, the Investment Manager shall indemnify the Sub-Adviser Parties from any Liability, so long as such Liability did not arise primarily from any Sub-Adviser Party’s willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such Sub-Adviser Party’s obligations and duties under this Agreement, arising from the conduct of the Investment Manager and/or any other sub-adviser with respect to the portion of the Fund’s assets not allocated to the Sub-Adviser. The rights of indemnification provided under this Section 13 shall not be construed so as to provide for indemnification of any aforementioned persons for any losses (including any liability under Federal securities laws which, under certain circumstances, impose liability even on persons that act in good faith) to the extent (but only to the extent) that such indemnification would be in violation of applicable law, but shall be construed so as to effectuate the applicable provisions of this Section 13 to the fullest extent permitted by law. This indemnification obligation shall survive the termination of this Agreement. Subject to its fiduciary duties to the Fund, the Investment Manager shall use its best efforts to pursue any indemnity claims against the Fund that the Investment Manager has (and any applicable insurance provided by the Fund and Investment Manager) in connection with the payment of the foregoing indemnification.

 

The Sub-Adviser shall not be deemed by virtue of this Agreement to have made any representation or warranty that any level of investment performance or level of investment results will be achieved or that Sub-Adviser’s management of the Allocated Portion will be successful. The Fund and Investment Manager understand that investment decisions made for the Allocated Portion by the Sub-Adviser are subject to various market, currency, economic, political and business risks, and that those investment decisions will not always be profitable.

 

14. PERMISSIBLE INTERESTS.

 

Trustees, agents, and interest holders of the Fund are or may be interested in the Sub-Adviser (or any successor or affiliates thereof) as members, managers, officers, or interest holders, or otherwise; members, managers, officers, agents, and interest holders of the Sub-Adviser are or may be interested in the Fund as Trustees, interest holders or otherwise; and the Sub-Adviser (or any successor or affiliate thereof) is or may be interested in the Fund as an interest holder or otherwise.

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15. BOOKS AND RECORDS.

 

In compliance with the requirements of Rule 31a-3 under the 1940 Act, the Sub-Adviser hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund copies of any of such records in the event of termination of this Agreement or upon the Fund’s or the Investment Manager’s request, provided, however, that Sub-Adviser may retain copies of any records to the extent required for it to comply with applicable laws or written internal policies. The Sub-Adviser further agrees to preserve for the periods prescribed by Rule 31a-2 under the 1940 Act the records relating to its activities hereunder required to be maintained by Rule 31a-1 under the 1940 Act and to preserve the records relating to its activities hereunder required by Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act for the period specified in said Rule. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Sub-Adviser has no responsibility for the maintenance of the records of the Fund, except as otherwise provided herein, required by applicable law or regulation or as may be necessary for the Sub-Adviser to supply to the Investment Manager, the Fund, or its Board the information required to be supplied under this Agreement.

 

16. CERTIFICATIONS; DISCLOSURE CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

The Sub-Adviser acknowledges that, in compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and the implementing regulations promulgated thereunder, the Fund is required to make certain certifications and have adopted disclosure controls and procedures. To the extent reasonably requested by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Fund in complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and implementing the Fund’s disclosure controls and procedures. The Sub-Adviser agrees to inform the Fund of any material development related to the Fund that the Sub-Adviser reasonably believes is relevant to the Fund’s certification obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

17. COOPERATION WITH REGULATORY AUTHORITIES OR OTHER ACTIONS.

 

The parties to this Agreement each agree to cooperate in a reasonable manner with each other in the event that any of them should become involved in a third-party legal, administrative, judicial or regulatory action, claim, or suit as a result of or arising out of this Agreement or the performance of obligations under this Agreement.

 

18. NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY.

 

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, the Sub-Adviser hereto agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates and their respective officers, directors, partners, members, and employees (a) to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund (i) all records and other information relative to the Fund’s prior, present, or potential shareholders (and clients of said shareholders) and (ii) any “Non-public Personal Information,” as defined under Section 248.3(t) of Regulation S-P (“Regulation S-P”), promulgated under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (the “G-L-B Act”), and (b) except after prior notification to and approval in writing by the Fund, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, or as otherwise permitted by Regulation S-P or the G-L-B Act, and if in compliance therewith, the privacy policies adopted by the Fund and communicated in writing to the Sub-Adviser.

 

Each party to this Agreement shall keep confidential all Confidential Information (defined below) concerning the other parties and will not use or disclose such information for any purpose other than the performance of its responsibilities and duties hereunder, unless the non-disclosing parties have authorized such disclosure or if such disclosure is compelled by subpoena or is expressly required or requested by applicable federal or state laws, regulations, or regulatory authorities. A receiving party may disclose or disseminate the disclosing party’s Confidential Information to its officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents that have a legitimate need to know such Confidential Information in order to assist the receiving party in performing its obligations under this Agreement. The receiving party shall advise all such foregoing persons of the receiving party’s obligations of confidentiality and non-use under this Agreement, and the receiving party shall be responsible for ensuring compliance by such persons with such obligations.

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Each party shall take commercially reasonable steps to prevent unauthorized access to each other party’s Confidential Information. In addition, each party shall promptly notify the other parties in writing upon learning of any unauthorized disclosure or use of another party’s Confidential Information by such party or its agents.

 

The term “Confidential Information,” as used herein, means any of a party’s proprietary or confidential information including, without limitation, any Non-public Personal Information of such party, its affiliates, their respective clients or suppliers, or other persons with whom they do business, that is disclosed, directly or indirectly, to the other party by or on behalf of the disclosing party, whether in writing, orally or by other means and whether or not such information is marked as confidential. Confidential Information shall not include information that was (a) rightfully acquired by such receiving party from third parties whom such receiving party reasonably believes are not under an obligation of confidentiality to the other party to which the Confidential Information relates; (b) placed in public domain prior to or after the date of this Agreement without a violation of this Agreement by such receiving party or its affiliates; or (c) independently developed by such receiving party without reference or reliance upon the nonpublic information. In addition, with respect to the Sub-Adviser and the Investment Manager only, “Confidential Information” shall not include any information that had been or will be provided by the Sub-Adviser or its affiliates to the Investment Manager that is not specifically related to the purpose of this Agreement or the Fund, including without limitation, any information provided in connection with the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliates’ other funds, accounts or products.

 

Each party acknowledges and agrees that due to the unique nature of Confidential Information there can be no adequate remedy at law for any breach of its obligations under this Section 18, that any such breach or threatened breach may allow a party or third parties to unfairly compete with the other party resulting in irreparable harm to such party, and therefore, that upon any such breach or any threat thereof, each party will be entitled to appropriate temporary (until the matter may be resolved) equitable and injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction without the necessity of proving actual loss.

 

The provisions of this Section 18 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

19. BRAND USAGE.

 

The Sub-Adviser conducts its investment advisory business under, and has the right to use, the licensed trade name Tennenbaum Capital Partners LLC (the “Brand”). Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 19, the Sub-Adviser hereby grants to the Investment Manager and the Fund an irrevocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable and non-sublicensable (except as expressly provided herein) royalty-free limited license (the “License”) to use the Brand in connection with the Fund’s (i) public filings; (ii) requests for information from state and federal regulators; (iii) offering materials and advertising materials; and (iv) press releases. All sales and other marketing and communications materials referring to or containing information regarding the Sub-Adviser, other than the name of the Sub-Adviser or the appointment of the Sub-Adviser as a sub-adviser to the Fund, shall be subject to the review and approval of the Sub-Adviser, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, and the Sub-Adviser agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to review all such material promptly, but no later than ten days of their receipt thereof. At no time shall the Investment Manager contest the validity of the Brand or use the Brand other than in accordance with this Agreement. The term of the License shall be for the term of this Agreement only, including any renewals and extensions, and the right to use the Brand as provided herein shall terminate immediately upon the termination or expiration of this Agreement or the investment advisory relationship between the Investment Manager and the Fund; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund will be permitted to use the Brand after such termination only to the extent required in SEC or other regulatory filings. The Investment Manager and the Fund agree that the Sub-Adviser is the sole owner of the Brand, and any and all goodwill in the Brand arising from the Investment Manager’s or the Fund’s use of the Brand shall inure solely to the benefit of the Sub-Adviser. Without limiting the foregoing, the License shall have no effect on the Fund’s ownership rights of the works within which the Brand shall be used in accordance with this Section 19.

 

During the term of this Agreement, the Sub-Adviser may use the Investment Manager’s or the Fund’s name in materials which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Adviser hereunder or which are required by a regulatory body, law, regulation, court order or other similar request or demand or as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement. During the term of this Agreement, the Investment Manager may use the Sub-Adviser’s name in materials which merely refer in accurate terms to the appointment of the Sub-Adviser hereunder or which are required by a regulatory body, law, regulation, court order or other similar request or demand or as otherwise permitted pursuant to this Agreement.

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20. DURATION AND TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT.

 

a. This Agreement shall become effective upon the date first above written, provided that this Agreement shall not take effect unless it has first been approved: (a) by a vote of a majority of those Trustees of the Fund who are not “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to this Agreement (“Independent Trustees”), cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval, and (b) by vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a period of more than two years from the date of its execution only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Board provided that in such event such continuance shall also be approved by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The foregoing requirement that continuance of this Agreement be “specifically approved at least annually” shall be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

b. This Agreement may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, by the Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, or by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Investment Manager and the Sub-Adviser, or by the Investment Manager or the Sub-Adviser on sixty (60) days’ written notice to the Fund and the other party. This Agreement will automatically terminate, without the payment of any penalty, (a) in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act), or (b) in the event the Investment Management Agreement between the Investment Manager and the Fund is assigned (as defined in the 1940 Act) or terminates for any other reason. This Agreement will also terminate upon written notice to the other party that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement, unless the party in material breach of this Agreement cures such breach to the reasonable satisfaction of the party alleging the breach within thirty (30) days after written notice. In the event of a termination, the Sub-Adviser shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate in the orderly transfer of the Fund’s affairs.

 

c. It is understood that from time to time the Allocated Portion may be zero. This Agreement does not terminate by its terms in the event that Allocated Portion is zero.

 

d. If this Agreement expires as a result of a failure to obtain the continuation of its approval in accordance with Section 20(a) or is terminated pursuant to Section 20(b), then the Sub-Adviser shall be entitled to receive all amounts and any accrued but unreimbursed expenses payable to it and not yet paid pursuant to Section 11 hereof, as applicable.

 

e. After termination of this Agreement or upon any decrease in the Allocated Portion, the Sub-Adviser shall, at the Investment Manager’s written request, dispose of portfolio investments (including illiquid investments) that were previously part of the Allocated Portion in an orderly manner on terms fair and reasonable to the Fund.

 

21. ASSIGNMENT.

 

Any assignment (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of this Agreement made by the Sub-Adviser shall result in the automatic termination of this Agreement, as provided in Section 20 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assignment shall be deemed to result from any changes in the directors, officers or employees of such Sub-Adviser except as may be provided to the contrary in the 1940 Act or the rules or regulations thereunder.

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22. NOTICE.

 

Any notice required or permitted to be given by any party to another shall be deemed sufficient if given in person or sent by delivery service or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, addressed by the party giving notice to the other party at the last address furnished by the other party to the party giving notice:

 

If to the Investment Manager:

 

Cliffwater LLC

Attn: Stephen Nesbitt

4640 Admiralty Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Facsimile: (310) 448-5001

Telephone: (310) 448-5000

 

If to the Sub-Adviser:

 

Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Attn: Lee R. Landrum, Managing Director

2951 28 th Street, Suite 1000

Santa Monica, CA 90405

Telephone: 310-566-1000

 

With a copy to:

 

Tennenbaum Capital Partners, LLC

Attn: Elizabeth Greenwood, Managing Director

2951 28 th Street, Suite 1000

Santa Monica, CA 90405

Telephone: 310-566-1000

 

If to the Fund:

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

Attn: Regulatory Administration

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Facsimile: (414) 271-9717

Telephone: (414) 299-2000

 

23. SEVERABILITY AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT.

 

If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to this Agreement’s subject matter.

 

24. GOVERNING LAW.

 

This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without reference to conflict of law or choice of law doctrines, and the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control.

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25. AMENDMENT.

 

No provision of this Agreement may be changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in writing signed by all parties and only in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

26. COUNTERPARTS.

 

This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Signatures on this Agreement may be communicated by electronic transmission (which shall include facsimile or email) and shall be binding upon the parties so transmitting their signatures.

 

25. HEADINGS.

 

The headings in the sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part hereof.

 

26. INTERPRETATION .

 

Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from a term or provision of the 1940 Act shall be resolved by reference to such term or provision of the 1940 Act and to interpretations thereof, if any, by the United States courts or, in the absence of any controlling decision of any such court, by rules, regulations or orders of the SEC validly issued pursuant to the 1940 Act. Specifically, the terms “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities,” “interested persons,” “assignment,” and “affiliated persons,” as used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them by Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act. In addition, where the effect of a requirement of the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act reflected in any provision of this Agreement is altered by a rule, regulation or order of the SEC, whether of special or general application, such provision shall be deemed to incorporate the effect of such rule, regulation or order.

 

29. NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement is intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and any natural person or entity obtaining rights hereunder as an indemnitee and that there shall be no third party beneficiaries to this Agreement, either express or implied.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and effective as of the day and year first written above.

 

CLIFFWATER LLC  
     
By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
Title: CEO  
     
TENNENBAUM CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC  
     
By: /s/ Howard M. Levkowitz  
Title: Managing Director  
     
CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
     
By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
Title: Treasurer  

 

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Execution Version

 

DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of this 26th day of February, 2019, by and between Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Distributor”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), as a non-diversified closed-end management investment company, and is authorized to issue shares of common stock (“Shares”);

 

WHEREAS, the Fund desires to retain the Distributor as principal underwriter in connection with the offering of the Shares of the Fund;

 

WHEREAS, the Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”);

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement has been approved by a vote of the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), including those trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act (the “Disinterested Trustees”) in conformity with Section 15(c) of the 1940 Act; and

 

WHEREAS, the Distributor is willing to act as principal underwriter for the Fund on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants herein contained, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows:

 

1.           Appointment of Distributor. The Fund hereby appoints the Distributor as its principal underwriter for the distribution of Shares of the Fund, on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, and the Distributor hereby accepts such exclusive appointment and agrees to perform the services and duties set forth in this Agreement.

 

2.           Services and Duties of the Distributor.

 

A.        The Distributor agrees to act as the principal underwriter of the Fund for distribution of the Shares of the Fund, upon the terms described in the Prospectus. As used in this Agreement, the term “Prospectus” shall mean each current prospectus, including the statement of additional information, as amended or supplemented, relating to the Fund and included in the currently effective registration statement(s) or post-effective amendment(s) thereto (the “Registration Statement”) of the Fund under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”) and the 1940 Act.

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B.        During the public offering of Shares of the Fund, the Distributor shall use its best efforts to distribute the Shares. All orders for Shares shall be made through financial intermediaries or directly to the Fund, or its designated agent. Such purchase orders shall be deemed effective at the time and in the manner set forth in the Prospectus. The Fund or its designated agent will confirm orders and subscriptions upon receipt, will make appropriate book entries and, upon receipt of payment therefor, will issue the appropriate number of Shares in uncertificated form.

 

C.        The Distributor shall maintain membership with the NSCC and any other similar successor organization to sponsor a participant number for the Fund so as to enable the Shares to be traded through FundSERV. The Distributor shall not be responsible for any operational matters associated with FundSERV or Networking transactions.

 

D.        The Distributor acknowledges and agrees that it is not authorized to provide any information or make any representations regarding the Fund other than as contained in the Prospectus and any sales literature and advertising materials specifically approved by the Fund.

 

E.        The Distributor agrees to review all proposed advertising materials and sales literature for compliance with applicable FINRA and SEC advertising laws and regulations, and shall file with appropriate regulators those advertising materials and sales literature it believes are in compliance with such laws and regulations. The Distributor agrees to furnish to the Fund any comments provided by regulators with respect to such materials.

 

F.         The Fund agrees to redeem or repurchase Shares tendered by shareholders of the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s obligations in the Prospectus and the Registration Statement. The Fund reserves the right to suspend such repurchase right upon written notice to the Distributor.

 

G.        The Distributor may, in its discretion, and shall, at the request of the Fund enter into agreements with such qualified broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries as it may select (the “Financial Intermediaries”), in order that such Financial Intermediaries may sell Shares of the Fund. The form of any dealer agreement shall be approved by the Fund. The Distributor shall not be obligated to make any payments to the Financial Intermediaries or other third parties, unless (i) the Distributor has received an authorized payment from the Fund and (ii) such payment has been approved by the Board.

 

H.        The Distributor shall not be obligated to sell any certain number of Shares.

 

I.          The Distributor shall prepare reports for the Board regarding its activities under this Agreement as from time to time shall be reasonably requested by the Board.

 

J.         The Distributor may enter into agreements (“Subcontracts”) with qualified third parties to carry out some or all of the Distributor’s obligations under this Agreement, with the prior written consent of the Fund, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld; provided that execution of a Subcontract shall not relieve the Distributor of any of its responsibilities hereunder.

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K.          The services furnished by the Distributor hereunder are not to be deemed exclusive and the Distributor shall be free to furnish similar services to others so long as its services under this Agreement are not impaired thereby.

 

L.           Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Distributor shall not be required to register as a broker or dealer in any specific jurisdiction or to maintain its registration in any jurisdiction in which it is now registered.

 

3.           Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Fund.

 

A.          The Fund hereby represents and warrants to the Distributor, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

 

(i) it is duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation/organization and is registered as a closed-end management investment company under the 1940 Act;

 

(ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Fund and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Fund, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

 

(iii) it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, bylaws/operating agreement or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement;

 

(iv) the Shares are validly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the description in the Prospectus, will be fully paid and nonassessable;

 

(v) the Registration Statement and Prospectus included therein have been prepared in material conformity with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

 

(vi) the Registration Statement and Prospectus and any advertising materials and sales literature prepared by the Fund or its agent do not and shall not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, and that all statements or information furnished to the Distributor pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects;

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(vii) the Fund owns, possesses, licenses or has other rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks and service marks, trademark and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, technology, know-how and other intellectual property (collectively, “Intellectual Property”) necessary for or used in the conduct of the Fund’s business and for the offer, issuance, distribution and sale of the Fund Shares in accordance with the terms of the Prospectus and this Agreement, and such Intellectual Property does not and will not breach or infringe the terms of any Intellectual Property owned, held or licensed by any third party; and

 

(viii) all necessary approvals, authorizations, consents or orders of or filings with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency have been or will be obtained by the Fund in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares, including registration of the Shares under the 1933 Act, the filing with FINRA’s corporate financing department through its Public Offering System, and any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Shares are being offered.

 

B.           The Fund shall take, or cause to be taken, all necessary action to register the Shares under the federal and all applicable state securities laws and to maintain an effective Registration Statement for such Shares in order to permit the sale of Shares as herein contemplated. The Fund authorizes the Distributor to use the Prospectus, in the form furnished to the Distributor from time to time, in connection with the sale of Shares.

 

C.           The Fund agrees to advise the Distributor promptly in writing:

 

(i) of any material correspondence or other communication by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or its staff relating to the Fund, including requests by the SEC for amendments to the Registration Statement or Prospectus (not including any routine comments to its Registration Statement);

 

(ii) in the event of the issuance by the SEC of any stop-order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement then in effect or the initiation of any proceeding for that purpose;

 

(iii) of the happening of any event which makes untrue any statement of a material fact made in the Prospectus or which requires the making of a change in such Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading;

 

(iv) in the event that it determines to suspend the sale of Shares at any time in response to conditions in the securities markets or otherwise or to suspend the redemption of Shares of any Fund at any time as permitted by the 1940 Act or the rules of the SEC; and

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(vi) of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Fund or any of their officers or trustees that the Fund knows of in connection with, and that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on, the issue and sale of any of the Shares.

 

D.           The Fund shall file such reports and other documents as may be required under applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including state blue sky laws, and shall notify the Distributor in writing of the states in which the Shares may be sold and of any changes to such information.

 

E.           The Fund agrees to file from time to time such amendments or supplements to its Registration Statement and Prospectus as may be necessary in order that its Registration Statement and Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances it was made, not misleading.

 

F.            The Fund shall fully cooperate in the efforts of the Distributor to sell and arrange for the sale of Shares. In addition, the Fund shall keep the Distributor fully informed of its affairs and shall provide to the Distributor from time to time copies of all information, financial statements, and other papers that the Distributor may reasonably request for use in connection with the distribution of Shares, including, without limitation, certified copies of any financial statements prepared for the Fund by their independent public accountants and such reasonable number of copies of the most current Prospectus, statement of additional information and annual and interim reports to shareholders as the Distributor may request. The Fund shall forward a copy of any SEC filings, including the Registration Statement, to the Distributor promptly after any such filings. The Fund represents that it will not use or authorize the use of any advertising or sales material with respect to the offering of the Shares unless and until such materials have been approved and authorized for use by the Distributor.

 

G.           The Fund shall provide, and cause each other agent or service provider to the Fund, including the Fund’s transfer agent and investment adviser, to provide, to Distributor in a timely and accurate manner all such information (and in such reasonable medium) that the Distributor may reasonably request that may be necessary for the Distributor to perform its duties under this Agreement.

 

H.           The Fund shall not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that amends any provision therein which pertains to Distributor, the distribution of the Shares or the applicable sales loads or public offering price without giving Distributor reasonable advance notice thereof; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall in any way limit the Fund’s right to file at any time such amendments to the Registration Statement or Prospectus, of whatever character, as the Fund may deem advisable, such right being in all respects absolute and unconditional.

 

I.             The Fund has adopted policies and procedures pursuant to Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, as may be modified from time to time. In this regard, the Fund (and relevant agents) shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent the unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to the Fund and the owners of the Shares.

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4.           Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Distributor.

 

A.          The Distributor hereby represents and warrants to the Fund, which representations and warranties shall be deemed to be continuing throughout the term of this Agreement, that:

(i) it is duly organized and existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, with full power to carry on its business as now conducted, to enter into this Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder;

 

(ii) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Distributor and, when executed and delivered, will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Distributor, enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties;

 

(iii) it is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule, regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its charter, operating agreement or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement; and

 

(iv) it is registered as a broker-dealer under the 1934 Act and is a member in good standing of FINRA. It will promptly notify the Fund if any regulatory actions are instituted against it by the SEC, any state or FINRA that could reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on its performance of its duties under this Agreement, or if its membership in FINRA or registration in any state is terminated or suspended. It is registered pursuant to the blue sky laws of states and certain territories of the United States to the extent necessary to permit it to offer Shares in such states and territories.

 

B.          In connection with all matters relating to this Agreement, the Distributor will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, the regulations of FINRA and all other applicable federal or state laws and regulations.

 

C.          The Distributor shall promptly notify the Fund of the commencement of any litigation or legal or regulatory proceedings against the Distributor or any of its managers, officers or directors that could reasonably effect the issue and sale of any of the Shares.

 

5.           Compensation.

 

A.        In consideration of Distributor’s services in connection with the distribution of Shares of the Fund, Distributor shall receive the compensation set forth in Exhibit A.

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Execution Version

 

B.         Except as specified in Section 5A, Distributor shall be entitled to no compensation or reimbursement of expenses for services provided by Distributor pursuant to this Agreement. Distributor may receive compensation from Cliffwater LLC (“Adviser”) related to its services hereunder or for additional services all as may be agreed to between the Adviser and Distributor.

 

6.           Expenses.

 

A.         The Fund shall bear all costs and expenses in connection with registration of the Shares with the SEC and the applicable states, as well as all costs and expenses in connection with the offering of the Shares and communications with shareholders of its Fund, including but not limited to (i) fees and disbursements of its counsel and independent public accountants; (ii) costs and expenses of the preparation, filing, printing and mailing of Registration Statements and Prospectuses and amendments thereto, as well as related advertising and sales literature, (iii) costs and expenses of the preparation, printing and mailing of annual and interim reports, proxy materials and other communications to shareholders of the Fund; and (iv) fees required in connection with the offer and sale of Shares in such jurisdictions as shall be selected by the Fund pursuant to Section 3(D) hereof.

 

B.         The Distributor shall bear the expenses of registration or qualification of the Distributor as a dealer or broker under federal or state laws and the expenses of continuing such registration or qualification. The Distributor does not assume responsibility for any expenses not expressly assumed hereunder.

 

7.           Indemnification.

 

A.         The Fund shall indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor, its affiliates and each of their respective members, managers, directors, officers, employees, representatives and any person who controls or previously controlled the Distributor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Distributor Indemnitees”), free and harmless from and against any and all losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages and reasonable expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged losses, claims, demands, liabilities, damages or expenses and any reasonable counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, “Losses”) that any Distributor Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or relating to (i) the Distributor serving as distributor of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement; (ii) the Fund’s breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (iii) the Fund’s failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (iv) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, shareholder reports, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which it was made, not misleading under the 1933 Act, or any other statute or the common law any violation of any rule of FINRA or of the SEC or any other jurisdiction wherein Shares of the Fund is sold, provided, however, that the Fund’s obligation to indemnify any of the Distributor Indemnitees shall not be deemed to cover any Losses arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, Prospectus, annual or interim report, or any such advertising materials or sales literature in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Distributor and furnished to the Fund or its counsel by the Distributor in writing and acknowledging the purpose of its use. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Distributor against, nor shall the Fund indemnify and hold any Distributor Indemnitee free and harmless from, any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which the Distributor would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.

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Execution Version

 

The Fund’s agreement to indemnify the Distributor Indemnitees with respect to any action is expressly conditioned upon the Fund being notified of such action or claim of loss brought against any Distributor Indemnitee, within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Distributor Indemnitee, unless the failure to give notice does not prejudice the Fund. Such notification shall be given by letter or by telegram addressed to the Fund’s President, but the failure so to notify the Fund of any such action shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which the Fund may have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, or alleged omission, otherwise than on account of the Fund’s indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7(A).

 

B.        The Fund shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such Losses, but if the Fund elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Fund and approved by the Distributor, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the Distributor Indemnitee(s) in such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or in case the Distributor does not, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, approve of counsel chosen by the Fund or, if under prevailing law or legal codes of ethics, the same counsel cannot effectively represent the interests of both the Fund and the Distributor Indemnitee(s), the Fund will reimburse the Distributor Indemnitee(s) in such suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by Distributor and them. The Fund’s indemnification agreement contained in Sections 7(A) and 7(B) shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Distributor Indemnitee(s), and shall survive the delivery of any Shares and the termination of this Agreement. This agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to the Distributor’s benefit, to the benefit of each Distributor Indemnitee.

 

C.        The Distributor shall indemnify, defend and hold the Fund, its affiliates, and each of their respective trustees, directors, officers, employees, representatives, and any person who controls or previously controlled the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the “Fund Indemnitees”), free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Fund Indemnitee may incur under the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940 Act, any other statute (including Blue Sky laws) or any rule or regulation thereunder, or under common law or otherwise, arising out of or based upon (i) the Distributor’s breach of any of its obligations, representations, warranties or covenants contained in this Agreement; (ii) the Distributor’s failure to comply with any applicable securities laws or regulations; or (iii) any claim that the Registration Statement, Prospectus, sales literature and advertising materials or other information filed or made public by the Fund (as from time to time amended) include or included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, insofar as such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, information furnished to the Fund by the Distributor in writing. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Fund against, nor shall the Distributor indemnify, defend and hold the Fund free and harmless from, any liability to the Distributor to which the Fund would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of its duties under this Agreement or by reason of its reckless disregard of its obligations under this Agreement.

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Execution Version

 

The Distributor’s agreement to indemnify the Fund Indemnitees is expressly conditioned upon the Distributor’s being notified of any action or claim of loss brought against a Fund Indemnitee, such notification to be given by letter or telegram addressed to the Distributor’s President, within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon the Fund Indemnitee, unless the failure to give notice does not prejudice the Distributor. The failure so to notify the Distributor of any such action shall not relieve the Distributor from any liability which the Distributor may have to the person against whom such action is brought by reason of any such untrue, or alleged untrue, statement or omission, otherwise than on account of the Distributor’s indemnity agreement contained in this Section 7(C).

 

D.       The Distributor shall be entitled to participate at its own expense in the defense or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such Losses, but if the Distributor elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Distributor and approved by the Fund Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. In the event the Distributor elects to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel, the Fund Indemnitee(s) in such suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them. If the Distributor does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, or in case the Fund does not, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, approve of counsel chosen by the Distributor or, if under prevailing law or legal codes of ethics, the same counsel cannot effectively represent the interests of both the Distributor and the Fund Indemnitee(s), the Distributor will reimburse the Fund Indemnitee(s) in such suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by the Fund and them. The Distributor’s indemnification agreement contained in Sections 7(C) and (D) shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Fund Indemnitee(s), and shall survive the delivery of any Shares and the termination of this Agreement. This Agreement of indemnity will inure exclusively to the Fund’s benefit, to the benefit of each Fund Indemnitee.

 

E.       No person shall be obligated to provide indemnification under this Section 7 if such indemnification would be impermissible under the 1940 Act, the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the rules of the FINRA, or other applicable laws; provided, however, in such event indemnification shall be provided under this Section 7 to the maximum extent so permissible.

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Execution Version

 

8.           Dealer Agreement Indemnification.

 

A.        Distributor acknowledges and agrees that certain large and significant broker-dealers, such as (without limitation) Merrill Lynch, UBS and Morgan Stanley (all such brokers referred to herein as the “Brokers”), require that Distributor enter into dealer agreements (the “Non-Standard Dealer Agreements”) that contain certain representations, undertakings and indemnification that are not included in the Standard Dealer Agreement.

 

B.        To the extent that Distributor is requested or required by the Fund to enter into any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement, the Fund shall indemnify, defend and hold the Distributor Indemnitees free and harmless from and against any and all Losses that any Distributor Indemnitee may incur arising out of or relating to (a) Distributor’s actions or failures to act pursuant to any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement; (b) any representations made by Distributor in any Non-Standard Dealer Agreement to the extent that Distributor is not required to make such representations in the Standard Dealer Agreement; or (c) any indemnification provided by Distributor under a Non-Standard Dealer Agreement to the extent that such indemnification is beyond the indemnification Distributor provides to intermediaries in the Standard Dealer Agreement. In no event shall anything contained herein be so construed as to protect the Distributor Indemnitees against any liability to the Fund or its shareholders to which the Distributor Indemnitees would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of Distributor’s obligations or duties under the Non-Standard Dealer Agreement or by reason of Distributor’s reckless disregard of its obligations or duties under the Non-Standard Dealer Agreement.

 

9.           Limitations on Damages. Neither party shall be liable for any consequential, special or indirect losses or damages suffered by the other party, whether or not the likelihood of such losses or damages was known by the party.

 

10.         Force Majeure. Neither party shall be liable for losses, delays, failure, errors, interruption or loss of data occurring directly or indirectly by reason of circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including, without limitation, Acts of Nature (including fire, flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane or other natural disaster); action or inaction of civil or military authority; acts of foreign enemies; war; terrorism; riot; insurrection; sabotage; epidemics; labor disputes; civil commotion; or interruption, loss or malfunction of utilities, transportation, computer or communications capabilities; provided, however, that in each specific case such circumstance shall be beyond the reasonable control of the party seeking to apply this force majeure clause.

 

11.         Duration and Termination.

 

A.       This Agreement shall become effective on the date first above written. Unless sooner terminated as provided herein, this Agreement shall continue in effect for two years from the date hereof. Thereafter, if not terminated, this Agreement shall continue automatically in effect as to the Fund for successive one-year periods, provided such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by (i) the Board, including its Disinterested Trustees, or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, in accordance with Section 15 of the 1940 Act.

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Execution Version

 

B.        Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated, without the payment of any penalty, with respect to the Fund (i) through a failure to renew this Agreement at the end of a term or (ii) upon mutual consent of the parties. Further, this Agreement may be terminated upon no less than 60 days’ written notice, by either the Fund through a vote of a majority of the members of the Board who are not interested persons, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Agreement or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, or by the Distributor.

 

C.        This Agreement will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment.

 

12.         Anti-Money Laundering Compliance.

 

A.        Each of Distributor and the Fund acknowledge that it is a financial institution subject to the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and the Bank Secrecy Act (collectively, the “AML Acts”), which require, among other things, that financial institutions adopt compliance programs to guard against money laundering. Each represents and warrants to the other that it is in compliance with and will continue to comply with the AML Acts and applicable regulations in all relevant respects.

 

B.        The Distributor shall include specific contractual provisions regarding anti-money laundering compliance obligations in agreements entered into by the Distributor with any broker-dealer or other financial intermediary that is authorized to effect transactions in Shares of the Fund.

 

C.        Each of Distributor and Fund agrees that it will take such further steps, and cooperate with the other as may be reasonably necessary, to facilitate compliance with the AML Acts, including but not limited to the provision of copies of its written procedures, policies and controls related thereto (“AML Operations”). Distributor undertakes that it will grant to the Fund, the Fund’s anti-money laundering compliance officer and appropriate regulatory agencies, reasonable access to copies of Distributor’s AML Operations, and related books and records to the extent they pertain to the Distributor’s services hereunder. It is expressly understood and agreed that the Fund and the Fund’s compliance officer shall have no access to any of Distributor’s AML Operations, books or records pertaining to other clients or services of Distributor.

 

13.         Privacy. In accordance with Regulation S-P, the Distributor will not disclose any non-public personal information, as defined in Regulation S-P, received from the Fund regarding any Fund shareholder; provided, however, that the Distributor may disclose such information to any party as necessary in the ordinary course of business to carry out the purposes for which such information was disclosed to the Distributor. The Distributor shall have in place and maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards reasonably designed to protect the security, confidentiality and integrity of, and to prevent unauthorized access to or use of, records and information relating to consumers and customers of the Fund.

 

The Fund represents to the Distributor that it has adopted a statement of its privacy policies and practices as required by Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-P and agrees to provide to the Distributor a copy of that statement annually. The Distributor agrees to use reasonable precautions to protect, and prevent the unintentional disclosure of, such non-public personal information.

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Execution Version

 

14.         Confidentiality. During the term of this Agreement, the Distributor and the Fund may have access to confidential information relating to such matters as either party’s business, trade secrets, systems, procedures, manuals, products, contracts, personnel, and clients. As used in this Agreement, “Confidential Information” means information belonging to the Distributor or the Fund which is of value to such party and the disclosure of which could result in a competitive or other disadvantage to either party, including, without limitation, financial information, business practices and policies, know-how, trade secrets, market or sales information or plans, customer lists, business plans, and all provisions of this Agreement. Confidential Information does not include: (i) information that was known to the receiving party before receipt thereof from or on behalf of the disclosing party; (ii) information that is disclosed to the receiving party by a third person who has a right to make such disclosure without any obligation of confidentiality to the party seeking to enforce its rights under this Section; (iii) information that is or becomes generally known in the trade without violation of this Agreement by the receiving party; or (iv) information that is independently developed by the receiving party or its employees or affiliates without reference to the disclosing party’s information.

 

Each party will protect the other’s Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care it uses with respect to its own Confidential Information, and will not use the other party’s Confidential Information other than in connection with its obligations hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a party may disclose the other’s Confidential Information if (i) required by law, regulation or legal process or if requested by any regulatory agency; (ii) it is advised by counsel that it may incur liability for failure to make such disclosure; (iii) requested to by the other party; provided that in the event of (i) or (ii) the disclosing party shall give the other party reasonable prior notice of such disclosure to the extent reasonably practicable and cooperate with the other party (at such other party’s expense) in any efforts to prevent such disclosure. Each party agrees that upon the request of the disclosing party, the receiving party will return or destroy all of the disclosing party’s Confidential Information; provided, however, that the receiving party may retain copies of such information to the extent required by applicable law, regulatory requirements, or internal document retention policies.

 

15.         Notices.

 

Any notice or other communication authorized or required by this Agreement to be given to either party shall be in writing and deemed to have been given when delivered in person or by confirmed facsimile, electronic mail, or posted by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the following address (or such other address as a party may specify by written notice to the other):

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Execution Version

 

(i)   To Distributor: (ii)   To the Fund:

Foreside Fund Services, LLC

Attn: Legal Department

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, ME 04101

Telephone: (207) 553-7110

Facsimile: (207) 553-7151

Email:legal@foreside.com

Cliffwater LLC

4640 Admirality Way, 11th Floor

Marina del Rey, CA 90292

Attn: Jonathan Rogal

Phone: (310) 448-5000

Fax: (310) 448-5001

Email: jrogal@cliffwater.com

 

with a copy to:

 

Joshua B. Deringer, Esq.

Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP

One Logan Square, Suite 2000

18th & Cherry Streets

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

Phone: (215) 988-2700

Email: Joshua.Deringer@dbr.com 

 

16.       Modifications. The terms of this Agreement shall not be waived, altered, modified, amended or supplemented in any manner whatsoever except by a written instrument signed by the Distributor and the Fund. If required under the 1940 Act, any such amendment must be approved by the Fund’s Board, including a majority of the Fund’s Board who are not interested persons, as such term is defined in the 1940 Act, of any party to this Agreement, by vote cast in person at a meeting for the purpose of voting on such amendment.

 

17.       Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.

 

18.       Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties hereto and supersedes all prior communications, understandings and agreements relating to the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.

 

19.       Survival. The provisions of Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, the second sentence of Section 12(c), 13, and 14 of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

20.       Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. Any provision of this Agreement which may be determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors.

 

21.       Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed by the Parties hereto in any number of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same document.

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Execution Version

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer on one or more counterparts as of the date first above written.

 

FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC   CLIFFWATER CORPORATE  LENDING FUND  
       
By: /s/ Mark Fairbanks   By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
  Mark Fairbanks, Vice President   Name: Lance Johnson  
      Title: Treasurer  

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Execution Version

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Compensation

 

Any and all upfront commissions on sales of Shares notified by the Fund in writing to the Distributor in respect of a particular Financial Intermediary up to the maximum such upfront commission rate set forth in the Registration Statement, including the Prospectus, filed with the SEC and in effect at the time of sale of such shares. Such commissions shall not exceed 5.00% of the applicable sale amount and shall be paid by the Distributor to the applicable Financial Intermediaries as set forth in the Registration Statement and only after, for so long as and to the extent that the Distributor has received such sales loads from the Fund.

 

* * All Sales Loads or upfront commission received by the Distributor shall be held to be used solely for distribution-related expenses and shall not be retained as profit.

 

A-1

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND

 

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

for Class A Shares

 

WHEREAS, Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) is engaged in business as a closed-end investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”);

 

WHEREAS, the Fund has issued two separate classes of shares of beneficial interests (the “Shares”) in the Fund known as Class A Shares and the Class I Shares;

 

WHEREAS, the board of trustees of the Fund (the “Trustees”) have determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that this Distribution and Service Plan (the “Plan”) will benefit the Fund and the holders of Shares of the Class A Shares (the “Class A Shares”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Plan, together with any related agreements, has been approved by votes of the majority of both (i) the Trustees and (ii) the Independent Trustees (as defined herein), cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on this Plan and related agreements;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Fund hereby adopts this Plan in compliance with the terms of the amended and restated exemptive application filed by the Fund with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on September 28, 2018 and ordered by the SEC on February 1, 2019.

 

SECTION 1. The Fund has adopted this Plan to enable the Class A Shares to directly or indirectly bear expenses relating to the distribution of Class A Shares.

 

SECTION 2. The Fund will pay the distributor of the Fund and/or any Recipient (as defined below) a distribution fee of up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s net asset value attributable to Class A Shares in connection with the promotion and distribution of Class A Shares and the provision of personal services to holders of Class A Shares, including, but not limited to, advertising, compensation to placement agents, dealers and selling personnel, the printing and mailing of offering memoranda to other than current members of the Fund, and the printing and mailing of sales literature. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may only expend up to 0.75% on an annualized basis of the Fund’s net assets attributable to Class A Shares for marketing and distribution expenses. The Fund or the distributor may pay all or a portion of these fees to any registered securities dealer, financial institution or any other person (each, a “Recipient”) who renders assistance in distributing or promoting the sale of Class A Shares, or who provides certain shareholder services, pursuant to a written agreement. The actual fee to be paid by the Fund to broker/dealers and financial institutions and intermediaries will be negotiated based on the extent and quality of services provided.

 

SECTION 3. This Plan shall not take effect until it has been approved by a vote of at least a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares of the Fund.

1

 

SECTION 4. This Plan shall continue in effect for a period of more than one year after it takes effect only for so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by votes of the majority of both (i) the Trustees and (ii) the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on this Plan.

 

SECTION 5. Any person authorized to direct the disposition of monies paid or payable by the Fund pursuant to this Plan or any related agreement shall provide to the Trustees, at least quarterly, a written report of the amounts so expended and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.

 

SECTION 6. This Plan may be terminated at any time by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares of the Fund.

 

SECTION 7. All agreements with any person relating to implementation of this Plan shall be in writing, and any agreement related to this Plan shall provide (a) that such agreement may be terminated at any time, without payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares of the Fund, on not more than 60 days written notice to any other party to the agreement; and (b) that such agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.

 

SECTION 8. This Plan may be amended by votes of the majority of both (i) the Trustees and (ii) the Independent Trustees, cast in person at a meeting of the Trustees called for the purpose of voting on such amendment; provided, however, that the Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of distribution expenses permitted pursuant to Section 2 hereof without the approval of a majority of the outstanding Class A Shares of the Fund.

 

SECTION 9. While this Plan is in effect, the selection and nomination of those Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund shall be committed to the discretion of the Trustees then in office who are not interested persons of the Fund.

 

SECTION 10. As used in this Plan, (a) the term “Independent Trustees” shall mean those Trustees who are not interested persons, and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of this Plan or any agreements related to it, and (b) the terms “assignment” and “interested person” shall have the respective meanings specified in the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, subject to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC.

 

SECTION 11. This Plan shall not obligate the Fund or any other party to enter into an agreement with any particular person.

 

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Execution Copy

 

Custodian Agreement

 

This Agreement is made as of December 5, 2018 (this “ Agreement ”), between Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “ Fund ”) and State Street Bank and Trust Company , a Massachusetts trust company (the “ Custodian ”).

 

W itnesseth:

 

Whereas , the Fund desires for the Custodian to provide certain custodial services relating to securities and other assets of the Fund; and

 

Whereas , the Custodian is willing to provide the services upon the terms contained in this Agreement;

 

Section 1.        Definitions . In addition to terms defined in Section 4.1 (Rule 17f-5 and Rule 17f-7 related definitions) or elsewhere in this Agreement, (a) terms defined in the UCC have the same meanings herein as therein and (b) the following other terms have the following meanings for purposes of this Agreement:

 

1940 Act ” means the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time.

 

Board ” means, in relation to a Fund, the board of directors, trustees or other governing body of the Fund.

 

Client Publications ” means the general client publications of State Street Bank and Trust Company available from time to time to clients and their investment managers.

 

Deposit Account Agreement ” means the Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure, as may be amended from time to time, issued by the Custodian and available on the Custodian’s internet customer portal, “my.statestreet.com”.

 

Domestic securities ” means securities held within the United States.

 

Foreign securities ” means securities held primarily outside of the United States.

 

Held outside of the United States ” means not held within the United States.

 

Held within the United States ” means (a) in relation to a security or other financial asset, the security or other financial asset (i) is a certificated security registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or is endorsed to the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee or in blank and the security certificate is located within the United States, (ii) is an uncertificated security or other financial asset registered in the name of the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee at an office located in the United States, or (iii) has given rise to a security entitlement of which the Custodian or its sub-custodian, agent or nominee is the entitlement holder against a U.S. Securities System or another securities intermediary for which the securities intermediary’s jurisdiction is within the United States, and (b) in relation to cash, the cash is maintained in a deposit account denominated in U.S. dollars with the banking department of the Custodian or with another bank or trust company’s office located in the United States.

 

Investment Advisor ” means, in relation to a Portfolio, the investment manager or investment advisor of the Portfolio, including any sub-advisers.

 

On book currency ” means (a) U.S. dollars or (b) a foreign currency that, when credited to a deposit account of a customer maintained in the banking department of the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Custodian maintains on its books as an amount owing as a liability by the Custodian to the customer.

 

Portfolio ” means (a) in relation to a Fund that is a series organization, a series of the Fund and (b) in relation to a Fund that is not a series organization, the Fund itself.

 

Portfolio Interests ” means beneficial interests in a Portfolio.

 

Proper Instructions ” means instructions in accordance with Section 9 received by the Custodian from a Fund, the Fund’s Investment Advisor, or an individual or organization duly authorized by the Fund or the Investment Advisor. The term includes standing instructions.

 

SEC ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Series organization ” means an organization that, pursuant to the statute under which the organization is organized, has the following characteristics: (a) the organic record of the organization provides for creation by the organization of one or more series (however denominated) with respect to specified property of the organization, and provides for records to be maintained for each series that identify the property of or associated with the series, (b) debt incurred or existing with respect to the activities of, or property of or associated with a particular series is enforceable against the property of or associated with the series only, and not against the property of or associated with the organization or of other series of the organization, and (c) debt incurred or existing with respect to the activities or property of the organization is enforceable against the property of the organization only, and not against the property of or associated with any series of the organization.

 

UCC ” means the Uniform Commercial Code of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as in effect from time to time.

 

Underlying Portfolios ” means a group of investment companies as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act.

 

Underlying Shares” means shares or other securities, issued by a U.S. issuer, of Underlying Portfolios and other registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the 1940 Act), whether or not in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act).

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

 

Underlying Transfer Agent ” means State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other organization which may from time to time be appointed by the Fund to act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions.

 

U.S. Securities System ” means a securities depository or book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury or a “clearing corporation” as defined in Section 8-102 of the UCC.

 

Section 2.        E mployment of Custodian .

 

Section 2.1        General . The Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of (a) securities and cash of each of the Portfolios and (b) other assets of each of the Portfolios that the Custodian agrees to treat as financial assets. The Fund, on behalf of each of its Portfolios, agrees to deliver to the Custodian (i) all securities and cash of the Portfolios, (ii) all other assets of each Portfolio that the Fund desires the Custodian, and the Custodian is willing, to treat as a financial asset and (iii) all cash and other proceeds of the securities and financial assets held in custody under this Agreement. The holding of confirmation statements that identify Underlying Shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be custody for purposes of this Section 2.1. This Agreement does not require the Custodian to accept an asset for custody hereunder or to treat any asset that is not a security as a financial asset.

 

Section 2.2        Sub-custodians . Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of a Fund appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entitieslocated in the United States and designated in the Proper Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transactions as may be designated by the Fund in the Proper Instructions. The Custodian may place and maintain the Fund’s foreign securities with foreign banking institution sub-custodians employed by the Custodian or foreign securities depositories, all in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 4 and 5. An entity acting in the capacity of Underlying Transfer Agent is not an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 2.3        Relationship . With respect to securities and other financial assets, the Custodian is a securities intermediary and the Portfolio is the entitlement holder. With respect to cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is a bank and the Portfolio is the bank’s customer. If cash is maintained in a deposit account with a bank other than the Custodian and the cash is denominated in an “on book” currency, the Custodian is that bank’s customer. The Custodian agrees to treat the claim to the cash as a financial asset for the benefit of the Portfolio . The Custodian does not otherwise agree to treat cash as financial asset. The duties of the Custodian as securities intermediary and bank set forth in the UCC are varied by the terms of this Agreement to the extent that the duties may be varied by agreement under the UCC.


Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 3. Activities of the Custodian with Respect to Property Held in the United States .

 

Section 3.1        Holding Securities . The Custodian may deposit and maintain securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of the Portfolio and into which account or accounts may be transferred cash or securities and other financial assets, including securities and financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System. The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all securities and other financial assets held by the Custodian in the United States, including all domestic securities of the Portfolio, other than (a) securities or other financial assets maintained in a U.S. Securities System and (b) Underlying Shares maintained pursuant to Section 3.6 in an account of an Underlying Transfer Agent. The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint any other bank or trust company, qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian, as the Custodian’s agent to carry out such of the provisions of this Section as the Custodian may from time to time direct. The appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its duties hereunder. The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion remove the bank or trust company as the Custodian’s agent.

 

Section 3.2        Registration of Securities . Domestic securities or other financial assets held by the Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or of any nominee of the Custodian, or in the name or nominee name of any agent or any sub-custodian permitted hereby. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form. However, if a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities or other financial assets in “street name,” the Custodian shall use reasonable efforts to timely collect income due the Fund on the securities and other financial assets and to notify the Fund of relevant issuer actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.

 

Section 3.3        Bank Accounts . The Custodian shall open and maintain upon the terms of the Deposit Account Agreement a separate deposit account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Custodian shall credit to the deposit account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by the Custodian from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a deposit account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act. Funds held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by the Custodian to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that (a) every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and (b) each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio of a Fund be approved by vote of a majority of the Fund’s Board. The funds shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.

 

Section 3.4        Collection of Income . Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to the securities and other financial assets and to which a Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business. The Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, the securities are held by the Custodian or its agent. The Custodian shall present for payment all income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities and other financial assets held hereunder. The Custodian shall credit income to the Portfolio as such income is received or in accordance with the Custodian’s then current payable date income schedule. Any credit to the Portfolio in advance of receipt may be reversed when the Custodian determines that payment will not occur in due course, and the Portfolio may be charged at the Custodian’s applicable rate for time credited.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 3.5        Delivery Out . The Custodian shall release and deliver out domestic securities and other financial assets of a Portfolio held in a U.S. Securities System, or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying the domestic securities or financial assets held in the United States to be delivered out and the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made. The Custodian shall pay out cash of a Portfolio upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, specifying the amount of the payment and the person or persons to whom the payment is to be made.

 

Section 3.6        Deposit of Fund Assets with the Underlying Transfer Agent . Underlying Shares of a Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, shall be deposited and held in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent. The Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect to the Underlying Shares shall be limited to the following:

 

1) Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent that the Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall identify by book-entry that the Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of the Portfolio.

 

2) Upon receipt of Proper Instructions to purchase Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall pay out cash of the Portfolio as so directed to purchase the Underlying Shares and record the payment from the account of the Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

3) Upon receipt of Proper Instructions for the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall transfer the Underlying Shares as so directed to sell or redeem the Underlying Shares, record the transfer from the account of the Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds of the sale or redemption, record the receipt of the proceeds for the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 3.7        Proxies . The Custodian shall cause to be promptly executed by the registered holder of domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States of a Portfolio, if the securities or other financial assets are registered otherwise than in the name of the Portfolio or a nominee of the Portfolio, all proxies, without indication of the manner in which the proxies are to be voted, and shall promptly deliver to the Fund such proxies, all proxy soliciting materials and all notices relating to the securities or other financial assets.

 

Section 3.8        Communications . Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 3.2, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets being held for the Portfolio. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian does not support class-action participation by the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the Custodian shall not transmit to the Company any written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to Company securities or other financial assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Company, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms.

 

Section 4.        Provisions Relating to Rules 17f-5 and 17f-7 .

 

Section 4.1.       Definitions . As used in this Agreement, the following terms have the following meanings:

 

Country Risk ” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country. The factors include but are not limited to risks arising from the country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country); prevailing or developing custody, tax and settlement practices; nationalization, expropriation or other government actions; currency restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations; market conditions affecting the orderly execution of securities transactions or the value of assets; the regulation of the banking and securities industries, including changes in market rules; and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country.

 

Covered Foreign Country ” means a country listed on Schedule A, which list of countries may be amended from time to time at the request of any Fund and with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager.

 

Eligible Foreign Custodian ” has the meaning set forth in Section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5.

 

Eligible Securities Depository ” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.

 

Foreign Assets ” means, in relation to a Portfolio, any of the Portfolio’s securities or other investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States, and any cash and cash equivalents that are reasonably necessary to effect transactions of the Portfolio in those investments.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Foreign Custody Manager ” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f-5.

 

Foreign Securities System ” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B.

 

Rule 17f-5 ” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

Rule 17f-7 ” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act.

 

Section 4.2.       The Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager .

 

4.2.1      Delegation . The Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f-5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 4.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Portfolios held outside the United States. The Custodian hereby accepts such delegation. By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Fund, the Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of the delegated responsibilities generally or with respect to a Covered Foreign Country designated in the notice. Following the withdrawal, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund generally or, as the case may be, with respect to the Covered Foreign Country so designated.

 

4.2.2      Exercise of Care as Foreign Custody Manager . The Foreign Custody Manager shall exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of the Foreign Assets would exercise in performing the delegated responsibilities.

 

4.2.3     Foreign Custody Arrangements . The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities only with respect to Covered Foreign Countries. The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A for a Covered Foreign Country each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the Foreign Assets of the Portfolios with respect to the Covered Foreign Country. The list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time upon notice in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager. This Agreement constitutes a Proper Instruction by a Fund, on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, to open an account, and to place and maintain Foreign Assets, for the Portfolio in each applicable Covered Foreign Country. The Fund, on behalf of the Portfolios, shall satisfy the account opening requirements for the Covered Foreign Country, and the delegation with respect to the Portfolio for the Covered Foreign Country will not be considered to have been accepted by the Custodian until that satisfaction. If the Foreign Custody Manager receives from the Fund Proper Instructions directing the Foreign Custody Manager to close the account, the delegation shall be considered withdrawn, and the Custodian shall immediately cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Portfolio for the Covered Foreign Country.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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4.2.4     Scope of Delegated Responsibilities : Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain Foreign Assets in the care of an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each applicable Covered Foreign Country. The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that (a) the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1) and (b) the contract between the Foreign Custody Manager and the Eligible Foreign Custodian governing the foreign custody arrangements will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2). The Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with the Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) the performance of the contract governing the custody arrangements. If the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall so notify the Fund.

 

4.2.5      Reporting Requirements . The Foreign Custody Manager shall (a) report the withdrawal of Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of Foreign Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Fund’s Board an amended Schedule A at the end of the calendar quarter in which the action has occurred, and (b) after the occurrence of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Portfolios described in this Section 4.2, make a written report to the Board containing a notification of the change.

 

4.2.6      Representations . The Foreign Custody Manager represents to the Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in Section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5. The Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has (a) determined that it is reasonable for the Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios and (b) considered and determined to accept such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets of each Portfolio in each Covered Foreign Country.

 

4.2.7      Termination by a Portfolio of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager . By giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Custodian, a Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, may terminate the delegation to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager for the Portfolio. Following the termination, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Portfolio.

 

Section 4.3        Monitoring of Eligible Securities Depositories . The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund or its Investment Advisor with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7 and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis and promptly notify the Fund or its Investment Advisor of any material change in such risks, in accordance with Section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 5. Activities of the Custodian with Respect to Property Held Outside the United States .

 

Section 5.1.       Holding Securities . Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a Covered Foreign Country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian, as applicable, in the Covered Foreign Country. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities and other financial assets held by each Eligible Foreign Custodian or Foreign Securities System. The Custodian may hold foreign securities and other financial assets for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Eligible Foreign Custodian in an account that is identified as the Custodian’s account for the benefit of its customers; provided however, that (a) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio maintained in the account shall identify those securities and other financial assets as belonging to the Portfolio and (b) to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities and other financial assets so held by the Eligible Foreign Custodian be held separately from any assets of the Eligible Foreign Custodian or of other customers of the Eligible Foreign Custodian.

 

Section 5.2.      Registration of Foreign Securities . Foreign securities and other financial assets held outside of the United States maintained in the custody of an Eligible Foreign Custodian and that are not bearer securities shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Eligible Foreign Custodian or in the name of any nominee of any of the foregoing. The Fund on behalf of the Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of the foreign securities or other financial assets. The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian reserves the right not to accept securities or other financial assets on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of the securities or other financial assets and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with local market practice.

 

Section 5.3.      Indemnification by Eligible Foreign Custodians . Each contract pursuant to which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall, to the extent possible, require the Eligible Foreign Custodian to indemnify and hold harmless the Custodian from and against any loss, cost or expense arising out of or in connection with the Eligible Foreign Custodian’s performance of its obligations. At a Fund’s election, a Portfolio shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against an Eligible Foreign Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, cost or expense if and to the extent that the Portfolio has not been made whole for the loss, cost or expense. In no event shall the Custodian be obligated to bring suit in its own name or to allow suit to be brought in its name.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 5.4        Bank Accounts .

 

5.4.1       General . The Custodian shall identify on its books as for the account of the applicable Portfolio the amount of cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian. The Custodian shall maintain cash deposits in on book currencies on its balance sheet. The Custodian shall be liable for such balances. If the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance for the Portfolio of a cash balance in a currency as an on book currency, a deposit account shall be opened and maintained by the Custodian outside the United States on behalf of the Portfolio with an Eligible Foreign Custodian. The Custodian shall not maintain the cash deposit on its balance sheet. The Eligible Foreign Custodian will be liable for such balance directly to the Portfolio. All deposit accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian or, if applicable, the Eligible Foreign Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Cash maintained in a deposit account and denominated in an “on book” currency will be maintained under and subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Custodian will not have any deposit liability for deposits in any currency that is not an “on book” currency.

 

5.4.2      Non-U.S. Branch and Non-U.S. Dollar Deposits .   In accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Custodian shall not be required to repay any deposit made at a non-U.S. branch of the Custodian or any deposit made with the Custodian and denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, if repayment of the deposit or the use of assets denominated in the non-U.S. dollar currency is prevented, prohibited or otherwise blocked due to (a) an act of war, insurrection or civil strife; (b) any action by a non-U.S. government or instrumentality or authority asserting governmental, military or police power of any kind, whether such authority be recognized as a de facto or a de jure government, or by any entity, political or revolutionary movement or otherwise that usurps, supervenes or otherwise materially impairs the normal operation of civil authority; or (c) the closure of a non-U.S. branch in order to prevent, in the reasonable judgment of the Custodian, harm to the employees or property of the Custodian.

 

Section 5.5.       Collection of Income . The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which a Portfolio shall be entitled. If extraordinary measures are required to collect the income or payment, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures. The Custodian shall credit income to the applicable Portfolio as such income is received or in accordance with the Custodian’s then current payable date income schedule. Any credit to the Portfolio in advance of receipt may be reversed when the Custodian determines that payment will not occur in due course, and the Portfolio may be charged at the Custodian’s applicable rate for time credited. Income on securities or other financial assets loaned other than from the Custodian’s securities lending program shall be credited as received.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 5.6.       Transactions in Foreign Custody Account .

 

5.6.1      Delivery Out . The Custodian or an Eligible Foreign Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities or other financial assets held outside of the United States owned by a Portfolio and held by the Custodian or such Eligible Foreign Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, specifying the foreign securities to be delivered and the person or persons to whom delivery is to be made. The Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Eligible Foreign Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, cash of a Portfolio only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying the amount of the payment and the person or persons to payment is to be made.

 

5.6.2      Market Conditions . Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for the Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer.

 

5.6.3      Settlement Practices . The Custodian shall provide to each Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs an Eligible Foreign Custodian described on a C at the time or times set forth on the Schedule. The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, but no revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided on Schedule C.

 

Section 5.7        Shareholder or Bondholder Rights . The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder and bondholder rights with respect to foreign securities and other financial assets held outside the United States, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where the securities or other financial assets are issued. The Custodian may utilize Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. or another proxy service firm of recognized standing as its delegate to provide proxy services for the exercise of shareholder and bondholder rights. Local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of a Fund to exercise shareholder and bondholder rights.

 

Section 5.8.      Communications . The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian through Eligible Foreign Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities and other financial asset assets being held outside the United States for the account of a Portfolio. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian does not support class-action participation by the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the Custodian shall not transmit any written information received by the Custodian through foreign sub-custodian from issuers of the foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside of the United States and being held for the account of the Company regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to the Company’s foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian via a foreign sub-custodian for the account of the Company, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 6.        Foreign Exchange .

 

Section 6.1.        Generally . Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which for purposes of this section may also include security trade advices, the Custodian shall facilitate the processing and settlement of foreign exchange transactions. Such foreign exchange transactions do not constitute part of the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement.

 

Section 6.2.       Fund Elections . The Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) may elect to enter into and execute foreign exchange transactions with third parties that are not affiliated with the Custodian, with State Street Global Markets, which is the foreign exchange division of State Street Bank and Trust Company and its affiliated companies (“ SSGM ”), or with a sub-custodian. Where the Fund or its Investment Advisor gives Proper Instructions for the execution of a foreign exchange transaction using an indirect foreign exchange service described in the Client Publications, the Fund (or its Investment Advisor) instructs the Custodian, on behalf of the Fund, to direct the execution of such foreign exchange transaction to SSGM or, when the relevant currency is not traded by SSGM, to the applicable sub-custodian. The Custodian shall not have any agency (except as contemplated in preceding sentence), trust or fiduciary obligation to the Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other person in connection with the execution of any foreign exchange transaction. The Custodian shall have no responsibility under this Agreement for the selection of the counterparty to, or the method of execution of, any foreign exchange transaction entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) or the reasonableness of the execution rate on any such transaction.

 

Section 6.3.      Fund Acknowledgement The Fund acknowledges that in connection with all foreign exchange transactions entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) with SSGM or any sub-custodian, SSGM and each such sub-custodian:

 

(i) shall be acting in a principal capacity and not as broker, agent or fiduciary to the Fund or its Investment Advisor;

 

(ii) shall seek to profit from such foreign exchange transactions, and are entitled to retain and not disclose any such profit to the Fund or its Investment Advisor; and

 

(iii) shall enter into such foreign exchange transactions pursuant to the terms and conditions, including pricing or pricing methodology, (a) agreed with the Fund or its Investment Advisor from time to time or (b) in the case of an indirect foreign exchange service, (i) as established by SSGM and set forth in the Client Publications with respect to the particular foreign exchange execution services selected by the Fund or the Investment Advisor or (ii) as established by the sub-custodian from time to time.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 6.4.       Transactions by State Street . The Custodian or its affiliates, including SSGM, may trade based upon information that is not available to the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf), and may enter into transactions for its own account or the account of clients in the same or opposite direction to the transactions entered into with the Fund (or its Investment Manager), and shall have no obligation, under this Agreement, to share such information with or consider the interests of their respective counterparties, including, where applicable, the Fund or the Investment Advisor.

 

Section 7.        Tax Services .

 

Section 7.1        Fund Information . The Fund will provide documentary evidence of its tax domicile, organizational specifics and other documentation and information as may be required by the Custodian from time to time for tax purposes, including, without limitation, information relating to any special ruling or treatment to which the Fund may be entitled that is not applicable to the general nationality and category of person to which the Fund belongs under general laws and treaty obligations and documentation and information required in relation to countries where the Fund engages or proposes to engage in investment activity or where Portfolio assets are or will be held. The provision of such documentation and information shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction, upon which the Custodian shall be entitled to rely and act. In giving such documentation and information, the Fund represents and warrants that it is true and correct in all material respects and that it will promptly provide the Custodian with all necessary corrections or updates upon becoming aware of any changes or inaccuracies in the documentation or information supplied.

 

Section 7.2       Tax Responsibility . The Fund shall be liable for all taxes (including Taxes, as defined below) relating to its investment activity, including with respect to any cash or securities held by the Custodian on behalf of the Fund or any transactions related thereto. Subject to compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7.1, the Custodian shall withhold (or cause to be withheld) the amount of any Tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law in connection with the collection on behalf of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement of any dividend, interest income or other distribution with respect to any security and the proceeds or income from the sale or other transfer of any security held by the Custodian. If any Taxes become payable with respect to any prior payment made to the Fund by the Custodian or otherwise, the Custodian may apply any credit balance in the Fund’s deposit account to the extent necessary to satisfy such Tax obligation. The Fund shall remain liable for any tax deficiency. The Custodian is not liable for any tax obligations relating to the Portfolio or the Fund, other than those Tax services as set out specifically in this Section 7. The Fund agrees that the Custodian is not, and shall not be deemed to be, providing tax advice or tax counsel. The capitalized terms “Tax” or “Taxes” means any withholding or capital gains tax, stamp duty, levy, impost, charge, assessment, deduction or related liability, including any addition to tax, penalty or interest imposed on or in respect of (i) cash or securities, (ii) the transactions effected under this Agreement, or (iii) the Fund.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 7.3       Tax Relief . The Custodian will provide tax relief services in relation to designated markets as may be specified from time to time in the Client Publications. Subject to the preceding sentence and compliance by the Fund with its obligations under Section 7.1, the Custodian will apply for a reduction of withholding tax and refund of any tax paid or tax credits which apply in each applicable market in respect of income payments on securities for the benefit of the Fund. Unless otherwise informed by the Fund, the Custodian shall be entitled to apply categorical treatment of the Fund according to its nationality, particulars of its organization and other relevant details supplied by the Fund.

 

Section 8 .        Payments for Sales or Redemptions of Portfolio Interests .

 

Section 8.1        Payment for Portfolio Interests Issued . The Custodian shall receive from the distributor of Portfolio Interests of a Fund or from the Fund’s transfer agent (the “ Transfer Agent ”) and deposit into the account of the Portfolio such payments as are received for Portfolio Interests issued or sold from time to time by the Fund. The Custodian will provide timely notification to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt of the payments by the Custodian.

 

Section 8.2        Payment for Portfolio Interests Redeemed . Upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, the Custodian shall set aside funds of a Portfolio to the extent available for payment to holders of Portfolio Interests who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption of their Portfolio Interests. The Custodian is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the redeeming interest holders. If the Custodian furnishes a check to a holder in payment for the redemption of the holder’s Portfolio Interests and the check is drawn on the Custodian, the Custodian shall honor the check so long as the check is presented to the Custodian in accordance with the Deposit Account Agreement and such procedures and controls as are mutually agreed upon from time to time between the Fund and the Custodian.

 

Section 9 .        Proper Instructions .

 

Section 9. 1      Form and Security Procedures . Proper Instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized individual or individuals or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed to from time to time by the Custodian and the individual or organization giving the instruction, provided that the Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the applicable Fund and the Custodian. The Custodian may agree to accept oral instructions, and in such case oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions. The Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing, but the Fund’s failure to do so shall not affect the Custodian’s authority to rely on the oral instructions.

 

Section 9.2        Reliance on Officer’s Certificate . Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian an officer’s certificate setting forth the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all individuals authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund. The certificate may be accepted and conclusively relied upon by the Custodian and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of a similar certificate to the contrary and the Custodian has had a reasonable time to act thereon.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 9.3          Untimely Proper Instructions . If the Custodian is not provided with reasonable time to execute a Proper Instruction (including any Proper Instruction not to execute, or any other modification to, a prior Proper Instruction), the Custodian will use good faith efforts to execute the Proper Instruction but will not be responsible or liable if the Custodian’s efforts are not successful (including any inability to change any actions that the Custodian had taken pursuant to the prior Proper Instruction). The inclusion of a statement of purpose or intent (or any similar notation) in a Proper Instruction shall not impose any additional obligations on the Custodian or condition or qualify its authority to effect the Proper Instruction. The Custodian will not assume a duty to ensure that the stated purpose or intent is fulfilled and will have no responsibility or liability when it follows the Proper Instruction without regard to such purpose or intent.

 

Section 10 .          Actions Permitted without Express Authority .

 

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the applicable Fund on behalf of each Portfolio:

 

1) Make payments to itself or others for minor expenses of handling securities or other financial assets relating to its duties under this Agreement; provided that all such payments shall be accounted for to the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio;

 

2) Surrender securities or other financial assets in temporary form for securities or other financial assets in definitive form;

 

3) Endorse for collection, in the name of the Portfolio, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and

 

4) In general, attend to all non-discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio except as otherwise directed by the applicable Board.

 

Section 11.          Reserved .

 

Section 12.          Records .

 

The Custodian shall with respect to each Portfolio create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of the Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to Section 31 thereof and Rules 31a-1 and 31a-2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of the Fund and employees and agents of the SEC. The Custodian shall, at the Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations. In the event that the Custodian is requested or authorized by a Fund, or required by subpoena, administrative order, court order or other legal process, applicable law or regulation, or required in connection with any investigation, examination or inspection of the Fund by state or federal regulatory agencies, to produce the records of the Fund or the Custodian’s personnel as witnesses, the Fund agrees to pay the Custodian for the Custodian’s time and expenses, as well as the fees and expenses of the Custodian’s counsel, incurred in responding to such request, order or requirement. 

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 13.        Fund’s Independent Accountants; Reports .

 

Section 13.1      Opinions . The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as a Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with the preparation of the Fund’s Form N-1A or Form N-2, as applicable, and Form N-SAR or other annual reports to the SEC and with respect to any other requirements thereof.

 

Section 13.2     Reports . Upon reasonable request of a Fund, the Custodian shall provide the Fund with a copy of the Custodian’s Service Organizational Control (SOC) 1 reports prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT section 801, Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization (formerly Statement on Standards for Attestation Engagements (SSAE) No. 16). The Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Fund with such reports as the Fund may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-1 of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements.

 

Section 14.        Custodian’s Standard of Care; Exculpation .

 

14.1       Standard of Care. In carrying out the provisions of this Agreement, the Custodian shall act in good faith and without negligence and shall be held to the exercise of reasonable care.

 

14.2       Reliance on Proper Instructions . The Custodian shall be entitled conclusively to rely and act upon Proper Instructions until the Custodian has received notice of any change from the Fund and has had a reasonable time to act thereon. The Custodian may act on a Proper Instruction if it reasonably believes that it contains sufficient information and may refrain from acting on any Proper Instructions until such time that it has determined, in its sole discretion, that is has received any required clarification or authentication of Proper Instructions. The Custodian may rely upon and shall be protected in acting upon any Proper Instruction or any other instruction, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper believed by it in good faith to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the applicable Fund.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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14.3       Other Reliance . The Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon the information that the Custodian receives from the Fund or any third party on behalf of the Fund. The Custodian shall have no responsibility to review, confirm or otherwise assume any duty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any information supplied to it by or on behalf of any Fund. The Custodian shall have no liability in respect of any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by the Fund arising from the performance of the Custodian’s duties hereunder in reliance upon records that were maintained for the Fund by any individual or organization, other than the Custodian, prior to the Custodian’s appointment as custodian hereunder. The Custodian shall be entitled to rely on and may act upon advice of counsel (who may be counsel for the Fund) on all matters and shall be without liability for any action reasonably taken or omitted pursuant to the advice.

 

14.4       Liability for Foreign Custodians . The Custodian shall be liable for the acts or omissions of an Eligible Foreign Custodian to the same extent as if the action or omission were performed by the Custodian itself, taking into account the facts and circumstances and the established local market practices and laws prevailing in the particular jurisdiction in which the Fund elects to invest.

 

14.5       Insolvency and Country Risk . The Custodian shall in no event be liable for (a) the insolvency of any Eligible Foreign Custodian, (b) the insolvency of any depositary bank maintaining in a deposit account cash denominated in any currency other than an “on book” currency, or (c) any loss, cost or expense incurred or sustained by a Fund or Portfolio resulting from or caused by Country Risk.

 

14.6       Force Majeure and Third Party Actions . The Custodian shall be without responsibility or liability to any Fund or Portfolio for: (a) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian, including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any currency or securities market or system, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism or other similar force majeure events or acts; (b) errors by any Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other duly authorized person in their instructions to the Custodian; (c) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a U.S. Securities System, Foreign Securities System, Underlying Transfer Agent or domestic sub-custodian designated pursuant to Section 2.2; (d) the failure of any Fund, its Investment Advisor, Portfolio or any duly authorized individual or organization to adhere to the Custodian’s operational policies and procedures; (e) any delay or failure of any broker, agent, securities intermediary or other intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities or other financial assets purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities or other financial assets sold; (f) any delay or failure of any organization in charge of registering or transferring securities or other financial assets in the name of the Custodian, any Fund, any Portfolio, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (g) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security, other financial asset, U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System; and (h) the effect of any provision of any law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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14.7       Indirect/Special/Consequential Damages . Notwithstanding any other provision set forth herein, in no event shall the Custodian be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, punitive or consequential damages of any kind whatsoever (including, without limitation, lost profits) with respect to the services provided pursuant to this Agreement, regardless of whether either party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

 

14.8       Delivery of Property . The Custodian shall not be responsible for any securities or other assets of a Portfolio which are not received by the Custodian or which are delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any securities or other assets or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement.

 

14.9       No Investment Advice . The Custodian has no responsibility to monitor or oversee the investment activity undertaken by a Fund or its Investment Advisor or by an Portfolio. The Custodian has no duty to ensure or to inquire whether an Investment Advisor complies with any investment objectives or restrictions agreed upon between a Fund and the Investment Advisor or whether the Investment Advisor complies with its legal obligations under applicable securities laws or other laws, including laws intended to protect the interests of investors. The Custodian shall neither assess nor take any responsibility or liability for the suitability or appropriateness of the investments made by a Fund or a Portfolio or on its behalf.

 

14.10     Communications . The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with securities or other financial assets of a Portfolio at any time held by the Custodian unless (a) the Custodian or the Eligible Foreign Custodian is in actual possession of such securities or other financial assets, (b) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of the right or power, and (c) both of the conditions referred to in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b) have been satisfied at least three business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise the right or power.

 

14.11     Loaned Securities . Income due to each Portfolio on securities or other financial assets loaned shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection with loaned securities or other financial assets, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is entitled.

 

14.12     Trade Counterparties . A Fund’s receipt of securities or other financial assets from a counterparty in connection with any of its purchase transactions and its receipt of cash from a counterparty in connection with any sale or redemption of securities or other financial assets will be at the Fund’s sole risk, and the Custodian shall not be obligated to make demands on the Fund’s behalf if the Fund’s counterparty defaults. If a Fund’s counterparty fails to deliver securities, other financial assets or cash, the Custodian will, as its sole responsibility, notify the Fund’s Investment Advisor of the failure promptly after the Custodian became aware of the failure.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 15.        Compensation and Indemnification of Custodian; Security Interest .

 

Section. 15.1     Compensation . The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as agreed upon from time to time between the Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and the Custodian.

 

Section 15.2      Indemnification . Each Portfolio agrees to indemnify the Custodian and to hold the Custodian harmless from and against any loss, cost or expense sustained or incurred by the Custodian in acting or omitting to act under or in respect of this Agreement in good faith and without negligence, including, without limitation, (a) the Custodian’s compliance with Proper Instructions and (b) in connection with the provision of services to a Fund pursuant to Section 7, any obligations, including taxes, withholding and reporting requirements, claims for exemption and refund, additions for late payment, interest, penalties and other expenses, that may be assessed against the Fund, the Portfolio or the Custodian as custodian of the assets of the Fund or the Portfolio. If a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio instructs the Custodian to take any action with respect to securities or other financial assets, and the action involves the payment of money or may, in the opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable therefor, the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to the Custodian taking the action, shall provide to the Custodian at the Custodian’s request such further indemnification in an amount and form satisfactory to the Custodian.

 

Section 15.3      Security Interest . The Fund hereby grants to the Custodian, to secure the payment and performance of the Fund’s obligations under this Agreement, whether contingent or otherwise, a security interest in and right of recoupment and setoff against all cash and all securities and other financial assets at any time held for the account of a Portfolio by or through the Custodian. The obligations include, without limitation, the Fund’s obligations to reimburse the Custodian if the Custodian or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents advances cash or securities or other financial assets to the Fund for any purpose (including but not limited to settlements of securities or other financial assets, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement), or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or its nominee’s own negligence, as well as the Fund’s obligation to compensate the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.1 or indemnify the Custodian pursuant to Section 15.2. Should the Fund fail to reimburse or otherwise pay the Custodian any obligation under this Agreement promptly, the Custodian shall have the rights and remedies of a secured party under this Agreement, the UCC and other applicable law, including the right to utilize available cash and to sell or otherwise dispose of the Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain payment or reimbursement. The Custodian may at any time decline to follow Proper Instructions to deliver out cash, securities or other financial assets if the Custodian determines in its reasonable discretion that, after giving effect to the Proper Instructions, the cash, securities or other financial assets remaining will not have sufficient value fully to secure the Fund’s payment or reimbursement obligations, whether contingent or otherwise.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 16.      Effective Period and Termination .

 

Section 16.1     Term . This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect for an initial term ending December 4, 2021. After the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for successive one-year terms unless a written notice of non-renewal is delivered by the non-renewing party no later than ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the initial term or any renewal term, as the case may be. A written notice of non-renewal may be given as to a Fund or a Portfolio.

 

Section 16.2     Termination . Either party may terminate this Agreement as to a Fund or a Portfolio: (a) in the event of the other party’s material breach of a material provision of this Agreement that the other party has either failed to cure, or failed to establish a remedial plan to cure that is reasonably acceptable to the non-breaching party, within 60 days’ written notice being given by the non-breaching party of the breach, or (b) in the event of the appointment of a conservator or receiver for the other party, the commencement by or against the other party of a bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding, or upon the happening of a like event to the other party at the direction of an appropriate agency or court of competent jurisdiction.

 

Section 16.3      Payments Owing to the Custodian . Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 16.1 or 16.2 with respect to any Fund or Portfolio, the applicable Fund shall pay to the Custodian any compensation then due and shall reimburse the Custodian for its other fees, expenses and charges. In the event of: (a) any Fund’s termination of this Agreement with respect to such Fund or a Portfolio of the Fund for any reason other than as set forth in Section 16.1 or 16.2 or (b) a transaction not in the ordinary course of business pursuant to which the Custodian is not retained to continue providing services hereunder to a Fund or Portfolio (or its respective successor), the applicable Fund shall pay to the Custodian any compensation due through the end of the then-current term (based upon the average monthly compensation previously earned by the Custodian with respect to the Fund or Portfolio) and shall reimburse the Custodian for its other fees, expenses and charges. Upon receipt of such payment and reimbursement, the Custodian will deliver the Fund’s or Portfolio’s cash and its securities and other financial assets as set forth in Section 17.

 

Section 16.4     Exclusions . No payment will be required pursuant to clause (b) of Section 16.3 in the event of any transaction consisting of (a) the liquidation or dissolution of a Fund or a Portfolio and distribution of the Fund’s or Portfolio’s assets as a result of the Board’s determination in its reasonable business judgment that the Fund or Portfolio is no longer viable, (b) a merger of a Fund or Portfolio into, or the consolidation of a Fund or Portfolio with, another organization or series, or (c) the sale by a Fund or Portfolio of all or substantially all of its assets to another organization or series and, in the case of a transaction referred to in the foregoing clause (b) or (c) the Custodian is retained to continue providing services to the Fund or Portfolio (or its respective successor) on substantially the same terms as this Agreement.

 

Section 16.5     Effect of Termination . Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund or Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio. Following termination with respect to a Fund or Portfolio, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility to forward information under Section 3.8 or 5.8. The provisions of Sections 7, 14, 15 and 17 of this Agreement shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

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Section 17.      Successor Custodian .

 

Section 17.1      Successor Appointed . If a successor custodian shall be appointed for a Portfolio by its Fund, the Custodian shall, upon termination of this Agreement and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to the successor custodian at the office of the Custodian, duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio then held by the Custodian hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio held in a U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.

 

Section 17.2     No Successor Appointed . If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver at the office of the Custodian and transfer the cash and the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio in accordance with the Proper Instructions.

 

Section 17.3      No Successor Appointed and No Property Instructions . If no successor custodian has been appointed and no Proper Instructions have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the termination of this Agreement, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts, or New York, New York, of its own selection, all cash and all securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio then held by the Custodian hereunder, and to transfer to an account of the bank or trust company all of the securities and other financial assets of the Portfolio held in any U.S. Securities System or Foreign Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. The transfer will be on such terms as are contained in this Agreement or as the Custodian may otherwise reasonably negotiate with the bank or trust company. Any compensation payable to the bank or trust company, and any cost or expense incurred by the Custodian, in connection with the transfer shall be for the account of the Portfolio.

 

Section 17.4      Remaining Property . If any cash or any securities or other financial assets of the Portfolio held by the Custodian hereunder remain held by the Custodian after the termination of this Agreement owing to the failure of the applicable Fund to provide Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian holds the cash or the securities or other financial assets (the existing agreed-to compensation at the time of termation shall be one indicator of what is considered fair compensation). The provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties, exculpation and indemnification of the Custodian shall apply in favor of the Custodian during such period.

 

Section 17.5     Reserves . Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 17, the Custodian may retain cash or securities or other financial assets of the Fund or Portfolio as a reserve reasonably established by the Custodian to secure the payment or performance of any obligations of the Fund or Portfolio secured by a security interest or right of recoupment or setoff in favor of the Custodian.

 

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Section 18.      Remote Access Services Addendum . The Custodian and the Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto.

 

Section 19.      Loan Services Addendum . If a Fund directs the Custodian in writing to perform loan services, the Custodian and the Fund will be bound by the terms of the Loan Services Addendum attached hereto. The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for its fees and expenses related thereto as agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Fund and the Custodian.

 

Section 20      General .

 

Section 20.1      Governing Law . Any and all matters in dispute between the parties hereto, whether arising from or relating to this Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without giving effect to any conflict of laws rules. Likewise, the law applicable to all issues in Article 2(1) of the Hague Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary is the law in force in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

 

Section 20.2     [Reserved]

 

Section 20.3      Prior Agreements; Amendments . This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements between the Fund on behalf of each of the Fund’s Portfolios and the Custodian relating to the custody of the Fund’s assets. This Agreement may be amended at any time in writing by mutual agreement of the parties hereto.

 

Section 20.4     Assignment; Delegation . This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) any Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) the Custodian without the written consent of each applicable Fund, except that the Custodian may assign this Agreement to a successor of all or a substantial portion of its business, or to an affiliate of the Custodian. The Custodian shall retain the right to employ agents, subcontractors, consultants or other third parties, including, without limitation, affiliates (each, a “ Delegate ” and collectively, the “ Delegates ”) to provide or assist it in the provision of any part of the non-custodial services described herein or the discharge of any other non-custodial obligations or duties under this Agreement without the consent or approval of any Fund. Except as otherwise provided below, the Custodian shall be responsible for the acts and omissions of any such Delegate so employed as if the Custodian had committed such acts and omissions itself. The Custodian shall be responsible for the compensation of its Delegates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the term Delegate include sub-custodians, Eligible Foreign Custodians, U.S. Securities Systems and Foreign Securities Systems, and the Custodian shall have no liability for their acts or omissions except as otherwise expressly provided elsewhere in this Agreement. The liability of the Custodian for the acts and omissions of sub-custodians, Eligible Foreign Custodians, U.S. Securities Systems and Foreign Securities Systems shall be as set forth in Section 14 above.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 20.5      Interpretive and Additional Provisions. In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and the Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement. Any such interpretive or additional provisions shall be in a writing signed by all parties, provided that no such interpretive or additional provisions shall contravene any applicable laws or regulations or any provision of a Fund’s organic record and Prospectus. No interpretive or additional provisions made as provided in the preceding sentence shall be an amendment of this Agreement.

 

Section 20.6      Additional Funds and Portfolios .

 

20.6.1    Additional Fund . If any management investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A desires the Custodian to render services as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, the management investment company shall so notify the Custodian in writing. If the Custodian agrees in writing to provide the services, the management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof including, without limitation, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 20.7 below.

 

20.6.2    Additional Portfolio . If any Fund establishes a series in addition to the Portfolios set forth on Appendix A with respect to which the Fund desires the Custodian to render services as custodian under the terms of this Agreement, the Fund shall so notify the Custodian in writing. If the Custodian agrees in writing to provide the services, the series shall become a Portfolio hereunder.

 

Section 20.7     The Parties; Representations and Warranties . All references in this Agreement to the “Fund” are to each of the management investment companies listed on Appendix A, and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 20.6 above, individually, as if this Agreement were between the individual Fund and the Custodian. In the case of a series organization, all references in this Agreement to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series of the series organization on behalf of the individual series. Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and such other individual Fund as to which the matter pertains.

 

20.7.1    Fund Representations and Warranties . The Fund hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is duly organized and validly existing in good standing in its jurisdiction of organization; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable law and its organic record to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Fund’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it.

 

20.7.2      Custodian Representations and Warranties . The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is a trust company, duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (b) it has the requisite power and authority to carry on its business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) no legal or administrative proceedings have been instituted or threatened which would materially impair the Custodian’s ability to perform its duties and obligations under this Agreement; and (e) its entering into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 20.8      Notices . Any notice, instruction or other communication required to be given hereunder will, unless otherwise provided in this Agreement, be in writing and may be sent by hand, or by facsimile transmission, or overnight delivery by any recognized delivery service, to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time.

 

To any Fund: Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund
  4640 Admiralty Way, 11 th Floor
  Marina del Rey, CA 90292-6623
  Attention: Stephen L. Nesbitt
  Telephone: 310-448-5000
  Telecopy: *[]
   
To the Custodian: State Street Bank and Trust Company
  1 Iron Street
  Boston, MA 02210
  Attention: Shawn Alarie
  Telephone: 617-662-4145
 
with a copy to: State Street Bank and Trust Company
  Legal Division – Global Services Americas
  One Lincoln Street
  Boston, MA 02111
  Attention: Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel

 

Section 20.9 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement . Counterparts may be executed in either original or electronically transmitted form (e.g., faxes or emailed portable document format (PDF) form), and the parties hereby adopt as original any signatures received in electronically transmitted form.

 

Section 20.10 Severability; No Waiver . If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. The failure of a party hereto to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion or the failure of a party hereto to exercise or any delay in exercising any right or remedy under this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any the term, right or remedy or a waiver of any other rights or remedies, and no single or partial exercise of any right or remedy under this Agreement shall prevent any further exercise of the right or remedy or the exercise of any other right or remedy.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 20.11 Confidentiality . All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential. Subject to Section 20.12 below, all confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the business of the Receiving Party and its affiliates, including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management. The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided by the Disclosing Party or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b) that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any legal or regulatory proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Custodian or its affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld .

 

Section 20.12 Use of Data .

 

(a)      In connection with the provision of the services and the discharge of its other obligations under this Agreement, the Custodian (which term for purposes of this Section 20.12 includes each of its parent company, branches and affiliates (“ Affiliates ”)) may collect and store information regarding a Fund and share such information with its Affiliates, agents and service providers in order and to the extent reasonably necessary (i) to carry out the provision of services contemplated under this Agreement and other agreements between the Fund and the Custodian or any of its Affiliates and (ii) to carry out management of its businesses, including but not limited to financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.

 

(b)      Subject to paragraph (c) below, the Custodian and/or its Affiliates (except those Affiliates or business divisions principally engaged in the business of asset management) may use any data or other information (“ Data ”) obtained by such entities in the performance of their services under this Agreement or any other agreement between the Fund and the Custodian or one of its Affiliates, including Data regarding transactions and portfolio holdings relating to the Fund, and publish, sell, distribute or otherwise commercialize the Data; provided that, unless the Fund otherwise consents, Data is combined or aggregated with information relating to (i) other customers of the Custodian and/or its Affiliates or (ii) information derived from other sources, in each case such that any published information will be displayed in a manner designed to prevent attribution to or identification of such Data with the Fund. The Fund agrees that Custodian and/or its Affiliates may seek to profit and realize economic benefit from the commercialization and use of the Data, that such benefit will constitute part of the Custodian’s compensation for services under this Agreement or such other agreement, and the Custodian and/or its Affiliates shall be entitled to retain and not be required to disclose the amount of such economic benefit and profit to the Fund.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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(c)      Except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, nothing in this Section 20.12 shall limit the confidentiality and data-protection obligations of the Custodian and its Affiliates under this Agreement and applicable law. The Custodian shall cause any Affiliate, agent or service provider to which it has disclosed Data pursuant to this Section 20.12 to comply at all times with confidentiality and data-protection obligations as if it were a party to this Agreement.

 

Section 20.13 Data Privacy. The Custodian will implement and maintain a written information security program that contains appropriate security measures to safeguard the personal information of the Funds’ shareholders, employees, directors and officers that the Custodian receives, stores, maintains, processes or otherwise accesses in connection with the provision of services hereunder. The term, “ personal information ”, as used in this Section, means (a) an individual’s name (first initial and last name or first name and last name), address or telephone number plus (i) Social Security number, (ii) driver’s license number, (iii) state identification card number, (iv) debit or credit card number, (v) financial account number or (vi) personal identification number or password that would permit access to a person’s account, or (b) any combination of any of the foregoing that would allow a person to log onto or access an individual’s account. The term does not include information that is lawfully obtained from publicly available information, or from federal, state or local government records lawfully made available to the general public.

 

Section 20.14 Reproduction of Documents . This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. Any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence.

 

Section 20.15 Regulation GG . The Fund represents and warrants that it does not engage in an “Internet gambling business,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(r) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG (12 CFR 233) and covenants that it shall not engage in an Internet gambling business. In accordance with Regulation GG, the Fund is hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto. 

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Section 20.16 Shareholder Communications Election . SEC Rule 14b-2 requires banks that hold securities, as that term is used in federal securities laws, for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, as may be applicable, the Custodian needs the Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide such Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If a Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If a Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule, as applicable, to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For a Fund’s protection, the Rule, as applicable, prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below.

 

YES [ ] The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.

 

NO  [X] The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions.

 

Information Classification: Limited Access

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Signature Page

 

In Witness Whereof , each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative under seal as of the date first above-written.

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND

 

By: /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
  Name: Stephen L. Nesbitt  
  Title: President  
     
STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
   
By: /s/ Andrew Erickson  
Name:  Andrew Erickson  
Title:    Executive Vice President  

 

Custodian Agreement 

 

ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTING AND RECORDKEEPING AGREEMENT 

 

THIS ADMINISTRATION, FUND ACCOUNTING AND RECORDKEEPING AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) is made as of this 26th day of February, 2019, by and between Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), and UMB Fund Services, Inc., a Wisconsin corporation (the “Administrator”).

 

WHEREAS, the Fund is registered under the 1940 Act as a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company and authorized to offer and sell Shares (as defined below) in the Fund; and

 

WHEREAS, the Fund and Administrator desire to enter into an agreement pursuant to which Administrator shall provide Services to the Fund.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and agreements herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, do hereby agree as follows: 

 

1.            Definitions In addition to any terms defined in the body of this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the meanings set forth hereinafter whenever they appear in this Agreement:

 

1933 Act shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

1940 Act shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

Authorized Person shall mean any individual who is authorized to provide Administrator with Instructions and requests on behalf of the Fund, whose name shall be certified to Administrator from time to time pursuant to Section 3(b) of this Agreement. Any officer of the Fund shall be considered an Authorized Person (unless such authority is limited in a writing from the Fund and received by Administrator) and has the authority to appoint additional Authorized Persons, to limit or revoke the authority of any previously designated Authorized Person, and to certify to Administrator the names of the Authorized Persons from time to time.

 

Commission shall mean the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Instructions shall mean an oral communication from an Authorized Person or a written communication signed by an Authorized Person and actually received by Administrator. Instructions shall include manually executed originals, telefacsimile transmissions of manually executed originals or electronic communications.

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Investment Adviser shall mean the investment adviser or investment advisers to the Fund and includes all sub-advisers or persons performing similar services.

 

Investor shall mean a record owner of Shares.

 

Board shall mean the Fund’s Board of Trustees.

 

“Governing Documents” shall mean the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-laws.

 

Services shall mean the administration, fund accounting and recordkeeping services described on Schedule A hereto and such additional services as may be agreed to by the parties from time to time and set forth in an amendment to Schedule A.

 

“Shares” shall mean shares or such other measurement of ownership of the Fund representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets.

 

2. Appointment and Services

 

(a)       The Fund hereby appoints Administrator as administrator, fund accountant and recordkeeper of the Fund and hereby authorizes Administrator to provide Services during the term of this Agreement. Subject to the direction and control of the Fund’s Board and its current and prior agents and service providers, Administrator will provide the Services in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Administrator shall not be required to provide any Services or information that it believes, in its sole discretion, to represent dishonest, unethical or illegal activity. In no event shall Administrator provide any investment advice or recommendations to any party in connection with its Services hereunder.

 

(b)       Administrator may from time to time, in its discretion, appoint one or more other parties to carry out some or all of its duties under this Agreement, provided that Administrator shall remain responsible to the Fund for all such delegated responsibilities in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent as if Administrator were providing such Services itself. 

 

(c)       Administrator’s duties shall be confined to those expressly set forth herein, and no implied duties are assumed by or may be asserted against Administrator hereunder. The Services do not include correcting, verifying or addressing any prior actions or inactions of the Fund, the Board, or by any other current or prior service provider. To the extent that Administrator agrees to take such actions, those actions shall be deemed part of the Services.

 

(d)       Administrator shall not be responsible for the payment of any fees or taxes required to be paid by the Fund in connection with the issuance of any Shares in accordance with this Agreement.

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(e)       Any Instruction that affects accounting practices and procedures under this Agreement shall be effective upon written receipt of notice to and acceptance by Administrator.

 

(f)       Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to appoint Administrator and its officers, directors and employees as the Fund’s attorney, form an attorney-client relationship or require the provision of legal advice. The Fund acknowledges that Administrator’s in-house attorneys exclusively represent Administrator and rely on the Fund’s legal counsel to review all services provided by Administrator’s in-house attorneys and to provide independent judgment on the Fund’s behalf. Because no attorney-client relationship exists between Administrator’s in-house attorneys and the Fund, any information provided to the Administrator’s in-house attorneys may not be privileged and may be subject to compulsory disclosure under certain circumstances, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5. Administrator represents that it will maintain the confidentiality of information disclosed to its in-house attorneys on a best efforts basis.

 

(g)       Administrator hereby agrees that all records which it maintains for the Fund pursuant to its duties hereunder are the property of the Fund and further agrees to surrender promptly to the Fund any of such records upon any Authorized Person’s request.

 

(h)       The Administrator agrees to make available to the Fund a person acceptable to the Fund to serve as the Fund’s secretary (the “Secretary”). The Administrator shall provide an appropriately qualified employee of the Administrator (or an affiliate) who will act in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed by him or her to be in the best interests of the Fund. The Secretary will perform the duties and responsibilities customarily performed by a secretary of a registered investment company.

 

The Administrator and the Fund agree that the Secretary shall be considered an executive officer of the Fund. Accordingly, the Fund’s governing documents shall contain mandatory indemnification provisions that are applicable to the Secretary that are intended to have the effect of fully indemnifying him or her and holding him or her harmless with respect to any claims, losses, liabilities, expenses (including reasonable attorneys fees), damages and costs (“Damages”) arising out of or relating to his or her service in good faith in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interest of the Fund, except to the extent he or she would otherwise be liable to the Fund or its Investors by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.

 

The Fund shall provide coverage to the Secretary under its directors and officers liability policy that is appropriate to the Secretary’s role and title and consistent with coverage applicable to the other officers holding positions of executive management.

 

The Secretary shall have the discretion to resign from his or her position in the event that he or she reasonably determines that there has been or is likely to be (i) an ongoing pattern of conduct involving continuous or repeated violations of the 1940 Act and other applicable laws, rules and regulations, or (ii) a material deviation by the Fund from the terms of this Agreement that is not caused by the Secretary or the Administrator. The Secretary may resign from his or her position in the event that he or she determines that he or she has not received sufficient cooperation from the Fund.

 

As long as the Secretary acts in good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the Fund, and would not otherwise be liable to the Fund by reason of his or her willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties, the Fund shall indemnify the Secretary and the Administrator, hold the Secretary and the Administrator harmless from any Damages incurred by them arising out of or related to the service of such employee of the Administrator as the Secretary.

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(i)           Anti-Money Laundering (“AML”) Services

 

(i)         Background. In order to assist its clients with any obligations they may have under the USA PATRIOT Act, the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, the customer identification program rules jointly adopted by the Commission and the U.S. Treasury Department and other applicable regulations adopted thereunder (the “AML Laws”), Administrator offers various tools designed to assist in the verification of persons opening accounts with the Fund and determine whether such persons appear on any list of known or suspected terrorists or terrorist organizations. Administrator will, at the written or electronic direction of the Board, assist the Fund with its monitoring obligations under the USA PATRIOT Act by (1) at such time as directed by the Board, rejecting subscription agreements that are not accompanied by required identifying information; (2) providing an initial check of identifying information against the database (or any successor thereto) licensed by the Administrator; (3) providing an initial check of persons submitting subscription agreements against the Office of Foreign Asset Controls (“OFAC”) list; (4) upon consultation with the Board, filing a suspicious activity report (“SAR”) with the appropriate authorities; (5) permitting federal regulators access to such information and records maintained by the Administrator relating to the Administrator’s implementation of the Fund’s monitoring obligations, as they may request, and (6) permitting such federal regulators to inspect the Administrator’s implementation of such monitoring obligations on behalf of the Fund.

 

(ii)       In connection with the AML services described above, Administrator may encounter Investor activity that would require it to file a SAR with the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), as required by 31 CFR 103.15(a)(2) (“Suspicious Activity”). Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent Administrator from making a determination that it has an obligation under the USA PATRIOT Act to file a SAR relating to any Suspicious Activity, and from making such filing independent of the other party hereto. Neither Administrator nor the Fund shall disclose any SAR filed or the information included in a SAR to any third party other than affiliates of Administrator or the Fund on a need to know basis and in accordance with applicable law, rule, regulation and interpretation, that would disclose that a SAR has been filed.

 

3. Representations and Deliveries

 

(a)          The Fund shall deliver or cause the following documents to be delivered to Administrator:

 

(1)       A true and complete copy of the Governing Documents and all amendments thereto;

 

(2)       Copies of the Fund’s offering documents, as of the date of this Agreement, together with any subscription documents, if any;

 

(3)       A certificate containing the names of the initial Authorized Persons in a form acceptable to Administrator. Any officer of the Fund shall be considered an Authorized Person (unless such authority is limited in a writing from the Fund and received by Administrator) and has the authority to appoint additional Authorized Persons, to limit or revoke the authority of any previously designated Authorized Person, and to certify to Administrator the names of the Authorized Persons from time to time.

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(4)       All Investor account records in a format acceptable to Administrator, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and at the Fund’s expense.

 

(5)       All other documents, records and information that Administrator may reasonably request in order for Administrator to perform the Services hereunder.

 

(b)          The Fund represents and warrants to Administrator that:

 

(1)       It is a statutory trust duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware; it is empowered under applicable laws and by its Governing Documents to enter into and perform this Agreement; and all requisite legal proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement, including any resolutions necessary to appoint Administrator and authorize the execution of this Agreement on behalf of the Fund.

 

(2)       Any officer of the Fund has the authority to appoint additional Authorized Persons, to limit or revoke the authority of any previously designated Authorized Person, and to certify to Administrator the names of such Authorized Persons.

 

(3)       The person signing this Agreement represents and warrants he/she is duly authorized to execute this Agreement on behalf of the Fund.

 

(4)       It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with any applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule regulation, order or judgment binding on it and no provision of its Governing Documents or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

(c)          During the term of this Agreement the Fund shall have the ongoing obligation to provide Administrator with the following documents as soon as they become effective: (i) certified copies of all amendments to its Governing Documents made after the date of this Agreement; and, (ii) a copy of the Fund’s currently effective offering documents, if any. For purposes of this Agreement, Administrator shall not be deemed to have notice of any information contained in any such offering document until a reasonable time after it is actually received by Administrator.

 

(d)          The Board [and Investment Adviser] have and retain primary responsibility for all compliance matters relating to the Fund, including but not limited to compliance with all applicable provisions of the 1933 Act, the 1940 Act, state securities laws, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the policies and limitations of the Fund relating to the portfolio investments as set forth in the Governing Documents or other documents that govern the Fund’s operations. Administrator’s Services hereunder shall not relieve the Board and the Investment Adviser of their primary day-to-day responsibility for assuring such compliance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Administrator will be responsible for its own compliance with such statutes insofar as such statutes are applicable to the Services it has agreed to provide hereunder, and will promptly notify the Fund if it becomes aware of any material non-compliance which relates to the Fund.

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(e)          If the Fund receives notice of any stop order or other proceeding in any such state affecting the sale of Shares, or of any stop order or other proceeding under the federal securities laws affecting the sale of Shares, the Fund will give prompt notice thereof to Administrator.

 

(f)           The Fund agrees that it shall advise Administrator in writing at least thirty (30) days prior (or, if thirty days is not practicable, such shorter period as is reasonably necessary) to affecting any change to its offering documents, if any, or Governing Documents or adopt any policies that would materially increase or alter the duties and obligations of Administrator hereunder, and shall proceed with such change only if it shall have received the written consent of Administrator thereto.

 

(g)           Fund Instructions

 

(i)        The Board of the Fund shall cause the Investment Adviser, custodian, legal counsel, independent accountants and other service providers and agents, past or present, for the Fund to reasonably cooperate with Administrator and to provide Administrator with such information, documents and communications as necessary and/or appropriate or as requested by Administrator, to enable Administrator to perform the Services. In connection with the performance of the Services, Administrator shall (without investigation or verification) be entitled, and is hereby instructed to, rely upon any and all Instructions, communications, information or documents provided to Administrator by any Authorized Person or by any of the aforementioned persons. Administrator shall be entitled to rely on any document that it reasonably believes to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party. Fees charged by such persons shall be an expense of the Fund. Administrator shall not be held to have notice of any change of authority of any Authorized Person, agent, representative or employee of the Board, the Fund, Investment Adviser or service provider until receipt of written notice thereof from the Fund.

 

(ii)       The Fund shall provide Administrator with an updated certificate or other document, including, without limitation, Board resolutions, evidencing the appointment, removal or change of authority of any Authorized Person, it being understood Administrator shall not be held to have notice of any change in the authority of any Authorized Person until receipt of written notice thereof from the Fund.

 

(iii)      Administrator, its officers, agents or employees shall accept Instructions given to them by any person representing or acting on behalf of the Fund only if such representative is an Authorized Person. The Fund agrees that when oral Instructions are given, it shall, upon the request of Administrator, confirm such Instructions in writing.

 

(iv)      At any time, Administrator may request Instructions from the Fund with respect to any matter arising in connection with this Agreement. If such Instructions are not received within a reasonable time, Administrator may seek advice from legal counsel for the Fund at the expense of the Fund, or its own legal counsel at its own expense, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it in good faith in accordance with such instructions or in accordance with advice of counsel.

 

(h)          Administrator represents and warrants to the Fund that:

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(i)        It is a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin; it is empowered under applicable law and by its Articles of Incorporation and By-laws to enter into and perform this Agreement; and all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement.

 

(ii)       It is conducting its business in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws and regulations, both state and federal, and has obtained all regulatory approvals necessary to carry on its business as now conducted; there is no statute, rule regulation, order or judgment binding it and no provision of its operating documents or any contract binding it or affecting its property which would prohibit its execution or performance of this Agreement.

 

(iii)     Administrator will provide office space, facilities, equipment and personnel sufficient to carry out its services hereunder and Administrator shall maintain a disaster recovery and business continuity plan and adequate and reliable computer and other equipment necessary and appropriate to carry out its obligations under this Agreement. Upon the Fund’s reasonable request, Administrator shall provide supplemental information concerning the aspects of its disaster recovery and business continuity plan that are relevant to the Services.

 

(iv)      Administrator shall exercise reasonable care in the performance of the Services.

 

4. Fees and Expenses

 

(a)          As compensation for the performance of the Services, the Fund agrees to pay Administrator the fees set forth on Schedule B hereto. Fees shall be adjusted in accordance with Schedule B or as otherwise agreed to by the parties from time to time. Fees shall be earned and paid monthly in arrears. The parties may amend this Agreement to include fees for any additional services, or enhancements to current Services, as mutually agreed upon. The Fund agrees to pay Administrator’s then current rate for Services added to, or for any enhancements to existing Services set forth on, Schedule A after the execution of this Agreement. In addition, to the extent that Administrator corrects, verifies or addresses any prior actions or inactions by the Fund, the Board, or by any prior service provider, Administrator shall be entitled to additional fees as provided in Schedule B. In the event of any disagreement between this Agreement and Schedule B, the terms of Schedule B shall control.

 

(b)          For the purpose of determining fees payable to Administrator, net asset value shall be computed in accordance with the Fund’s Governing Documents, the Fund’s offering documents, if any, and Instructions. Upon any termination of this Agreement before the end of any month, the fee for such part of a month shall be pro-rated according to the proportion which such period bears to the full monthly period and shall be payable upon the date of termination of this Agreement. Should this Agreement be terminated or the Fund be liquidated, merged with or acquired by another fund, any accrued fees shall be immediately payable.

 

(c)          Administrator will bear all expenses incurred by it in connection with its performance of Services, except as otherwise provided herein. Administrator shall not be required to pay or finance any costs and expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund (except as set forth in Schedule B hereto), including, but not limited to: taxes; interest; brokerage fees and commissions; salaries, fees and expenses of Authorized Persons; Commission fees and state Blue Sky fees; advisory fees; charges of custodians, and other service providers; security pricing services; insurance premiums; outside auditing and legal expenses; costs of organization and maintenance of legal existence; taxes and fees payable to federal, state and other governmental agencies; preparation, typesetting, printing, proofing and mailing of offering documents, notices, forms and applications and proxy materials for regulatory purposes and for distribution to current Investors; preparation, typesetting, printing, proofing and mailing and other costs of Investor reports; expenses in connection with the electronic transmission of documents and information including electronic filings with the Commission and the states; research and statistical data services; expenses incidental to holding meetings of the Fund’s Investors and other Fund personnel; fees and expenses associated with Internet, e-mail and other related activities; and extraordinary expenses.

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(d)         The Fund agrees to promptly reimburse Administrator for all out-of-pocket expenses or disbursements incurred by Administrator in connection with the performance of Services under this Agreement. Out-of-pocket expenses shall include, but not be limited to, those items specified on Schedule B hereto. If requested by Administrator, out-of-pocket expenses are payable in advance. Payment of postage expenses, if prepayment is requested, is due at least seven (7) days prior to the anticipated mail date. In the event Administrator requests advance payment, Administrator shall not be obligated to incur such expenses or perform the related Service(s) until payment is received.

 

(e)         The Fund agrees to pay all amounts due hereunder within thirty (30) days of receipt of each invoice (the “Due Date”). Except as provided in Schedule B, Administrator shall bill Service fees quarterly and out-of-pocket expenses as incurred (unless prepayment is requested by Administrator). Administrator may, at its option, arrange to have various service providers submit invoices directly to the Fund for payment of reimbursable out-of-pocket expenses.

 

(f)         The Fund is aware that its failure to remit to Administrator all amounts due on or before the Due Date may cause Administrator to incur costs not contemplated by this Agreement, including, but not limited to carrying, processing and accounting charges. Accordingly, in the event that Administrator does not receive any amounts due hereunder by the Due Date, the Fund agrees to pay a late charge on the overdue amount equal to one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month or the maximum amount permitted by law, whichever is less. In addition, the Fund shall pay Administrator’s reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if any amounts due Administrator are collected by or through an attorney. The parties hereby agree that such late charge represents a fair and reasonable computation of the costs incurred by reason of the Fund’s late payment. Acceptance of such late charge shall in no event constitute a waiver by Administrator of the Fund’s default or prevent Administrator from exercising any other rights and remedies available to it.

 

(g)         In the event that any charges are disputed, the Fund shall, on or before the Due Date, pay all undisputed amounts due hereunder and notify the Administrator in writing of any disputed charges for out-of-pocket expenses which it is disputing in good faith. Payment for such disputed charges shall be due on or before the close of the fifth business day after the day on which Administrator provides documentation which an objective observer would agree reasonably supports any disputed charges (the “Revised Due Date”). Late charges shall not begin to accrue as to charges disputed in good faith until the first day after the Revised Due Date.

8  

 

(h)         The Fund acknowledges that the fees charged by Administrator under this Agreement reflect the allocation of risk between the parties, including the exclusion of remedies and limitations of liability in Section 6. Modifying the allocation of risk from what is stated herein would affect the fees that Administrator charges. Accordingly, in consideration of those fees, the Fund agrees to the stated allocation of risk.

 

5. Confidential Information

 

The Administrator agrees on behalf of itself and its employees to treat confidentially and as proprietary information of the Fund all records relative to the Fund’s Investors and any confidential information provided by any Investment Adviser, not to use such records and information for any purpose other than performance of the Services, and not to disclose such information except where the Administrator may be exposed to civil or criminal proceedings for failure to comply, when requested to divulge such information by duly constituted authorities or court process, when subject to governmental or regulatory audit or investigation, or when so requested by the Fund. In case of any requests or demands for inspection of the records of the Fund or the disclosure of any confidential information related to any Investment Adviser, the Administrator will endeavor to notify an Authorized Person promptly and to secure instructions from an Authorized Person as to such inspection or disclosure, unless prohibited by law from making such notification. Records and information which have become known to the public through no wrongful act of the Administrator or any of its employees, agents or representatives, and information which was already in the possession of the Administrator prior to the date hereof, shall not be subject to this Section. 

 

6. Limitation of Liability In addition to the limitation of liability contained in Section 3 of this Agreement:

 

(a)         Administrator shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the matters to which this Agreement relates, except for a loss resulting from the Administrator’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. Furthermore, Administrator shall not be liable for: (i) any action taken or omitted to be taken in accordance with or in reliance upon written or oral instructions, advice, data, documents or information (without investigation or verification) received by Administrator from or on behalf of the Board, an Authorized Person or an officer or representative of the Fund, or from a representative of any of the parties referenced in Section 3; (ii) its reliance on the security valuations without investigation or verification provided by pricing service(s), the Board, an Authorized Person or other representatives of the Fund; or (iii) (iii) any action taken or omission by the Fund, the Board, Investment Adviser or any past or current service provider (not including Administrator or its affiliates).

 

(b)         Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, Administrator will be excused from its obligation to perform any Service or obligation required of it hereunder for the duration that such performance is prevented by events beyond its reasonable control and shall not be liable for any default, damage, loss of data or documents, errors, delay or any other loss whatsoever caused thereby. Administrator will, however, take all reasonable steps to minimize service interruptions for any period that such interruption continues beyond its reasonable control.

9  

 

(c)         In no event and under no circumstances shall the Indemnified Parties (as defined below) or the Fund be liable to anyone, including, without limitation, the other party, under any theory of tort, contract, strict liability or other legal or equitable theory for lost profits, exemplary, punitive, special, indirect or consequential damages for any act or failure to act under any provision of this Agreement regardless of whether such damages were foreseeable and even if advised of the possibility thereof.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Administrator shall have no duty or obligation under this Agreement to inquire into, and shall not be liable for:

 

(i)        the legality of the issue or sale of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount to be received therefor, or the authority of the Fund, as the case may be, to request such sale or issuance;

 

(ii)       the legality of a subscription or tender of any Shares, the propriety of the amount to be paid therefor, or the authority of the Fund, as the case may be, to request such subscription or tender;

 

(iii)      the legality of the declaration of any dividend by the Fund, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of any dividend;

 

(iv)      the legality of any recapitalization or readjustment of Shares;

 

(v)       Administrator’s acting upon telephone or electronic instructions relating to the subscription or tender of Shares received by Administrator in accordance with procedures established by Administrator and the Fund; or

 

(vi)      the offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under the securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares be qualified for sale in such state or in violation of any stop order or determination or ruling by any state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such state.

 

(e)          The obligations of the parties under Section 6 shall indefinitely survive the termination of this Agreement. 

 

7. Indemnification

 

(a)         The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Administrator, its employees, agents, officers, directors, shareholders, affiliates and nominees (collectively, “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all Damages of every nature and character which may be asserted against or incurred by any Indemnified Party or for which any Indemnified Party may be held liable (a “Claim”), arising out of or in any way relating to any of the following:

 

(i)       any action or omission of Administrator except to the extent a Claim resulted from Administrator’s willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties hereunder;

10  

 

(ii)      Administrator’s reliance on, implementation of, or use of Instructions, communications, data, documents or information (without investigation or verification) received by Administrator from an officer or representative of the Fund, the Board, an Authorized Person, or Investment Adviser or any past or current service provider (not including Administrator or its affiliates);

 

(iii)      any action taken, or omission by the Fund, the Board, Investment Adviser or any past or current service provider (not including Administrator or its affiliates);

 

(iv)      the Fund’s refusal or failure to comply with the terms of this Agreement, or any Claim that arises out of the Fund’s gross negligence or willful misfeasance or breach of any representation or warranty of the Fund made herein;

 

(v)       the legality of the issue or sale of any Shares, the sufficiency of the amount received therefore, or the authority of the Fund, as the case may be, to have requested such sale or issuance;

 

(vi)      the legality of the declaration of any dividend by the Fund, or the legality of the issue of any Shares in payment of any dividend;

 

(vii)     the legality of any recapitalization or readjustment of Shares;

 

(viii)   Administrator’s acting upon telephone or electronic instructions relating to the subscription or tender of Shares received by Administrator in accordance with procedures established by Administrator and the Fund;

 

(ix)      the acceptance, processing and/or negotiation of a fraudulent payment for the purchase of Shares unless the result of an Indemnified Party’s willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of its duties or from reckless disregard by it of its obligations and duties under this Agreement. In the absence of a finding to the contrary, the acceptance, processing and/or negotiation of a fraudulent payment for the subscription or tender of Shares shall be presumed not to have been the result of Administrator’s or its affiliates’ willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence; and

 

(x)       the offer or sale of Shares in violation of any requirement under the securities laws or regulations of any state that such Shares be qualified for sale in such state or in violation of any stop order or determination or ruling by any state with respect to the offer or sale of such Shares in such state.

 

(b)         Administrator will notify the Fund promptly after identifying any situation which it believes presents or appears likely to present a Claim for which the Fund may be required to indemnify or hold the Indemnified Parties harmless hereunder. In such event, the Fund shall have the option to defend the Indemnified Parties against any Claim, and, in the event that the Fund so elects, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by the Fund and approved by Administrator in its reasonable discretion. The Indemnified Parties shall not confess any Claim or make any compromise in any case in which the Fund will be asked to provide indemnification, except with the Fund’s prior written consent.

11  

 

(c)         The obligations of the parties under Section 7 shall indefinitely survive the termination of this Agreement.

 

8. Term

 

(a)         This Agreement shall become effective as of the date this Agreement is executed and shall continue in effect until terminated as provided herein. This Agreement shall continue in effect for a three-year (3) period beginning on the date of this Agreement. Thereafter, if not terminated as provided herein, the Agreement shall continue automatically in effect for successive annual periods.

 

(b)         This Agreement may be terminated by either party at the end of any term, without penalty, upon not less than ninety (90) days’ written notice to the other party prior to the end of any term (which notice may be waived by the other party entitled to such notice). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon the termination of this Agreement or the liquidation of the Fund, the Administrator shall deliver the records of the Fund in the form maintained by the Administrator (to the extent permitted by applicable license agreements) to the Board or person(s) designated by the Board, including the Fund’s officers, with copies to Cliffwater LLC so long as Cliffwater LLC is an investment adviser to the Fund, at the Fund’s cost and expense, and thereafter the Board or its designee shall be solely responsible for preserving the records for the periods required by all applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Administrator shall be entitled to maintain a copy of such records for the sole purpose of defending itself against any action arising under or as a result of this Agreement or as otherwise required or permitted by law. The Fund shall be responsible for all expenses associated with the movement (or duplication) of records and materials and conversion thereof to a successor fund accounting and administrative services agent, including all reasonable trailing expenses incurred by the Administrator. In addition, in the event of termination of this Agreement, or the proposed liquidation or merger of the Fund and the Administrator’s agreement to provide additional services in connection therewith, the Administrator shall provide such services and be entitled to such compensation as the parties may mutually agree. Administrator shall not reduce the level of service provided to the Fund prior to termination following notice of termination by the Fund.

 

9. Miscellaneous

 

(a)          Any notice required or permitted to be given by either party to the other under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given when sent by either an overnight delivery service, by email, or by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to the addresses or emails, as applicable, listed below, or to such other location or email address as either party may from time to time designate in writing:

 

If to Administrator : UMB Fund Services, Inc.
  235 West Galena Street
  Milwaukee, WI 53212
  Attention: General Counsel
   
If to the Fund : Cliffwater LLC
  4640 Admiralty Way, 11 th Floor
  Marina del Rey, CA 90292
  Attention: Jonathan Rogal
  jrogal@cliffwater.com

12  

 

  with a copy to:
   
  Joshua B. Deringer, Esq.
  Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
  One Logan Square, Ste. 2000
  18th & Cherry Streets
  Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996
  215-988-2700
  Joshua.Deringer@dbr.com

  

(b)         Except as provided to the contrary herein, this Agreement may not be amended or modified in any manner except by a written agreement executed by both parties with the formality of this Agreement.

 

(c)         This Agreement shall be governed by Wisconsin law, excluding the laws on conflicts of laws. To the extent that the applicable laws of the State of Wisconsin, or any of the provisions herein, conflict with the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, the latter shall control, and nothing herein shall be construed in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act or any rule or order of the Commission thereunder. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by competent authority to be prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction. In such case, the parties shall in good faith modify or substitute such provision consistent with the original intent of the parties.

 

(d)         This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original agreement but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. The facsimile or electronic signature of any party to this Agreement shall constitute the valid and binding execution hereof by such party.

 

(e)         The services of Administrator hereunder are not deemed exclusive. Administrator may render administration, fund accounting and recordkeeping services and any other services to others.

 

(f)         The captions in the Agreement are included for convenience of reference only, and in no way define or limit any of the provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.

 

(g)         This Agreement is executed by the Fund and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon officers or Investors, individually.

13  

 

(h)          This Agreement and the Schedules incorporated herein constitute the full and complete understanding and agreement of Administrator and the Fund and supersedes all prior negotiations, understandings and agreements with respect to fund accounting, administration and recordkeeping functions.

 

(i)          Except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement does not in any way affect any other agreements entered into among the parties hereto and any actions taken or omitted by any party hereunder shall not affect any rights or obligations of any other party hereunder.

 

(j)          Administrator shall retain all right, title and interest in any and all computer programs, screen formats, report formats, procedures, data bases, interactive design techniques, derivative works, inventions, discoveries, patentable or copyrightable matters, concepts, expertise, trade secrets, trademarks and other related legal rights provided, developed by Administrator in connection with the Services provided by Administrator to the Fund hereunder.

14  

 

(k)         This Agreement shall extend to and shall be binding upon the parties hereto, and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement shall not be assignable by either party without the written consent of the other party, provided, however, that Administrator may, in its sole discretion and upon advance written notice to the Fund, assign all its right, title and interest in this Agreement to an affiliate, parent or subsidiary, or to the purchaser of substantially all of its business.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by a duly authorized officer as of the day, month and year first above written.

 

  CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND
  (“Fund”)
       
  By: /s/ Lance Johnson  
       
  Title Treasurer  
       
  UMB FUND SERVICES, INC.
  (“Administrator”)
       
  By: /s/ Maureen Quill  
       
  Title: EVP – Executive Director, Registered Funds  

15  

 

Schedule A

to the

Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement

by and between

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

and

UMB Fund Services, Inc.

 

Services

  

General

 

Provide office space, facilities, equipment, and personnel to carry out the Services.

 

Fund Administration Services

 

1. General Fund Management:

a. Provide appropriate personnel, office facilities, information technology, record keeping and other resources as necessary for the Administrator to perform its duties and responsibilities under this agreement;

b. Act as liaison among all Fund service providers.

2. Coordinate Board activities:

a. Assist in establishing meeting agendas with the Investment Adviser, legal counsel and/or Board as requested by the Fund;

b. Prepare Board reports based on financial and administrative data as requested by the Board. Coordinate the preparation, assembly, and mailing of board books in hard copy or electronic (PDF) format for quarterly Board meetings;

c. Assist in securing and monitoring the directors and officers liability coverage and fidelity bond for the Funds;

d. Attend Board meetings, either in person or telephonically, and prepare a first draft of the meeting minutes, as requested by the Board;

 

3. Financial Reporting and Audits:

a. Prepare quarterly, semi-annual and annual schedules and financial statements including schedule of investments and the related statements of operations, assets and liabilities, changes in net assets and cash flow (if required), and financial highlights to each financial statement;

b. Draft footnotes to financial statements for approval by the Funds’ officers and independent accountants

c. Provide facilities, information and personnel as necessary to accommodate annual audits with the Funds’ independent accountants or examinations by the SEC or other regulatory authorities

16  

 

4. Compliance:

a. On a monthly basis, assist the Investment Adviser in monitoring compliance with (i) investment restrictions described in each Fund’s registration statement, (ii) SEC diversification requirements, as applicable, (iii) its status as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, specifically asset diversification requirements, qualifying income requirements, and distribution requirements.

5. Expenses:

a. Prepare annual Fund-level and class-level budgets and update on a periodic basis;

b. Coordinate the payment of expenses;

c. Establish accruals and provide to the Funds’ Fund Accountant;

d. Provide expense summary reporting as reasonably requested by the Fund.

6. Filings:

a. Assist in the preparation of Form N-2 filings and required updates, including:

i. Preparation of expense table;

ii. Provide performance information;

iii. Preparation of shareholder expense transaction and annual fund operating expense examples; and

iv. Provide Investment Advisor and trustee fee data.

b. File Form N-PX based on information provided by the Investment Adviser or its delegate;

c. Assist in compiling exhibits and disclosures for Form N-CSR and file when approved by the principal officers of the Funds;

d. Compile data, prepare timely notices and file with the SEC pursuant to Rule 24f-2 and Form N-SAR;

e. Prepare and file Form N-Q;

f. File Rule 17g-1 fidelity bond filing when received from the Funds or broker.

7. Other:

a. Calculate dividend and capital gain distributions, subject to review and approval by the Funds’ officers and independent accountants;

b. Calculate standard performance, as defined by Rule 482 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as requested by the Fund;

c. Report performance and other portfolio information to outside reporting agencies as directed by the Investment Adviser;

d. Prepare and file state securities qualification/notice compliance filings, with the advice of the Fund’s legal counsel, upon and in accordance with instructions from the Fund, which instructions will include the states to qualify in, the amount of Shares to initially and subsequently qualify and the warning threshold to be maintained; promptly prepare an amendment to a Fund’s notice permit to increase the offering amount as necessary;

e. Provide periodic updates on recent accounting, tax and regulatory events affecting the Funds and/or Investment Adviser.

f. Assist the Funds during SEC audits, including providing applicable documents from the SEC’s document request list;

g. Maintain a regulatory compliance calendar listing various Board approval and SEC filing dates.

17  

 

Fund Accounting Services

 

1. Cash Processing:

a. Provide the Investment Adviser, sub-adviser(s), and/or delegate with a daily report of cash and projected cash;

b. Maintain cash and position reconciliations with custodian(s) and prime brokers.

2. Investment Accounting and Securities Processing:

a. Maintain daily portfolio records for each Fund, using security information provided by the Investment Adviser or sub-adviser(s);

b. On a daily basis, process non-discretionary corporate action activity and discretionary corporate action activity upon receipt of instructions from the Investment Adviser;

c. On each day a net asset value is calculated, record the prices for every portfolio position using sources approved by the Board of Trustees;

d. On each business day, record interest and dividend accruals, on a book basis, for the portfolio securities held in each Fund and calculate and record the gross earnings on investments for that day. Account for daily or periodic distributions of income to shareholders and maintain undistributed income balances each day;

e. On each business day, determine gains and losses on portfolio securities sales on a book basis. Account for periodic distributions of gains to shareholders of each Fund and maintain undistributed gain or loss balance as of each day;

f. Provide the Investment Adviser with standard daily/periodic portfolio reports for each Fund as mutually agreed upon.

3. General Ledger Accounting and Reconciliation:

a. On each business day, calculate the amount of expense accruals according to the methodology, rates or dollar amounts provided by the Investment Adviser or the Funds’ Administrator. Account for expenditures and maintain accrual balances at a level of accounting detail specified by the Investment Adviser;

b. Account for purchases, sales, exchanges, transfers, reinvested distributions, and other activity related to the shares of each Fund as reported by the Funds’ Transfer Agent. Reconcile activity to the transfer agency records;

c. Review outstanding trade, income, or reclaim receivable/payable balances with the appropriate party;

d. Maintain and keep current all books and records of the Funds as required by Section 31 of the 1940 Act, and the rules thereunder, in connection with the Fund Accountant’s duties hereunder.

 

4. Compute NAV in accordance with Fund procedures:

a. Calculate the net asset value per share and other per-share amounts on the basis of shares outstanding reported by the Funds’ Transfer Agent.

18  

 

b. Issue daily reports detailing per share information of each Fund to such persons (including Transfer Agent, NASDAQ and other reporting agencies) as directed by the Investment Adviser.

 

Tax Administration Services

 

1. Prepare tax work schedules for both excise tax and income tax provision purposes, calculating dividend and capital gains distributions subject to review and approval by the Fund’s officers and their independent accountants.

 

2. Review any complex corporate actions prepared by fund accounting for unique tax issues.

 

3. Include the appropriate tax adjustment for wash sales, identified by third-party services, for inclusion in financial information, distributions and tax returns.

 

4. Include the appropriate tax adjustments for Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) holdings, identified by third-party services and/or provided by the Investment Adviser, in tax work schedules. Assist the Investment Adviser in determining either the marked-to-market or Qualified Electing Fund (QEF) election. If the QEF election is chosen, the Investment Adviser will work with the underlying PFIC to procure and provide the required QEF Statement to the Fund, as well as an estimate for the excise tax calculation and the distribution.

 

5. Prepare for review by the Fund’s independent accountants the financial statement book/tax differences (e.g., capital accounts) and footnote disclosures.

 

6. Assist the Funds in monitoring and maintaining documentation associated with ASC 740-10 (Financial Interpretation Number 48 Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes).

 

7. Assist the Fund’s independent accountants in the preparation and filing, for execution by the Fund’s officers, of all federal income and excise tax returns and the Fund’s state income tax returns (and such other required tax filings as may be agreed to by the parties) other than those required to be made by the Fund’s custodian or Transfer Agent, subject to review, approval and signature by the Fund’s officers and the Fund’s independent accountants.

 

8. Prepare analysis in determining qualified dividend income amounts for notification to shareholders and prepare ICI Primary and Secondary Layouts for shareholder reporting.

 

9. Prepare Forms 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income for board members and other required Fund vendors.

 

10. If the Fund is considered to be a non-publicly offered RIC, calculate the affected RIC expenses to be allocated to each affect investor and assist the Transfer Agent with including the information in a statement to the shareholder.

19  

 

Recordkeeping Services

 

1. Set up and maintain Shareholder accounts and records

 

2. Follow-up with prospects who return incomplete applications

 

3. Store account documents electronically

 

4. Receive and respond to Shareholder account inquiries by telephone or mail, or by e-mail if the response does not require the reference to specific Shareholder account information

 

5. Process purchase and repurchase orders, transfers, and exchanges, including automatic purchases and repurchases via postal mail, telephone and personal delivery, provided payment for shares is in the form of a check, wire transfer or requested ACH, or such other means as the parties shall mutually agree

 

6. Process dividend payments by check, wire or ACH, or reinvest dividends

 

7. Issue daily transaction confirmations and monthly or quarterly statements

 

8. Issue comprehensive clerical confirmation statements for maintenance transactions

 

9. Provide cost basis statements

 

10. Provide information for the mailing of Prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports, and other Shareholder communications to existing shareholders

 

11. File IRS Forms 1099, 5498, 1042, 1042-S and 945 with shareholders and/or the IRS

 

12. Handle load and multi-class processing, including rights of accumulation and purchases by letters of intent

 

13. Calculate plan fees and payments under shareholder servicing plans

 

14. Provide standards to structure forms and applications for efficient processing

 

15. Provide basic report access for up to four (4) people

 

16. Assist the Fund in complying with Federal Trade Commission Rule 681.2 adopted under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (the “Red Flags Rule”) by monitoring/handling shareholder accounts in accordance with the Fund’s identity theft prevention program and reporting any possible instances of identity theft to the Fund

 

17. Conduct periodic postal clean-up

20  

 

Schedule B

to the

Administration, Fund Accounting and Recordkeeping Agreement

by and between

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

and

UMB Fund Services, Inc.

 

Fees

 

[Fees]

 

21

 

EXPENSE LIMITATION AND REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT

 

AGREEMENT made as of the 26th day of February, 2019 by and among Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”) and Cliffwater LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“the Investment Manager”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

WHEREAS, the Investment Manager acts as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an Investment Management Agreement with the Fund (the “Investment Management Agreement”);

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the Fund engaging the Investment Manager pursuant to the Investment Management Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the parties to this Agreement agree as follows:

 

1.          Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Fund’s Prospectus as currently in effect.

 

2.          The Investment Manager agrees with the Fund to waive fees that it would otherwise have been paid, and/or to assume expenses of the Fund (a “Waiver”) if required to ensure the Total Annual Expenses of the Fund (excluding any taxes, fees and interest payments on borrowed funds, distribution and servicing fees, brokerage and distribution costs and expenses, acquired fund fees and expenses (as determined in accordance with SEC Form N-2), expenses incurred in connection with any merger or reorganization, and extraordinary or non-routine expenses, such as litigation expenses) do not exceed 2.25% of the average daily net assets of Class A Shares and Class I Shares (the “Expense Limit”).

 

3.          Unless earlier terminated by the Fund, this Agreement will have an initial term ending two (2) years from the date of commencement of the Fund’s operations, and during such initial term this Agreement may not be terminated by the Investment Manager. This Agreement will automatically renew for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, and the Agreement may not be terminated by the Investment Manager other than as of the end of the then current term. Subject to the initial two sentences of this paragraph, any party may terminate this Agreement upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other party.

 

4.          For a period not to exceed (3) three years from the date on which a Waiver is made, the Investment Manager may recoup amounts waived or assumed, provided the Investment Manager is able to effect such recoupment and the Fund will remain in compliance with the Expense Limit in place at the time of the Waiver and the current Expense Limit at the time of the recoupment. To the extent that such recoupment is due, the Fund shall effect such payment as promptly as possible. To the extent that the full amount of such waived amount or expense assumed cannot be recouped as provided in the previous sentence within such applicable three-year period, such recoupment right shall be extinguished.

 

5.          If this Agreement is terminated by the Fund, the Fund agrees to pay to the Investment Manager any amounts payable pursuant to paragraph 4 that have not been previously paid and, subject to the Investment Company Act, such payment will be made to the Investment Manager not later than (3) three years from the date on which a Waiver was made by the Investment Manager (regardless of the date of termination of this Agreement), so long as the Investment Manager is able to effect such recoupment and the Fund will remain in compliance with the Expense Limit as if such Expense Limit was still in effect. If this Agreement is terminated by the Investment Manager, the Fund agrees to pay to the Investment Manager any amounts payable pursuant to paragraph 4 that have not been previously paid and, subject to the Investment Company Act, such payment will be made to the Investment Manager not later than thirty (30) days after the termination of this Agreement, so long as the Investment Manager is able to effect such recoupment and remain in compliance with the Expense Limit as if such Expense Limit was still in effect.

 

 

 

6.          This Agreement will be construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Delaware and the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act. To the extent the applicable law of the State of Delaware, or any of the provisions in this Agreement, conflict with the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act, the applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act will control.

 

7.          This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties to this Agreement with respect to the matters described in this Agreement.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

2

 

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

 

  CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  
       
  /s/ Lance Johnson  
  By: Lance J. Johnson  
  Title: Treasurer  
       
  CLIFFWATER LLC  
       
  /s/ Stephen Nesbitt  
  By: Stephen Nesbitt  
  Title: Chief Executive Officer  

 

3

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  

(the “Fund”)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Stephen Nesbitt, Lance J. Johnson, Ann Maurer and Joshua B. Deringer, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such attorney-in-fact’s name, place and stead, to sign any and all Initial Registration Statements, and any Pre-Effective Amendments and/or Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements of the Fund on Form N-2 and any filings made with any state regulatory agency or authority, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state regulatory agency or authority, as appropriate, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney to be effective as of this 20 day of February, 2019.

 

Signature: /s/ David G. Lee  
     
Name: David G. Lee  
Title: Trustee  

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  

(the “Fund”)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Stephen Nesbitt, Lance J. Johnson, Ann Maurer and Joshua B. Deringer, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such attorney-in-fact’s name, place and stead, to sign any and all Initial Registration Statements, and any Pre-Effective Amendments and/or Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements of the Fund on Form N-2 and any filings made with any state regulatory agency or authority, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state regulatory agency or authority, as appropriate, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney to be effective as of this 21 day of February, 2019.

 

Signature: /s/ Robert Seyferth  
     
Name: Robert Seyferth  
Title: Trustee  

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  

(the “Fund”)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Stephen Nesbitt, Lance J. Johnson, Ann Maurer, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such attorney-in-fact’s name, place and stead, to sign any and all Initial Registration Statements, and any Pre-Effective Amendments and/or Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements of the Fund on Form N-2 and any filings made with any state regulatory agency or authority, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state regulatory agency or authority, as appropriate, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney to be effective as of this 21 day of February, 2019.

 

Signature: /s/ Anthony J. Fischer  
     
Name: Anthony J. Fischer  
Title: Trustee  

 

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND

(the “Fund”)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Stephen Nesbitt, Lance J. Johnson, Ann Maurer, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such attorney-in-fact’s name, place and stead, to sign any and all Initial Registration Statements, and any Pre-Effective Amendments and/or Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements of the Fund on Form N-2 and any filings made with any state regulatory agency or authority, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state regulatory agency or authority, as appropriate, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney to be effective as of this 21 day of February, 2019.

 

Signature: /s/ Gary Shugrue  
     
Name: Gary Shugrue  
Title: Trustee  

 

 

CLIFFWATER CORPORATE LENDING FUND  

(the “Fund”)

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned constitutes and appoints each of Stephen Nesbitt, Lance J. Johnson, Ann Maurer, as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution for such attorney-in-fact in such attorney-in-fact’s name, place and stead, to sign any and all Initial Registration Statements, and any Pre-Effective Amendments and/or Post-Effective Amendments to the Registration Statements of the Fund on Form N-2 and any filings made with any state regulatory agency or authority, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission or any state regulatory agency or authority, as appropriate, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Power of Attorney to be effective as of this 25 day of February, 2019.

 

Signature: /s/ Terrance P. Gallagher  
     
Name: Terrance P. Gallagher  
Title: Trustee  

 

 

  (DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LOGO)

 

 

Law Offices

 

One Logan Square
Suite 2000
Philadelphia, PA
19103-6996

 

215-988-2700

215-988-2757 fax

www.drinkerbiddle.com

 

CALIFORNIA

DELAWARE

ILLINOIS

NEW JERSEY

NEW YORK

PENNSYLVANIA

TEXAS

WASHINGTON D.C.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Established 1849

 

February 28, 2019

 

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

c/o UMB Fund Services, Inc.

235 West Galena Street

Milwaukee, WI 53212

 

RE: Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Fund”), in connection with the filing of the Fund’s registration statement including any amendment thereto (the “Registration Statement”) to register under the Securities Act of 1933 shares of beneficial interest representing interests in the Fund. The Fund offers two classes of shares (Class I and Class A) (the “Shares”). The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares.

 

We have reviewed the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and resolutions adopted by the Board of Trustees, and have considered such other legal and factual matters as we have considered necessary.

 

This opinion is based exclusively on the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

We have assumed the following for this opinion:

 

1.          The Shares will be issued in accordance with the Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust, its By-Laws and resolutions of the Board of Trustees relating to the creation, authorization and issuance of the Shares.

 

2.          The Shares will be issued against consideration therefor as described in the Fund’s prospectus relating thereto, and that such consideration will have been at least equal to the applicable net asset value.

 

Based on the foregoing, it is our opinion that:



 

 

February 28, 2019

Page 2

 

1.          The Shares to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement have been duly authorized for issuance by the Fund; and

 

2.          When issued and paid for upon the terms provided in the Registration Statement, the Shares to be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable by the Fund and that the holders of the Shares will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to shareholders of private corporations for profit organized under the general corporation law of the State of Delaware (except that we express no opinion as to such holders who are also Trustees of the Fund).

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement of the Fund.

 

We hereby consent to the use of our name and to the references to our Firm under the caption “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; Legal Counsel” in the Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information included in the Registration Statement. This consent does not constitute a consent under Section 7 of the 1933 Act, 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.

 

  Very truly yours,  
  /s/ Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP  
  DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP  

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-2 our report dated January 11, 2019, relating to the financial statements of Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund (the “Fund”) as of January 3, 2019, and to all references to our firm included in or made a part of this Pre-Effective Amendment under the Securities Act of 1933 and Pre-Effective Amendment under the Investment Company Act of 1940 to the Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund Registration Statement on Form N-2.

 

Cohen & Company, Ltd.

Chicago, Illinois

February 25, 2019

 

(LOGO)

 

Code of Ethics

 

Cliffwater LLC (“Cliffwater”) is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Cliffwater has adopted the policies and procedures set forth in this Code of Ethics (this “Code”), which govern the activities of each officer, member and employee of Cliffwater (collectively, the “employees”).

 

I. Code of Conduct

 

This Code sets forth the standard of business conduct that Cliffwater requires of all its employees to comply with applicable federal securities laws, establishes policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, non-public information and sets forth provisions regarding personal securities transactions by employees.

 

Because Cliffwater is a fiduciary to its clients, Cliffwater is committed to maintaining the highest legal and ethical standards and to refraining from engaging in activities that may create actual or apparent conflicts of interest between Cliffwater or its employees, on the one hand, and Cliffwater’s clients, on the other hand.

 

Cliffwater seeks to ensure that federal securities laws are not violated, that client confidences are maintained, and that conflicts of interest are avoided or properly managed. This Code is intended to educate employees about these issues and Cliffwater’s policies and procedures to ensure, to the extent feasible, that Cliffwater satisfies its obligations with respect to these issues. By doing so, Cliffwater expects that the highest ethical standards are maintained by Cliffwater and its employees and that the reputation of Cliffwater is sustained.

 

Cliffwater has adopted the following general policies and procedures:

 

Employees must act for the benefit of clients and place client interests before their own or the interests of Cliffwater.

 

Employees must exercise reasonable care and judgment in providing services to clients.

 

Employees must deal fairly and objectively with all clients and prospects.

 

Employees must not engage in any conduct involving dishonesty, fraud or other act that reflects adversely on their integrity or that of Cliffwater.

 

Employees must understand, uphold, and comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations related to Cliffwater’s business activities.

 

Employees must disclose all matters that could reasonably be expected to impair their independence and objectivity in their duty to clients or Cliffwater.

 

Employees must keep confidential all information about clients including information about the funds researched for client investment. All such information may only be used for the benefit of clients and/or Cliffwater.

 

Employees who possess material non-public information that could affect the value of an investment must not act on such information.

 

Employees must conduct their personal investing activities in a manner to avoid actual or potential conflicts of interest with clients or Cliffwater itself. No employee may use his or her position with Cliffwater, or any investment opportunities he or she learns of because of his or her position with Cliffwater, to the detriment of clients or Cliffwater.

Page 1 of 16 

 

In addition, Cliffwater has adopted the following policies and procedures with respect to its business practices:

 

Investment professionals must make reasonable inquiry into a client’s objectives, financial situation, and constraints before making investment recommendations.

 

Investment professionals must exercise diligence, independence and thoroughness in analyzing investments and making investment recommendations.

 

Investment recommendations and analysis must have a reasonable and adequate basis and be supported by appropriate research and investigation.

 

Investment professionals must make reasonable efforts to ensure that investment information presented is fair, accurate and complete, and must not knowingly misrepresent facts related to investment analysis or other professional activities.

 

Any matters that could represent a conflict or potential conflict between a client’s interest and Cliffwater’s interest must be adequately disclosed to the client.

 

II. Fiduciary Obligations

 

A. General Fiduciary Principles

 

By nature of its relationship with clients and as a registered investment adviser, Cliffwater is considered a fiduciary. Some of the general fiduciary principles applicable to Cliffwater include the following:

 

Disinterested Advice – Cliffwater must provide advice that is in the best interest of its clients.

 

Disclosure of Conflicts of Interest – Cliffwater must disclose material facts regarding the advisory services being provided and any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise from providing such services. Such disclosures will generally be made in investment advisory agreements with clients and/or Form ADV, Part 2A.

 

Fraud – Cliffwater shall not employ any device, scheme, or artifice to defraud any prospective or current client.

 

Suitable Advice – Cliffwater is obligated to make suitable recommendations to clients that are consistent with the clients’ investment objectives, which are generally set forth in the investment advisory agreements with clients.

 

An investment adviser’s fiduciary duty is made enforceable by the SEC by Section 206 of the Advisers Act (the “Antifraud Provision”), and is incorporated into the Advisers Act in various provisions and disclosure requirements. The Antifraud Provision generally makes it unlawful for an investment adviser to engage in fraudulent, deceptive, or manipulative conduct.

 

The Antifraud Provision applies to all investment advisers, whether registered or not. A violation of the Antifraud Provision may be based on an affirmative misstatement or the failure to disclose material facts. A person can be found to have violated the Antifraud Provision even if the person acted unintentionally. The SEC may bring an enforcement action under the Antifraud Provision even if there is no actual injury to a client.

Page 2 of 16 

 

B. Escalation

 

If an employee becomes aware of potential legal, regulatory or ethical misconduct, he or she must report it to Cliffwater’s Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”). An employee must also notify the CCO if he or she has any reason to believe that a violation of this Code has occurred or is about to occur. Reporting misconduct and escalating potential issues or problems promptly is critical to promoting and maintaining Cliffwater’s reputation for integrity and fair dealing. Specifically, employees should escalate the following:

 

Legal, regulatory or ethical violations;

 

Violations of a Cliffwater policy;

 

Potential money laundering or other suspicious activity;

 

Concerns regarding the integrity of Cliffwater’s accounting practices, internal controls; auditing matters or public filings; and

 

Improper behavior by other employees or clients.

 

C. Firm Procedures Concerning Fiduciary Duty

 

The CCO has a continuing duty, along with all employees, to protect the interests of each client. The CCO seeks to determine, in connection with periodic reviews of Cliffwater’s operating activities, if Cliffwater is satisfying its fiduciary obligations and not placing its proprietary interests before those of any client.

 

To that end, the CCO analyzes certain activities such as:

 

Employee personal trading activities;

 

Outside business activities of employees;

 

Statements made by Cliffwater or its employees in marketing and advertising materials; and

 

Investment allocations among clients.

 

III. Protection of Material, Non-public and Other Confidential Information and Prevention of Insider Trading and Tipping

 

A. Need for Policy

 

Cliffwater and its employees may have access to confidential information about its clients, investment advice provided to clients, securities transactions being affected for clients’ accounts and other sensitive information. In addition, from time to time, Cliffwater or its employees may come into possession of information that is ‘material’ and ‘non-public’ (each as defined below) concerning a company or the trading market for its securities.

 

Section 204A of the Advisers Act requires that Cliffwater establish, maintain and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent Cliffwater and its employees from misusing material, non-public information in violation of federal securities laws, rules and regulations. Employee violations of the laws against insider trading and tipping can expose Cliffwater and any employee involved to severe criminal and civil liability. In addition, Cliffwater and its employees have ethical and legal responsibilities to maintain the confidences of Cliffwater’s clients, and to protect as valuable assets confidential and proprietary information Cliffwater has developed or that has been entrusted to Cliffwater.

Page 3 of 16 

 

Although Cliffwater respects the right of its employees to engage in personal investment activities, it is important that Cliffwater avoid any appearance of impropriety and remain in full compliance with the law and a high standard of ethics. Accordingly, employees must exercise good judgment when engaging in securities transactions and when relating to others regarding information obtained as a result of employment with Cliffwater. If an employee has any doubt whether a particular situation requires refraining from making an investment or sharing information with others, this doubt should be resolved against taking this action and should be discussed immediately with the CCO.

 

Cliffwater employees are prohibited from using information obtained as a result of employment with Cliffwater for manipulative, deceptive or fraudulent purposes. The kinds of activities prohibited include ‘front-running,’ ‘scalping’ and trading on inside information. ‘Front-running’ refers to a practice whereby a person takes a position in a security in order to profit based on his or her advance knowledge of upcoming trading by clients in that security which is expected to affect the market price. ‘Scalping’ refers to a similar abuse of client accounts, and means the practice of taking a position in a security before recommending it to clients or effecting transactions on behalf of clients, and then selling out the employee’s personal position after the price of the security has risen on the basis of the recommendation or client transactions.

 

Depending upon the circumstances, Cliffwater and any employee involved may be exposed to potential insider trading or tipping liability under the federal securities laws if Cliffwater or any employee advises clients concerning, or executes transactions in, publicly-traded securities for which Cliffwater possesses material, non-public information.

 

When necessary, Cliffwater seeks to control the dissemination of non-public or confidential information within a particular team (or entity). An effective information barrier permits sales, trading, risk arbitrage and other activities to continue in the ordinary course of business even though another team is in possession of inside or confidential information.

 

Employees should not disclose material, non-public information to any person inside or outside Cliffwater, except to the extent that the person has a bona fide “need to know” in order to carry out Cliffwater’s business, including management and supervisory functions and the administration of Cliffwater's compliance policies and procedures. Even after trading in a security has been placed on a restricted list, the dissemination of material, non-public information concerning or relating to the security should continue to be on a need to know basis only.

 

B. General Policies and Procedures Concerning Insider Trading and Tipping

 

Cliffwater has adopted the following policies and procedures to (i) ensure the propriety of employee trading activity; (ii) protect and segment the flow of material, non-public and other confidential information relating to client advice and securities transactions, as well as other confidential information; (iii) avoid possible conflicts of interest; and (iv) identify trades that may violate the prohibitions against insider trading, tipping, front-running, scalping and other manipulative and deceptive devices contained in federal and state securities laws and rules.

 

No employee shall engage in transactions in any publicly-traded securities while in possession of material, non-public information regarding the securities (so-called “insider trading”). Nor shall any employee communicate this material, non-public information to any person who might use the information to purchase or sell publicly-traded securities (so-called “tipping”). The term “securities” includes options or derivative instruments on those securities and other securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for those securities.

 

An employee who does not trade securities but learns of material, non-public information from a corporate insider (or someone who has breached a duty of trust or confidence to the source of the information), and then shares the information with someone else (the “Tipper”) who trades in securities, can be liable for the trading done by the person to whom the employee passed the information (the “Tippee”). Thus, the Tipper is subject to liability for insider trading if the Tippee trades, even if the Tipper does not. Therefore, it is important never to pass on material, non-public information regarding publicly-traded securities to anyone who may trade while aware of that information or who may pass it on to others that may trade. The Tippee may be subject to liability for insider trading if the Tippee knows, or should have known, that the Tipper breached a duty of trust or confidence.

Page 4 of 16 

 

1.    “ Material : The question of whether information is “ material ” is not always easily resolved. Generally speaking, information is “material” where there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable investor could consider the information important in deciding whether to buy or sell the securities in question, or where the information, if disclosed, could be viewed by a reasonable investor as having significantly altered the “total mix” of information available. Where the non-public information relates to a possible or contingent event, materiality depends upon a balancing of both the probability that the event will occur and the anticipated magnitude of the event in light of the totality of the activities of the issuer involved. Common, but by no means exclusive, examples of “material” information include information concerning a company’s sales, earnings, dividends, significant acquisitions or mergers and major litigation. So-called “market information,” such as information concerning an impending securities transaction, may also, depending upon the circumstances, be “material.” Because materiality determinations are often challenged with the benefit of hindsight, if an employee has any doubt whether certain information is “material,” this doubt should be resolved against trading or communicating this information.

 

2.    “ Non-public : Information is “ non-public ” until it has been made available to investors generally. In this respect, one must be able to point to some fact to show that the information is generally public, such as inclusion in reports filed with the SEC or press releases issued by the issuer of the securities, or reference to this information in publications of general circulation such as The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times . In general, information may be presumed to have been made available to investors after two business days from the formal release of this information.

 

3.    “ Advisory Information : Information concerning (i) what securities investment managers are following; (ii) specific recommendations investment managers make to clients; (iii) prospective securities transactions of Cliffwater clients; or (iv) clients’ current holdings (together, “Advisory Information”) is strictly confidential. Under some circumstances, Advisory Information may be material and non-public.

 

4.     Prohibitions : In handling information obtained as a result of employment with Cliffwater, employees:

 

Shall not disclose material, non-public or other confidential information (including Advisory Information) to anyone, inside or outside Cliffwater (including family members), except on a strict need-to-know basis and under circumstances that make it reasonable to believe that the information will not be misused or improperly disclosed by the recipient;

 

Shall promptly notify the CCO upon receiving material, non-public information regarding a business development company (“BDC”) in order to maintain Cliffwater’s BDC restricted list;

 

Shall refrain from recommending or suggesting that any person engage in transactions in any publicly-traded security while in possession of material, non-public information about that security; and

Page 5 of 16 

 

Shall abstain from transactions, for their own personal accounts or for the account of any client, in any publicly-traded security while in possession of material, non-public information regarding that security.

 

C. Protection of Material, Non-public Information

 

An investment firm or other company may, as a means to seek investors in securities issued by it, send to Cliffwater materials that contain material, non-public or other confidential information. Typically, these materials will be accompanied by a transmittal letter that indicates the confidential nature of the enclosed materials and that the opening of the inner package constitutes an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of the information. In this circumstance, any employee receiving any of these materials should consider the material to be non-public confidential information and treat that information accordingly.

 

If an employee should come into possession of information concerning any publicly-traded company or the market for its securities that the employee believes may be material and non-public, the employee may not act on such information. In addition, the employee shall not engage in transactions (or recommend or suggest that any person engage in transactions) in the securities to which the information relates, without the prior written approval of the CCO. Furthermore, should an employee receive material, non-public information regarding a BDC, the employee must promptly notify the CCO upon receipt. The CCO will then include the respective BDC on the BDC restricted list in order to avoid trading this security on behalf of clients until the BDC can be removed from the restricted list.

 

D. Protection of Other Confidential Information

 

Cliffwater and its personnel may have access to confidential information about its clients, investment advice provided to clients, securities transactions being affected for clients’ accounts, information about fund managers and other sensitive information. Cliffwater generally keeps all such information strictly confidential. However, some managers and other third parties require that Cliffwater enter into a non-disclosure agreement to protect their confidential information. Requests to sign Confidentiality Agreements regarding receipt of confidential information should be reviewed by legal counsel, and signed by the General Counsel (or in his/her absence, another authorized member of Cliffwater’s executive management) .

 

Information relating to another employee’s medical, financial, employment, legal, or personal affairs is confidential and may not be disclosed to any person, within or outside of Cliffwater, without the employee’s consent or for a proper purpose the CCO or another authorized member of Cliffwater’s executive management has authorized.

 

E. Procedures to Safeguard Material, Non-Public and Other Confidential Information

 

In handling material, non-public and other confidential information, including Advisory Information, employees shall take appropriate steps to safeguard the confidentiality of this information. When reviewing or working on any confidential documents, employees should be careful not to leave documents open in a public setting that would permit others to see the documents, such as in airplanes or other public spaces.

 

IV. Rules Governing Personal Securities Transactions

 

All Cliffwater personnel must conduct their personal investing activities in a manner to avoid actual or potential conflicts of interest with Cliffwater’s clients or Cliffwater itself. No employee may use his or her position with Cliffwater, or any investment opportunities he or she learns of because of his or her position with Cliffwater, to the detriment of Cliffwater’s clients and/or Cliffwater itself.

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Cliffwater has adopted policies and procedures to meet its responsibilities to clients and to comply with SEC rules. Violations may result in the SEC or state regulators taking law enforcement action against Cliffwater and its employees, and/or Cliffwater taking disciplinary action against any employee involved in the violation, including termination of employment.

 

A. Who is Covered by these Requirements?

 

Each Cliffwater employee and members of his or her immediate family (including spouse, children, stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, siblings, persons with whom an employee has an adoptive or ‘in- law’ relationship, or any relatives to whose support the employee materially contributes, either directly or indirectly) and who shares the employee’s household (“Immediate Family”) are subject to Cliffwater’s policies and procedures on personal securities transactions, with the limited exceptions noted below.

 

B. What Accounts are Covered?

 

These policies and procedures cover all personal securities brokerage or trading accounts as to which a Cliffwater employee or a member of the employee’s Immediate Family has “beneficial ownership.” For purposes of these requirements, “beneficial ownership” has the same meaning as in Rule 16a-1(a)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Generally, a person has beneficial ownership of a security if he or she, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the security. An indirect pecuniary interest includes (i) securities held by a member of a person’s Immediate Family, (ii) a persons’ interest in securities held by a trust, and (iii) a person’s right to acquire securities through the exercise of a derivative security. The definition of “beneficial ownership” is complex, and if a Cliffwater employee has any question whether he or she has a beneficial interest in a security, the employee should consult with the CCO.

 

C. What Securities are Covered by these Requirements?

 

All securities (and derivative forms thereof including options and futures contracts) are covered by these requirements except (i) securities which are direct obligations of the United States, such as Treasury bills, notes and bonds and U.S. savings bonds and derivatives thereof and (ii) shares of open-end mutual funds other than those that are advised or subadvised by Cliffwater or one of its affiliates. Any open-end fund or closed-end fund advised or subadvised by Cliffwater or one of its affiliates is a “Reportable Fund.” Please note that shares of Reportable Funds, closed-end funds and unit investment trusts, exchange traded funds (ETFs), and all private fund securities are covered by these requirements.

 

D. What Transactions are Prohibited by these Requirements?

 

The following prohibitions apply to Cliffwater employees.

 

1.    Use of Material, Non-Public Information: An employee may not buy or sell any publicly-traded security if he or she has material, non-public information about the security or the market for the security obtained in the course of his or her employment with Cliffwater or otherwise, without first reporting the information to the CCO and obtaining the CCO’s prior approval (pre-clearance) for the trade.

 

2.    Pre-Clearance: All employees must obtain prior approval from the CCO (or a member of Cliffwater’s executive management in the case of the CCO) for the following personal securities transactions prior to executing the personal trade:

 

Initial Public Offerings (IPO);

Page 7 of 16 

 

Privately placed securities / funds;

 

Securities issued by a Cliffwater client;

 

Shares issued by Reportable Funds; and

 

Any other securities placed on a restricted list and advised to employees.

 

Cliffwater will issue a restricted list each quarter, or more frequently as necessary, including the names of Cliffwater clients, Reportable Funds, and any other restricted securities that require pre-clearance.

 

3.        Front-Running or Scalping: Employees are not permitted to “front-run” any securities transaction of a client or Cliffwater, or to “scalp” by making securities recommendations for clients with the intent of personally profiting from personal holdings of or transactions in the same or related securities.

 

V. Identification of Securities Accounts and Reports of Securities Holdings

 

Cliffwater has adopted the following procedures concerning the identification of “Securities Accounts,” as defined below, and the pre-clearance of transactions in, and the reporting requirements for, “Employee-Related Accounts,” as defined below.

 

A. Identification of Securities Accounts

 

Because Cliffwater must monitor the personal securities transactions of its employees and the members of each employee’s Immediate Family, the CCO must be made aware immediately of all brokerage or trading account openings, changes, or closures as described below.

 

Within 10 calendar days of becoming an employee of Cliffwater, each new Cliffwater employee is required to provide to the CCO in writing on the ‘Notification of Securities Account(s)’ form a listing of the existence of all of his or her personal securities brokerage or trading accounts as to which he or she or a member of his or her Immediate Family has “beneficial ownership” (each, a “Securities Account”), along with information concerning (i) the name and number of each Securities Account; and (ii) the name and address of the broker-dealer or financial institution at which each Securities Account is maintained.

 

The following accounts are exempt from being reported as Securities Accounts:

 

Accounts established solely to hold or transact in mutual funds; and

 

Blind trusts (which are typically a legal arrangement in which a trustee manages funds for the benefit of somebody who has no knowledge of the specific management actions taken by the trustee and no right to intervene).

 

Each existing Cliffwater employee must notify the CCO of all openings, changes and closures of his or her Securities Accounts as follows:

 

A Cliffwater employee wishing to open a new Securities Account may do so, but must immediately provide to the CCO in writing on the ‘Notification of Securities Account(s)’ form a listing of the new Securities Account.

 

If the account set up information of the Securities Account of a Cliffwater employee changes ( e.g. , a change to the name on the account or the account number), the employee must immediately provide to the CCO in writing an updated ‘Notification of Securities Account(s)’ form.

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Once a Securities Account has been closed, the Cliffwater employee must immediately notify the CCO.

 

In addition, on an annual basis, each Cliffwater employee is required to provide an annual report of his or her Securities Accounts.

 

Although Cliffwater employees are required to identify all Securities Accounts to the CCO, pre-clearance of securities transactions and other reporting requirements apply only to “Employee-Related Accounts.” An Employee-Related Account of a Cliffwater employee is any Securities Account of the employee, excluding any Securities Account of the employee over which neither the employee nor any member of the employee’s Immediate Family exercises any control or influence.

 

With respect to any Securities Account of a Cliffwater employee for which exclusive discretionary investment authority has been delegated to a third party ( e.g. , a third-party trustee or a third-party manager), Cliffwater has implemented the following controls in order to establish a reasonable belief that neither the employee nor any member of the employee’s Immediate Family exercises any control or influence over the Securities Account:

 

The employee will be required to provide the CCO with information about the employee’s relationship with the third party ( e.g. , independent professional versus friend or relative).

 

Upon the CCO being notified of the Securities Account (either in connection with a new employee being hired or an existing employee opening a new Securities Account) and periodically thereafter, the employee will be required to certify that he or she does not (i) have discretion over, or directly or indirectly influence or control, the securities transactions within the Securities Account, (ii) suggest or direct any particular transactions to the third party with respect to the Securities Account, or (iii) consult with the third party regarding the particular allocation of investments in the Securities Account.

 

The CCO may request that the third party provide certifications similar to the certifications made by the employee.

 

B. Pre-Clearance of Securities Transactions in Employee-Related Accounts

 

No employee or member of an employee’s Immediate Family may place an order for the purchase or sale of any IPO, privately placed security / fund, securities issued by a client, Reportable Fund, or other securities placed on a restricted list for an Employee-Related Account until the CCO has approved the transaction in accordance with the procedures below.

 

Any employee or member of an employee’s Immediate Family wishing to enter into such a securities transaction in an Employee-Related Account must submit a completed and signed “Pre-Clearance of Securities Transactions in Employee-Related Accounts” request (the “Pre-Clearance Request”) to the CCO on or before the date of the proposed transaction. This Pre-Clearance Request must contain the following information (i) the name and telephone number of the employee requesting pre-clearance; (ii) the name, ticker and type of the security subject to the proposed transaction; (iii) the number of shares or the face amount of the security subject to the proposed transaction; (iv) the nature of the transaction ( i.e. , purchase, sale, or other type of acquisition or disposition); (v) the proposed transaction date; (vi) the name and number of the account in which the transaction is to be effected; (vii) an indication of whether the account is in the name of the employee or a related person and, if it is in the name of a related person, the employee’s relationship to that person; (viii) the name of the broker-dealer or financial institution proposed to execute the transaction; and (ix) a representation that to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, and after due inquiry, the employee is not in possession of any material, non-public information concerning the security proposed to be bought or sold, and this Code does not otherwise prohibit the proposed transaction.

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The CCO will review each Pre-Clearance Request to ensure that it is complete and signed. Once the CCO determines that the request for pre-clearance is in proper form, he or she will (i) consult with other executive officers as required to determine whether the proposed transaction raises any potential conflicts of interest or other issues; and (ii) complete, date, and sign the Pre-Clearance Request with an approval or denial. Any preclearance given will remain in effect for 48 hours.

 

The CCO will base his or her decision to approve or disapprove a Pre-Clearance Request on the following factors (i) the general policies set forth in this section; (ii) the requirements under federal and state laws, rules, and regulations as they may apply to the proposed transaction; (iii) the timing of the proposed transaction in relation to transactions or contemplated transactions for the account of any clients; and (iv) the nature of the securities and the parties involved in the proposed transaction. In addition, the CCO will generally approve a Pre-Clearance Request to buy or sell publicly-listed BDC securities to the extent such purchase or sale does not exceed the lesser of (i) $50,000 and (ii) 1% of the 10-day average trading volume of the BDC’s securities.

 

C. Reporting and Other Requirements Applicable to Employee-Related Accounts

 

In addition to the ‘Notification of Securities Account(s) form described above in Section V.A, within 10 calendar days of becoming an employee of Cliffwater, each new Cliffwater employee is required to provide to the CCO in writing an initial disclosure listing of personal securities holdings held by the individual and/or Immediate Family members in his or her Employee-Related Accounts (‘Report of Initial Disclosure of Personal Securities Holdings’ form), or copies of brokerage statements that contain the list of securities holdings.

 

Annually thereafter, each Cliffwater employee is required to provide an annual report of all securities held in his or her Employee-Related Accounts and an annual certification of compliance with this Code and adherence to policies and procedures in Cliffwater’s Compliance Manual.

 

In addition, within 30 days of the end of each quarter, each Cliffwater employee must file a quarterly personal securities transaction report that reports all securities transactions in his or her Employee-Related Account during the preceding quarter. The report includes trade dates, transaction types, names, tickers, types of securities, quantities, prices, principal amounts, name of broker dealers / banks, and a certification that the reported transactions are not prohibited and that pre-clearance, if required, was obtained. In lieu of filing a quarterly personal securities transaction report, employees can choose to provide duplicate transaction confirmations and periodic account statements to Cliffwater from the firms that hold their Employee-Related Accounts. If an employee wishes to use this alternative method of meeting its reporting obligations, he or she should notify the CCO. Employees using this alternative method must also complete the aforementioned certification.

 

Employees that are registered representatives (“Registered Representatives”) of Foreside Fund Services, LLC (“Foreside”), a broker-dealer registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), are also subject to Foreside’s Registered Representative Compliance and Supervisory Procedures Manual (“Foreside Manual”), and related forms. The Foreside Manual contains restrictions related to securities trading applicable to Registered Representatives.

 

VI. Protection of Confidential Information Concerning Client Recommendations or Advice

 

Cliffwater seeks to limit access to Advisory Information to those of Cliffwater’s employees who have a legitimate need to know that information. Accordingly, in handling Advisory Information, employees shall take appropriate measures to protect the confidentiality of this information. Specifically, employees shall refrain from:

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Disclosing Advisory Information to anyone outside of Cliffwater, or even to another Cliffwater employee, unless there is a valid purpose and under circumstances that make it reasonable to believe that the information will not be misused or improperly disclosed by the recipient; and

 

Engaging in any transactions or recommending or suggesting that any person (other than a Cliffwater client) engage in any transactions in any security to which the Advisory Information relates.

 

VII. Monitoring Compliance with Insider Trading and Tipping Policies and Procedures

 

The CCO, or an employee designated by the CCO to assist the CCO, shall review employee quarterly personal securities transaction reports, duplicate transaction confirmations and periodic account statements, and periodic listings of holdings. This review is designed to (i) ensure the propriety of the employee trading activity; (ii) avoid possible conflict situations; and (iii) identify transactions that may violate the prohibitions regarding insider trading and manipulative and deceptive devices contained in the federal and state securities laws and SEC rules.

 

The materials reviewed will be kept confidential, but Cliffwater’s executive management or compliance personnel, the SEC, and other governmental bodies authorized by law may inspect these materials. The CCO shall report immediately to executive management any findings of possible irregularity or impropriety.

 

VIII. Gifts and Entertainment

 

Conflicts may occur if employees receive gifts or entertainment in connection with their employment at Cliffwater. Therefore, Cliffwater has adopted the following gift and entertainment policies.

 

No employee or member of an employee’s Immediate Family may solicit or accept from an outside party that does business or competes with Cliffwater or does business with Cliffwater clients as an investment manager or investment services provider any gift, loan, or entertainment that could reasonably be expected to create, or that provides the appearance of creating, a conflict of interest, subject to the policies below:

 

Gifts with a business purpose may be accepted as long as such gifts are of nominal value. Nominal value is defined as a value of $50 dollars or less . In addition, there is a limit of $100 in gifts for each Cliffwater employee received from a single source. A single source is defined as one particular firm, company or organization. As a result, gifts received by one Cliffwater employee from multiple employees of the same entity count toward this $100 threshold. Any accepted gifts are to be reported to the CCO by all employees and documented on Cliffwater’s gift log. If a ticket to a sporting or other entertainment event is provided to the Cliffwater employee, but the person providing the ticket does not attend the event, it is considered a gift. If the person providing the ticket attends along with the Cliffwater employee, then it is defined as entertainment and is subject to the below paragraph.

 

Meals and entertainment ( e.g. , sporting event) that have a business purpose and are attended by the party providing the meals and entertainment are permitted and do not need to be reported to the CCO or documented on Cliffwater’s gift log; provided that such meals or entertainment have a value of less than $150 per event per Cliffwater employee and less than $500 per year per Cliffwater employee (per each provider of the meal/entertainment). Meals and entertainment not within the foregoing parameters are not allowed, unless approved by the CCO. Employees are prohibited from participating in meals and entertainment that may be considered uncustomary or excessive. Travel and lodging may not be accepted without the approval of the CCO.

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No form of compensation from outside parties may be accepted. Compensation includes any direct compensation as well as any reimbursement or payment of transportation or hotel expenses for personal or business trips.

 

Employees or members of their Immediate Families are not prohibited from obtaining loans or purchasing investment products made or provided in the ordinary course of business or other goods or services (on the same terms as are available generally to public customers) from banks, broker-dealers, insurance companies or other financial and investment institutions that may have relationships with Cliffwater or its clients.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, this policy does not apply to vendors that Cliffwater uses for its own operational purposes, that do not assist Cliffwater in providing advisory services to clients and that are not paid by any client. As such, Cliffwater does not believe a conflict of interest exists and therefore does not require such vendors to be included in the Gifts and Entertainment policy.

 

The Foreside Manual contains restrictions on gifts and entertainment applicable to Registered Representatives. These restrictions apply to both gifts and entertainment received by, and provided by, Registered Representatives.

 

Any questions or concerns about accepting gifts, entertainment, compensation or loans should be directed to the CCO.

 

IX. Interaction with Foreign Officials

 

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) prohibits individuals and companies from corruptly making or authorizing an offer, payment or promise to pay anything of value to a foreign official 1 for the purpose of influencing an official act or decision in order to obtain or retain business. The FCPA applies to all foreign officials and all employees of state-owned enterprises. Each Cliffwater employee, as well as any agent, representative, business partner, consultant or contractor of Cliffwater, is prohibited from making or offering to make any payment to or for the benefit of any foreign official if the purpose of such payment is to improperly influence or induce that foreign official to obtain or retain business for Cliffwater (a so-called bribe or kickback). Facilitating payments, which are small payments made to low-level government officials to expedite or secure performance of a non-discretionary, routine government action, are also prohibited. All other payments, whether large or small, are prohibited if they are, in essence, bribes or kickbacks, including cash payments, gifts, entertainment, services, and amenities.

 

Under the FCPA, both Cliffwater and its individual employees can be criminally liable for payments made to agents or intermediaries “knowing” that some portion of those payments will be passed on to (or offered to) a foreign official. The knowledge element required is not limited to actual knowledge, but includes “consciously avoiding” the high probability that a third party representing Cliffwater will make or offer improper payments to a foreign official. Investment advisers that engage foreign agents are expected to be attuned to any “red flags” in connection with the transaction, which may include:

 

The foreign country’s reputation for corruption;

 

Requests by a foreign agent for offshore or other unusual payment methods;

 

Refusal of a foreign agent to certify that it will not make payments that would be unlawful under the FCPA;

 

 
1 A “foreign official” includes: any officer or employee of or person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of a foreign government or any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, or of a public international organization; any employee or official of any court system, government regulatory or financial bodies, state-owned or controlled enterprises, and sovereign wealth funds; and foreign political parties and candidates for office.

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An apparent lack of qualifications;

 

Non-existent or non-transparent accounting standards; and

 

Whether the foreign agent comes recommended or “required” by a government official.

 

Sanctions for violating the FCPA may include fines and jail terms. Any payment or anything else of value given to a foreign official must be pre-approved by the CCO.

 

X. Political Contributions

 

The SEC, various states and localities and non-US countries have established regulations and/or laws regarding political contributions to officials which may be in a position to influence the choice of a service provider. In order to ensure that Cliffwater and its employees abide by applicable regulations and laws, the following political contributions policy applies to all employees:

 

A. Contributions

 

Contributions to Federal office candidates. No pre-approval or reporting is required for employees’ political contributions (up to applicable federal legal limits) to any candidate for President, Vice-President, U.S. Senate, or U.S. House of Representatives. The exception to this is for contributions to candidates for President, Vice-President, U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives who are currently holding state or local public office. The policies below for state and local candidates apply in these situations.

 

Contributions to State and Local office candidates and PACs. Both pre-approval by and periodic reporting to the CCO is required for any political contributions made by Cilffwater, any employee, any member of an employee’s Immediate Family to the following:

 

any officeholder or candidate for state or local public office,

 

any Political Action Committee (“PAC”),

 

any person collecting contributions for an officeholder, candidate for public office, or to any PAC, and

 

any person running for office in a country outside of the U.S. or any political organization operating outside of the U.S.

 

Political contributions include not only cash, but also in-kind donations, such as free office space. Political contributions to an official or candidate for office made in violation of this policy may cause Cliffwater to be unable to collect advisory fees from a government entity with whom the official or candidate is affiliated.

 

SEC regulations permit political contributions to state or local public office holders or candidates, or PACs under the following circumstances.

 

An employee or any member of his or her Immediate Family may make political contributions of up to $350 in the aggregate to any one official per election, if the employee or the member of his or her Immediate Family is entitled to vote for the official.

 

An employee or any member of his or her Immediate Family may make political contributions of up to $150 in the aggregate to any one official per election, if the employee or the member of his or her Immediate Family is not entitled to vote for the official.

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An employee or any member of his or her Immediate Family may make political contributions (up to applicable campaign contributions laws) to any PAC, so long as (i) the PAC is not controlled by Cliffwater or by any of its employees; and (ii) the PAC is broad-based, i.e. , it was not formed for the purpose of, and/or does not give money to or support, only a few state and/or local officials or candidates. GOPAC and Emily’s List are examples of broad-based PACs. Contributions to a narrowly-focused PAC would raise questions as to whether the covered employee or any member of his or her Immediate Family was attempting to do indirectly what he or she could not do directly.

 

However, it should be noted that state, local or foreign rules may prohibit all contributions and/or political activity. Therefore, all contributions must be approved.

 

Any requested political contributions to state or local public office holders or candidates, or PACs that do not fall under the limitations described above may cause Cliffwater to be unable to collect advisory fees from a government entity with whom the office holder or candidate is affiliated. Neither Cliffwater nor any employee may solicit or coordinate contributions by others to state or local officials or candidates or payments to political parties in cases where Cliffwater is providing or seeking government business.

 

If an employee makes a contribution without prior approval or discovers that any member of his or her Immediate Family has made a contribution without prior approval, the employee must report this to the CCO immediately, so that Cliffwater may determine if it can remediate the violation.

 

Cliffwater will solicit information on political contributions periodically. Employees are expected to request approval during the year for contributions to state and local candidates and PACs.

 

B. Other Political Activities

 

This policy covers only contributions and fundraising activities and does not prevent Cliffwater or its employees from expressing support for candidates in other ways, such as volunteering time to a campaign, making speeches, attending rallies, and writing letters of support.

 

C. New Employee Disclosure

 

New employees must disclose during the hiring process their political contributions and those of the members of their Immediate Family beginning with contributions for the two year period prior to their date of employment, so that Cliffwater may evaluate the effect of the contributions on Cliffwater’s compliance obligations prior to commencement of employment.

 

D. Third Party Solicitors

 

Cliffwater and its employees are prohibited from compensating, or agreeing to compensate, directly or indirectly, any person to solicit government clients for investment advisory services on Cliffwater’s behalf, unless the person is, or is employed by, an SEC-registered investment adviser or broker-dealer.

 

E. Record Keeping

 

Cliffwater will maintain records necessary to demonstrate adherence to this policy, including records evidencing any approved political contributions and copies of all employee reports of past political contributions.

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XI. Outside Business Activities

 

No employee shall be employed by, or accept any remuneration from, or perform any services (including serving as a director, board member, or investment committee member of an organization, trustee, or general partner of a partnership), for any person or entity, other than Cliffwater or any affiliate, unless pre-approved in writing by the CCO. “Membership” in not-for-profit, charitable, religious, educational or philanthropic organizations, does not require approval. However, sitting on the board or on a financial / investment committee of such organizations does require approval.

 

In no event should any employee have any outside employment or outside activities that might cause embarrassment to or jeopardize the interests of Cliffwater, interfere with Cliffwater’s operations, or adversely affect his or her productivity or that of other employees. Employees are expected to devote their full time and efforts during business hours to the interests of Cliffwater.  No employee may engage, directly or indirectly, in any business transaction or arrangement for personal profit that (i) accrues from or is based upon his relationship as an employee or upon confidential information gained by reason of such relationship; or (ii) accept any outside employment or perform outside activities that would interfere with his or her duties as an employee.

 

In all instances, employees must maintain the confidentiality of information learned as an employee of Cliffwater, including information pertaining to investments and recommendations and information about Cliffwater’s clients, and consider potential conflicts of interest in favor of Cliffwater clients.

 

Each employee must notify the CCO in writing of his or her intent to engage in an outside activity. This notice should specify the name of the organization, the nature of the duties and the hours of work, among others. The factors that the CCO would take into consideration when determining whether or not to approve an activity include, but are not limited to:

 

whether the activity would create an actual or potential conflict of interest between the employee’s position at Cliffwater and the proposed activity;

 

the purpose of the organization with which the employee wants to be affiliated;

 

whether the organization or company is related to a financial, securities or similar business (including, but not limited to, broker-dealers and investment companies);

 

whether the employee will be receiving compensation for the activity;

 

the position the employee plans to hold;

 

whether the amount of time and effort the employee will spend on the outside activity may compromise the employee’s ability to perform his or her job; and

 

whether there is a risk that the company may be perceived by others as associated or affiliated with the outside activity.

 

As a general matter, the CCO will not approve outside employment with any investment adviser, broker-dealer, bank, insurance or re-insurance company or other financial or investment institution with which Cliffwater or its affiliates may compete, or have, or seek a business relationship for itself or on behalf of its clients.

 

The request to participate in an outside business activity will be approved or denied promptly by the CCO. If the CCO denies the request, the employee may not participate in the activity or employment in any manner.

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Employees should promptly notify the CCO in writing of any changes in the scope of the outside activities by submitting a new written request, as applicable.

 

The CCO will send out periodic requests for information on any outside business activities, including board seats or outside investment committee memberships.  Any employee responses indicating unreported outside activities will be reviewed by the CCO to determine whether the employee will be required to terminate the previously unreported activity pursuant to these procedures. The CCO will maintain a list of all employees who have outside business activities.

 

The Foreside Manual also contains restrictions on outside business activities applicable to Registered Representatives.

 

XII. Miscellaneous

 

A. Importance of Adherence to Procedures

 

It is very important that all employees adhere strictly to this Code. Any violations may result in serious sanctions, including termination of employment and dismissal from Cliffwater.

 

B. Circulation/Certification of Receipt of Code

 

Each new employee receives a copy of this Code and signs an acknowledgement of his or her receipt and understanding of it. In addition, any amendment to this Code will be circulated to all employees and each employee will sign an annual certification of his or her compliance with this Code.

 

C. Retention of Records

 

Cliffwater shall retain all documents produced by the CCO as required by this Code and all documents required to be submitted by employees under this Code, including all duplicate confirmations and any documents referred to or incorporated therein, as part of the books and records required by the Advisers Act and the rules thereunder.

 

D. Questions

 

Any questions regarding this Code should be referred to the CCO.

 

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Audax Management Company, LLC

Audax Management Company (NY), LLC

Audax Credit BDC Inc.

 

J oint C ode of E thics

 

This is the Joint Code of Ethics (the “ Code ”) of Audax Management Company, LLC and Audax Management Company (NY), LLC (together, the “ Firm ”) and Audax Credit BDC Inc. (“ Audax BDC ”) (the Firm and Audax BDC referred to collectively as the “ Group Companies ”). The Code is intended to satisfy the code of ethics requirements of Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “ Advisers Act ”) and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “ 1940 Act ”).

 

Who is Subject to the Code?

 

The Code applies in its entirety to the following persons:

 

Every officer or employee of the Firm.

 

Every natural person (whether or not an employee of the Firm) who is subject to the Firm’s supervision and control who (i) has access to nonpublic information regarding a Fund’s purchase or sale of securities, (ii) who is involved in making securities or investment recommendations to a Fund , or (iii) who has access to securities recommendations to a Fund that are nonpublic.

 

The directors of Audax BDC. This Code applies to the Independent Directors of Audax BDC unless otherwise stated.

 

Things You Need to Know to Use the Code

 

1.       Terms in boldface type have special meanings as used in the Code. To understand the Code, you need to read the definitions of these terms. The definitions are at the end of the Code.

 

2.       The Code has three sections:

 

Part I: General Principles and Restrictions

 

Part II: Reporting

 

Part III: Definitions

 

3.       There are three Reporting Forms that persons covered by the Code have to complete. Please submit the Reporting Forms electronically through the Audax Compliance Website. Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to complete or submit Reporting Forms.

 

4.       The Chief Compliance Officer has the authority to grant written waivers of the provisions of the Code in appropriate instances. However:

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The Firm expects that waivers will be granted only in rare instances; and

 

Some provisions of the Code that are prescribed by Securities and Exchange Commission (“ SEC ”) rules cannot be waived. These provisions include, but are not limited to, the requirements that covered persons file certain reports and obtain preclearance of certain transactions.

 

5.       The management of the Group Companies and the Chief Compliance Officer will review the terms and provisions of the Code at least annually and make amendments as necessary. The Chief Compliance Officer must provide a copy of the Code, and a copy of any amendment to the Code, to each person covered by the Code. Such copies will be provided electronically through the Audax Compliance Website.

 

6.       You must familiarize yourself with the Code and acknowledge your receipt of the Code (and any amendment thereto) by completing an Acknowledgment (the form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A) through the Audax Compliance Website. Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to complete an Acknowledgment.

 

General Principles and Restrictions

 

General Principles It is generally improper for the Firm or persons covered by the Code to:

 

use for their own benefit (or the benefit of anyone other than a Fund ) information about the Firm’s trading or investment recommendations for a Fund ;

 

take advantage of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available for a Fund ; or

 

take advantage of business opportunities (including opportunities for personal investment) by using the Firm’s reputation or goodwill for personal gain in an inappropriate manner.

 

The Group Companies expect all persons covered by the Code to comply with the spirit of the Code, as well as the specific rules contained in the Code. The Group Companies treat violations of the Code (including violations of the spirit of the Code) seriously. If you violate either the letter or the spirit of the Code, the Group Companies may take disciplinary measures against you, including, without limitation, imposing penalties or fines, reducing your compensation, demoting you, requiring unwinding of any applicable trade, requiring disgorgement of trading gains, suspending or terminating your employment or any combination of the foregoing.

 

Improper trading activity can constitute a violation of the Code. But you can also violate the Code by failing to file required reports, or by making inaccurate or misleading reports or statements concerning trading activity or securities accounts. Your conduct can violate the Code even if neither any Fund nor the Firm is harmed by your conduct.

 

You and any member of your Family/Household may be required to divest existing investments (including investments in private, commingled funds) in the event those investments give rise to conflicts of interest or otherwise violate the letter or spirit of the Code.

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If you have any doubt or uncertainty about what the Code requires or permits, you should ask the Chief Compliance Officer . Please do not guess at the answer.

 

Any violations of the Code must be reported promptly to the Chief Compliance Officer .

 

Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws. All persons covered by the Code must comply with applicable U.S. federal securities laws at all times.

 

Transaction Restrictions

 

1.        Preclearance . You and members of your Family/Household are prohibited from engaging in any transaction in a Covered Security for any account in which you or a member of your Family/Household has any Beneficial Ownership unless you obtain, in advance of the transaction, preclearance for that transaction. For purposes of these preclearance requirements, you should assume that any investment transaction that you or members of your Family/Household are considering making is subject to preclearance pursuant to the Code, unless the Code specifically provides that the transaction is not subject to preclearance. Independent Directors of Audax BDC, and members of their Family/Household , are not required to obtain pre-clearance for a transaction in a Covered Security for any account in which they or a member of their Family/Household has any Beneficial Ownership .

 

Preclearance is obtained by first completing and submitting the New Pre-Clearance Form electronically through the Audax Compliance Website. If preclearance is obtained, the approval is valid for the day on which it is granted and the immediately following business day (except in the case of private placements, as discussed below under “Private Placements”). The Chief Compliance Officer may revoke a preclearance at any time after it is granted and before you execute the transaction. The Chief Compliance Officer may deny or revoke preclearance for any reason, and is not required to explain such revocation or denial to you.

 

The preclearance requirements do not apply to the following categories of transactions:

 

Transactions in Covered Securities issued or guaranteed by any national government that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or any agency or authority thereof.

 

Transactions that occur by operation of law or under any other circumstance in which neither you nor any member of your Family/Household exercises any discretion to buy or to sell or makes recommendations to a person who exercises such discretion.

 

Purchases of Covered Securities pursuant to an automatic investment plan. An “automatic investment plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

Purchases pursuant to the exercise of rights issued pro rata to all holders of any class of Covered Securities and received by you (or a Family/Household member) from the issuer.

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Shares of open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (i.e., mutual funds).

 

Transactions in shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

 

NOTE: Any investment in a Covered Security of any Fund portfolio company is subject to pre-clearance. While transactions in shares of mutual funds are not subject to preclearance (because they are not Covered Securities ), shares of publicly traded business development companies (BDCs) are subject to preclearance.

 

2. Private Placements .

 

Neither you nor any member of your Family/Household may acquire any Beneficial Ownership in any security (not just Covered Securities ) in a private placement, including the purchase of an interest in any Fund , except with the specific, advance written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer (which may be provided electronically). The Chief Compliance Officer , following consultation with the General Counsel or, in the General Counsel’s absence, another executive officer of the Firm (either the Chief Operating Officer or a Co-CEO), may deny requests to acquire securities in a private placement due to a perceived or actual conflict of interest (including, but not limited to, prospective business relationships or corporate opportunities) or for any other reason. Independent Directors of Audax BDC, and members of their Family/Household , are not required to obtain pre-clearance to acquire Beneficial Ownership of any security by means of a private placement.

 

If preclearance is granted, it is valid until the earlier of: (i) thirty days after the date such preclearance is communicated; or (ii) the applicable private placement transaction closes.

 

Investments in Private Funds, Portfolio Companies and Similar Entities

 

Particularly since the Firm is a diversified alternative asset manager offering multiple products and investment vehicles, investments by Firm employees in private, commingled funds and similar vehicles managed by others (or related portfolio companies) may raise heightened conflicts of interest and similar concerns. Given this context:

 

Requests to invest in private equity, mezzanine debt, senior debt and other private, commingled funds following strategies similar to those of the Funds (or the Funds’ portfolio companies) will not be approved, except in limited circumstances, such as where the Firm determines that the applicable fund and the fund’s portfolio companies do not, and will not, compete with, provide financing to, or otherwise have material business dealings with, any Fund or any Fund portfolio company (including via investments in companies suitable for any Fund or merger/acquisition activities). Similar guidelines will apply to requests to invest in private companies (including portfolio companies of prohibited funds). These requests are expected to be approved only for highly specialized funds and companies (e.g., a private equity fund investing solely in Sub-Saharan Africa).

 

Requests to invest in other types of private, commingled funds (and related private companies) may be approved on a case-by-case basis, subject to the Firm confirming that (i) the requesting party will have no influence over, or prior knowledge of, investment or governance decisions of the applicable fund/company and (ii) other factors do not indicate the request should be denied. These requests are expected to be approved only for funds or companies following strategies dissimilar to those of the Funds and the Funds’ portfolio companies (e.g., real estate (including core, opportunistic and mortgage credit), venture capital, equity hedge and fund-of-funds strategies).

- 13 -

 

The preceding guidelines will not apply to investments in the Funds in accordance with Firm procedure. Also, these guidelines do not constitute an exhaustive list of rules governing preclearance requests for private investments. Each preclearance request is considered based upon the applicable facts at the time of the request and other relevant factors.

 

3. Initial Public Offerings .

 

Neither you nor any member of your Family/Household may acquire any Beneficial Ownership in any security (not just Covered Securities ) in an initial public offering, except with the specific, advance written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer (which may be provided electronically), which the Chief Compliance Officer may deny for any reason. Independent Directors of Audax BDC, and members of their Family/Household , are not required to obtain advance written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer to acquire Beneficial Ownership of any security by means of an initial public offering.

 

Reporting

 

Reporting Requirements

 

NOTE: One of the most complicated parts of complying with the Code is understanding what holdings, transactions and accounts you must report and what accounts are subject to trading restrictions. For example, accounts of certain members of your family and household are covered, as are certain categories of trust accounts, certain investment pools in which you might participate, and certain accounts that others may be managing for you. To be sure you understand what holdings, transactions and accounts are covered, it is essential that you carefully review the definitions of Covered Security , Family/Household and Beneficial Ownership in the “Definitions” section at the end of the Code.

 

ALSO: You must file the reports described below, even if you have no holdings, transactions or accounts to list in the reports.

 

ALSO: Compliance with the following reporting requirements does not relieve you of any of your other obligations under the Code, including the requirement that you seek preclearance of transactions in Covered Securities .

 

All reporting forms must be completed and submitted electronically through the Audax Compliance Website. The Chief Compliance Officer shall have the responsibility of periodically reviewing personal securities transactions and holdings.

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Initial Holdings Reports . No later than 10 calendar days after you joined the Firm or otherwise became covered by the Code, you must submit an Initial Holdings Report (attached hereto as Exhibit B ) electronically through the Audax Compliance Website or by hardcopy delivered to the Compliance Officer, which must indicate the submission date thereof.

 

The Initial Holdings Report requires you to list all Covered Securities (including title and type of security and, as applicable, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares and principal amount) in which you (or members of your Family/Household ) have Beneficial Ownership . It also requires you to list all brokers, dealers and banks with which you or a member of your Family/Household maintained an account in which any securities (not just Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of you or a member of your Family/Household on the date you joined the Firm or became a person otherwise covered by the Code. The information contained in the Initial Holdings Report must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date you joined the Firm or became a person otherwise covered by the Code.

 

The Initial Holdings Report also requires you to confirm that you have read and understand the Code and that you understand that it applies to you and to members of your Family/Household . Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to submit an Initial Holdings Report.

 

Duplicate Confirmation Statements and Account Statements . If you or any member of your Family/Household has a securities account that contains one or more Covered Securities (or has Beneficial Ownership of Covered Securities in another person’s account) with any broker, dealer or bank, you or your Family/Household member must direct that broker, dealer or bank to send, directly to the Chief Compliance Officer through the Audax Compliance Website, contemporaneous copies (in electronic form) of all transaction confirmation statements and account statements relating to that account. Any confirmation statements must include, for each transaction, the date of the transaction, the title and type of security and, as applicable, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares and principal amount of the security, as well as the nature of the transaction ( i.e. , purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition), the price of the security at which the transaction was effected and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected. Newly opened accounts containing one or more Covered Securities must be disclosed through the Audax Compliance Website within 30 calendar days of being opened.

 

Every calendar quarter, you will be prompted to and must certify through the Audax Compliance Website that you and members of your Family/Household have directed all brokers, dealers and banks to furnish duplicate confirmation statements and account statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer through the Audax Compliance Website; that no transactions that would be required to be reported were effected during the quarter, except (i) transactions effected through accounts for which you and members of your Family/Household have directed the broker, dealer or bank to send duplicate confirmation statements and account statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer through the Audax Compliance Website or (ii) transactions reported on Quarterly Transaction Reports; and that, as far as you and members of your Family/Household know, those statements, together with any Quarterly Transaction Reports, are complete and accurate representations of all transactions during the most recent calendar quarter. Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to provide or arrange for, or certify that they have provided or arranged for, duplicate confirmation statements and account statements.

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EXCEPTION: If applicable laws or regulations in the jurisdiction(s) relevant for you or members of your Family/Household prohibit brokers, dealers or banks from providing duplicate transaction confirmation statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer through the Audax Compliance Website, you or members of your Family/Household were unable to direct the broker, dealer or bank in which you or they had Beneficial Ownership to provide such statements, or you or members of your Family/Household otherwise have transactions in Covered Securities not held by brokers, dealers or banks, you instead must file a Quarterly Transaction Report, as specified below. Note, however, that such Quarterly Transaction Report (attached hereto as Exhibit C) need not list any transactions by you or members of your Family/Household that are covered by duplicate transaction confirmation and account statements sent directly to the Chief Compliance Officer .

 

NOTE: The requirement to furnish duplicate confirmation and account statements to the Chief Compliance Officer is in addition to the preclearance requirement generally applicable to transactions in Covered Securities and certain other transactions. Furnishing a confirmation statement does not constitute compliance with the Code’s transaction restrictions and prohibitions.

 

Quarterly Transaction Reports . If applicable laws or regulations in the jurisdictions relevant for you or members of your Family/Household prohibit brokers, dealers or banks from providing duplicate transaction confirmation statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer , you or members of your Family/Household were unable to direct the broker, dealer or bank in which you or they had Beneficial Ownership to provide such statements, or you or members of your Family/Household otherwise have transactions in Covered Securities not held by brokers, dealers or banks, no later than 30 calendar days after the end of March, June, September and December each year, you must submit a Quarterly Transaction Report electronically through the Audax Compliance Website, which must indicate the submission date thereof.

 

The Quarterly Transaction Report requires you to list all transactions (other than transactions by you or members of your Family/Household that are covered by duplicate transaction confirmation and account statements sent directly to the Chief Compliance Officer ) during the most recent calendar quarter in Covered Securities (including the date of the transaction, the title and type of security and, as applicable, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares and principal amount) in which you (or a member of your Family/Household ) had Beneficial Ownership . It also requires you to report the nature of the transaction ( i.e. , purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or disposition), the price of the security at which the transaction was effected and the name of the broker, dealer or bank with or through which the transaction was effected.

 

You must send to the Chief Compliance Officer , electronically through the Audax Compliance Website, and contemporaneously with the submission of the Quarterly Transaction Report, copies of the transaction confirmation statements sent by the broker, dealer or bank, if any, and must certify in the Quarterly Transaction Report that those statements, together with transaction confirmation and account statements submitted directly to the Chief Compliance Officer , accurately reflect all transactions during the most recent calendar quarter in Covered Securities in which you or members of your Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership and were executed through a broker, dealer or bank.

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Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to submit a Quarterly Transaction Report unless such director knew or, in the ordinary course of fulfilling his or her official duties as a director of Audax BDC, should have known that during the 15-day period immediately preceding or after the date of the transaction in a Covered Security by the director such Covered Security is or was purchased or sold by Audax BDC or that Audax BDC was or is considering purchasing or selling such Covered Security .

 

EXCEPTION: You need not report transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan. An “automatic investment plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

Annual Holdings Reports . No later than February 14 of each year, you must submit an Annual Holdings Report (attached hereto as Exhibit D) electronically through the Audax Compliance Website, which must indicate the filing date thereof.

 

The Annual Holdings Report requires you to list all Covered Securities (including title and type of security and, as applicable, the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares and principal amount) in which you (or a member of your Family/Household ) had Beneficial Ownership as of December 31 of the prior year. It also requires you to list all brokers, dealers and banks with which you or a member of your Family/Household maintained an account in which any securities (not just Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of you or a member of your Family/Household on December 31 of the prior year.

 

The Annual Holdings Report also requires you to confirm that you have read and understand the Code and have complied with its requirements, and that you understand that it applies to you and to members of your Family/Household . Independent Directors of Audax BDC are not required to submit an Annual Holdings Report.

 

Last Updated: January 2016

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Definitions

 

These terms have special meanings in the Code:

 

Beneficial Ownership
Chief Compliance Officer
Covered Security
Family/Household
Fund  

Independent Director

 

The special meanings of these terms as used in the Code are explained below. Some of these terms (such as “beneficial ownership”) are sometimes used in other contexts, not related to codes of ethics, where they have different meanings. For example, “beneficial ownership” has a different meaning in the Code than it does in the SEC’s rules for proxy statement disclosure of corporate directors’ and officers’ stockholdings, or in determining whether an investor has to file 13D or 13G reports with the SEC.

 

IMPORTANT: If you have any doubt or question about whether an investment, account or person is covered by any of these definitions, ask the Chief Compliance Officer . Please do not guess at the answer.

 

Beneficial Ownership means any opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in the profit from any transaction in securities. Note that you do not have Beneficial Ownership of holdings in qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (“ 529 Plans ”) if neither the Firm nor a control affiliate of the Firm manages, distributes, markets, or underwrites the 529 Plan or the investments and strategies underlying the 529 Plan.

 

Beneficial Ownership is a very broad concept. Some examples of forms of Beneficial Ownership include:

 

Securities held in a person’s own name, or that are held for the person’s benefit in nominee, custodial or “street name” accounts.

 

Securities owned by or for a partnership in which the person is a general partner (whether the ownership is under the name of that partner, another partner or the partnership or through a nominee, custodial or “street name” account).

 

Securities that are being managed for a person’s benefit on a discretionary basis by an investment adviser, broker, bank, trust company or other manager, unless the securities are held in (i) a “blind trust” or similar arrangement under which the person is prohibited by contract from communicating with the manager of the account and the manager is prohibited from disclosing to the person what investments are held in the account, or (ii) in an account with respect to which the person has certified to the Chief Compliance Officer at least annually that the person has had no influence or control regarding any particular transaction made or to be made in the account and the adviser, broker, bank, trust company or other manager has made all investment decisions without informing the person as to the transaction until after the transaction has been effected. (Just putting securities into a discretionary account is not enough to remove them from a person’s Beneficial Ownership . This is because, unless the account is of the type described above, the owner of the account can still communicate with the manager about the account and potentially influence the manager’s investment decisions.) A person wishing to take advantage of the exception described in (ii) above must also use his or her best efforts to obtain an acknowledgment from the relevant adviser, broker, bank, trust company or other manager that such person has no influence or control regarding any particular transaction made or to be made in the relevant account, which acknowledgment must be submitted electronically to the Chief Compliance Officer .

- 18 -

 

Securities in a person’s individual retirement account.

 

Securities in a person’s account in a 401(k) or similar retirement plan, even if the person has chosen to give someone else investment discretion over the account.

 

Securities owned by a trust of which the person is a beneficiary.

 

Securities owned by a corporation, partnership or other entity that the person controls (whether the ownership is under the name of that person, under the name of the entity or through a nominee, custodial or “street name” account).

 

Securities owned by an investment club in which the person participates.

 

This is not a complete list of the forms of ownership that could constitute Beneficial Ownership for purposes of the Code. You should ask the Chief Compliance Officer if you have any questions or doubts at all about whether you or a member of your Family/Household would be considered to have Beneficial Ownership in any particular situation.

 

NOTE: By way of clarification, notwithstanding the foregoing, no Fund is prohibited by the Code from purchasing or selling a Covered Security of which certain persons covered by the Code might be deemed to have Beneficial Ownership .

 

Chief Compliance Officer means the person designated by the Firm as its chief compliance officer in accordance with Rule 206(4)-7(c) under the Advisers Act, or another person that he or she designates to perform the functions of Chief Compliance Officer when he or she is not available. With respect to Audax BDC, Chief Compliance Officer means the person designated by Audax BDC as its chief compliance officer in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act, or another person that he or she designates to perform the functions of Chief Compliance Officer when he or she is not available. Currently, the same person serves as the Chief Compliance Officer for the Group Companies. For purposes of reviewing the Chief Compliance Officer’s own transactions and reports under the Code, the functions of the Chief Compliance Officer are performed by the General Counsel of the Firm or his or her designee.

 

Covered Security means (i) any economic interest in any portfolio company of any Fund and (ii) anything that is considered a “security” under section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act, except :

 

Direct obligations of the U.S. Government.

 

Bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements.

- 19 -

 

Shares of money market investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

Shares of unit investment trusts that invest exclusively in one or more open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

This is a very broad definition of security. It includes most kinds of investment instruments, including things that you might not ordinarily think of as “securities,” such as:

 

options on securities, on indexes and on currencies;

 

investments in all kinds of limited partnerships;

 

investments in foreign unit trusts and foreign mutual funds; and

 

investments in hedge funds and private investment funds (including a Fund ).

 

If you have any question or doubt about whether an investment is a considered a Covered Security under the Code, assume that the investment is a Covered Security and seek guidance from the Chief Compliance Officer . Do not guess .

 

Members of your Family/Household include:

 

Your spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support).

 

Your children under the age of 18.

 

Your children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support).

 

Any of these people who live in your household: your stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, including adoptive relationships.

 

COMMENT 1: There are a number of reasons why the Code covers transactions in which members of your Family/Household have Beneficial Ownership . First, the SEC regards any benefit to a person that you help support financially as indirectly benefiting you, because it could reduce the amount that you might otherwise contribute to that person’s support. Second, members of your household could, in some circumstances, learn of information regarding the Firm’s possible investment transactions, and must not be allowed to benefit from that information.

 

COMMENT 2: If a member of your Family/Household’s primary occupation involves buying and selling securities, and you deliver to the CCO a certification acceptable to the CCO regarding such activity, you need not consider that person a member of your Family/Household for purposes of this Code with respect to such transactions made in a professional capacity. All other transactions of such person remain subject to this Code.

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Fund means any pooled investment vehicle that is or may in the future be advised by the Firm, including Audax BDC.

 

Independent Director means a director of Audax BDC who is not an “interested person” of the Corporation as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act.

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(AUDAX GROUP LOGO)

Exhibit A

 

Audax Group Code of Ethics

 

Joint Code of Ethics

Acknowledgment Form

 

I acknowledge that I have received the Joint Code of Ethics of Audax Management Company, LLC and Audax Management Company (NY), LLC (together, the “ Firm ”) and Audax Credit BDC Inc. and that I have read it and understand it.

 

I understand that I am responsible for complying with the policies and procedures in the Joint Code of Ethics. I understand that a violation of such policies and procedures may lead to sanctions, including dismissal.

 

Signature:  
     
  Name:  
     
Date:  

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(AUDAX GROUP LOGO)

Exhibit B

 

Audax Group Code of Ethics

  

Initial Holdings Report

 

Note:          This form must be completed by ALL Employees or Persons otherwise covered by the Audax Group Joint Code of Ethics (the “ Code ”"), and must be filed with the Firm’s Compliance Officer 1 , no later than 10 days after you become a person covered by the Code. Information provided must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the date on which you became a person covered by the Code.

 

Name:  

 

Date Employee is Covered by the Code:  
  To be completed by Compliance Officer  
Date received by Compliance Officer:  
  To be completed by Compliance Officer  

 

Securities Holdings Report (check ONE of the following TWO boxes) :

 

[   ] Neither I nor any member of my Family/Household 2 has Beneficial Ownership 3 of any Covered Securities 4 .

 

 
1 compliance@audaxgroup.com

2 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, members of your Family/Household include: (i) your spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), (ii) your children under the age of 18, (iii) your children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), and (iv) any of your stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law (including in each case adoptive relationships) who live in your household.

3 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, Beneficial Ownership means any opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in the profit from any transaction in securities. Note that you do not have Beneficial Ownership of holdings in qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (“529 Plans”) if neither the Firm nor a control affiliate of the Firm manages, distributes, markets, or underwrites the 529 Plan or the investments and strategies underlying the 529 Plan.

4 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, a Covered Security means anything that is considered a “security” under section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act, except : (i) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (ii) bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) shares of money market investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and (iv) shares of unit investment trusts that invest exclusively in one or more open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This is a very broad definition of security. It includes most kinds of investment instruments, including things that you might not ordinarily think of as “securities,” such as: options on securities, on indexes and on currencies; investments in all kinds of limited partnerships; investments in foreign unit trusts and foreign mutual funds; and investments in hedge funds and private investment funds (including a Fund – any pooled investment vehicle that is or may in the future be advised by Audax Group). If you have any question or doubt about whether an investment is a considered a Covered Security under the Code, assume that the investment is a Covered Security and seek guidance from the Chief Compliance Officer. Do not guess .

- 23 -

 

[   ] Attached as APPENDIX A is a complete list of all Covered Securities, including interests in hedge funds, private equity funds, and other privately placed securities, in which I or any member of my Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership on the Reporting Date.

 

Accounts with Brokers, Dealers and/or Banks (check ONE of the following TWO boxes) :

 

[   ] Neither I nor any member of my Family/Household maintained, as of the Reporting Date, any account with any broker, dealer or bank in which any securities (including securities that are not Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of me or any member of my Family/Household .

 

[   ] All accounts that I or any member of my Family/Household maintained, as of the Reporting Date, with any broker, dealer or bank in which any securities (including securities that are not Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of me or any member of my Family/Household are set forth below. (Please use additional sheets as needed.)

 

Name of Broker / Dealer / Bank Name of Account Holder Account Number

Managed Account?

(Yes or No)

Statement Type

(Paper or Electronic)

Statement Frequency

(Monthly, Annually, Quarterly, Never)

           
           
           

 

All information provided in this Initial Holdings Report is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

 

I have read and understand my responsibilities under the Code, and will keep a copy for future reference. I understand that the Code applies to me and to members of my Family/Household .

 

  Signed:  
     
  Date:  

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Appendix A to Initial Holdings Report –– Initial Report of all Covered Securities

 

Name:  

 

Title and Type of Security

(or, if Applicable, Name of Investment Vehicle and Class)

Ticker Symbol/CUSIP Number

(if Applicable)

Number of Shares

(if Applicable)

Value of Investment

(most recent available)

       
       
       
       
       

 

Note: Please use additional sheets as needed.

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(AUDAX GROUP LOGO)

Exhibit C

 

Audax Group Code of Ethics

 

Quarterly Certification / Transaction Report

 

Note:          This form must be completed by ALL Employees or Persons otherwise covered by the Audax Group Joint Code of Ethics (the " Code "), and must be filed with the Firm’s Compliance Officer 1 , no later than 30 calendar days after the end of March, June, September and December of each Year.

 

Name:    

 

Calendar Quarter End Date:    
     
Date received by Compliance Officer:  
  To be completed by Compliance Officer  

 

Transactions Report (check applicable box(es)) :

 

[   ] No Transactions . During the calendar quarter referenced above, there were no transactions in Covered Securities 2 in which I or any member of my Family/Household 3 had Beneficial Ownership 4 .

 

 
1 compliance@audaxgroup.com
2 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, a Covered Security means anything that is considered a “security” under section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act, except : (i) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (ii) bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) shares of money market investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and (iv) shares of unit investment trusts that invest exclusively in one or more open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This is a very broad definition of security. It includes most kinds of investment instruments, including things that you might not ordinarily think of as “securities,” such as: options on securities, on indexes and on currencies; investments in all kinds of limited partnerships; investments in foreign unit trusts and foreign mutual funds; and investments in hedge funds and private investment funds (including a Fund – any pooled investment vehicle that is or may in the future be advised by Audax Group). If you have any question or doubt about whether an investment is a considered a Covered Security under the Code, assume that the investment is a Covered Security and seek guidance from the Chief Compliance Officer. Do not guess .
3 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, members of your Family/Household include: (i) your spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), (ii) your children under the age of 18, (iii) your children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), and (iv) any of your stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law (including in each case adoptive relationships) who live in your household.
4 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, Beneficial Ownership means any opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in the profit from any transaction in securities. Note that you do not have Beneficial Ownership of holdings in qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (“529 Plans”) if neither the Firm nor a control affiliate of the Firm manages, distributes, markets, or underwrites the 529 Plan or the investments and strategies underlying the 529 Plan.

- 26 -

 

[   ] Account Statements Previously Submitted . All members of my Family/Household and I have directed all brokers, dealers and banks with whom any of us has a securities account (or with whom any person has an account containing securities of which I or any member of my Family/Household has Beneficial Ownership ) to furnish contemporaneous duplicate transaction confirmation statements and account statements relating to such account directly to the Chief Compliance Officer 5 . During the calendar quarter referenced above, there were no transactions effected that would be required to be reported under the Code, except (i) transactions effected through securities accounts described above or (ii) transactions reported on APPENDIX A hereto, and, to the best of my knowledge and the knowledge of members of my Family/Household , the statements and reports contemplated by clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence are together complete and accurate representations of all transactions during such calendar quarter.

 

[   ] Transactions Reported Herein . To the best of my knowledge, (i) applicable laws or regulations in the relevant jurisdictions prohibit brokers, dealers or banks from providing duplicate transaction confirmation statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer , (ii) I or one or more members of my Family/Household were unable to direct a broker, dealer or bank to provide duplicate transaction confirmation statements directly to the Chief Compliance Officer , and/or (iii) I or one or more members of my Family/Household had transactions in Covered Securities not held by brokers, dealers or banks during the calendar quarter referenced above. Attached as APPENDIX A hereto is a complete list of all transactions in Covered Securities executed during such calendar quarter in which I or any member of my Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership , other than transactions with respect to which duplicate transaction confirmation and account statements were provided directly to the Chief Compliance Officer . Also attached are copies of all transaction confirmation statements, if any, sent by a broker, dealer or bank that relate to such transactions. The attached transaction confirmation statements, together with the duplicate transaction confirmation and account statements provided directly to the Chief Compliance Officer , accurately reflect all transactions during such calendar quarter in Covered Securities in which I or any member of my Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership and that were executed through a broker, dealer or bank.

 

All information provided in this Quarterly Transaction Report is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

 

  Signed:  
     
  Date:  

 

 

5 compliance@audaxgroup.com

- 27 -

 

Appendix A to Quarterly Certification/Transaction Report –– Transactions in Covered Securities During Calendar Quarter Indicated

 

Name:    

 

Transaction Date Transaction Type (Stock, ETF, Option, Bond, Mutual Fund, Municipal Bond, Other) Title of Security (or, if Applicable, Name of Investment Vehicle and Class)

Ticker Symbol/

CUSIP Number (if Applicable)

Number of Shares (if Applicable) Principal Amount (or, if Applicable, Amount Invested in Class of Investment Vehicle)

Interest Rate/

Maturity Date (if Applicable)

Price Institution Through which Transaction Effected Account Number
                   
                   
                   
                   

 

Note: Please use additional sheets as needed.

 

You need not report transactions effected pursuant to an automatic investment plan. An “automatic investment plan” means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

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(AUDAX GROUP LOGO)

Exhibit D

 

Audax Group Code of Ethics

 

Annual Certification / Holdings Report

 

Note:          This form must be completed by All Employees or Persons otherwise covered by the Audax Group Joint Code of Ethics (the " Code "), and must be filed with the Compliance Officer 1 no later than February 14 of each year.

 

Name:    

 

Calendar Year Covered by this Report:    
     
Date received by Compliance Officer:  
  To be completed by Compliance Officer  

 

Annual Certification

 

[   ] I hereby certify that I have read and understand the Code and that I understand that it applies to me and to all members of my Family/Household 2 . I hereby further certify that I have complied with all applicable requirements of the Code.

 

Annual Securities Holdings Report (check ONE of the following TWO boxes) :

 

[   ] As of December 31 of the calendar year referenced above, neither I nor any member of my Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership 3 of any Covered Securities 4 .

 

 

1 compliance@audaxgroup.com

2 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, members of your Family/Household include: (i) your spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), (ii) your children under the age of 18, (iii) your children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), and (iv) any of your stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law (including in each case adoptive relationships) who live in your household.

3 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, Beneficial Ownership means any opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in the profit from any transaction in securities. Note that you do not have Beneficial Ownership of holdings in qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (“529 Plans”) if neither the Firm nor a control affiliate of the Firm manages, distributes, markets, or underwrites the 529 Plan or the investments and strategies underlying the 529 Plan.

4 For purposes of the Insider Trading, Material Non-Public Information and Market Manipulation Policy, a Covered Security means anything that is considered a “security” under section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act, except : (i) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (ii) bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements; (iii) shares of money market investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940; and (iv) shares of unit investment trusts that invest exclusively in one or more open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. This is a very broad definition of security. It includes most kinds of investment instruments, including things that you might not ordinarily think of as “securities,” such as: options on securities, on indexes and on currencies; investments in all kinds of limited partnerships; investments in foreign unit trusts and foreign mutual funds; and investments in hedge funds and private investment funds (including a Fund – any pooled investment vehicle that is or may in the future be advised by Audax Group). If you have any question or doubt about whether an investment is a considered a Covered Security under the Code, assume that the investment is a Covered Security and seek guidance from the Chief Compliance Officer. Do not guess .

- 29 -

 

[   ] Attached as APPENDIX A is a complete list of all Covered Securities , including interests in hedge funds, private equity funds and other privately placed securities, in which I or any member of my Family/Household had Beneficial Ownership as of December 31 of the calendar year referenced above.

 

Accounts with Brokers, Dealers and/or Banks (check ONE of the following two boxes) :

 

[   ] Neither I nor any member of my Family/Household maintained, as of December 31 of the calendar year referenced above, any account with any broker, dealer or bank in which any securities (including securities that are not Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of me or any member of my Family/Household .

 

[   ] All accounts that I or any member of my Family/Household maintained, as of December 31 of the calendar year referenced above, with any broker, dealer or bank in which any securities (including securities that are not Covered Securities ) were held for the direct or indirect benefit of me or any member of my Family/Household are set forth below.

 

Name of Broker / Dealer / Bank Name of Account Holder Account Number

Managed Account?

(Yes or No)

Statement Type

(Paper or Electronic)

Statement Frequency

(Monthly, Annually, Quarterly, Never)

           
           
           

 

Note: Please use additional sheets as needed.

 

All information provided in this Annual Holdings Report is true and complete to the best of my knowledge.

 

  Signed:  
     
  Date:  

- 30 -

 

Appendix A to Annual Certification/Holdings Report –– Annual Report of all Covered Securities

 

Name:    

 

Title and Type of Security (or, if Applicable, Name of Investment Vehicle and Class) Ticker Symbol/CUSIP Number (if Applicable) Number of Shares (if Applicable) Principal Amount (or, if Applicable, Amount Invested in Class of Investment Vehicle) Value of Investment (most recent available)
         
         
         
         
         

 

Note: Please use additional sheets as needed.

- 31 -

 

(AUDAX GROUP LOGO)

Exhibit E

 

Audax Group Code of Ethics

 

Personal Trade Request

 

Terms in boldface type have the meanings set forth in the Audax Group Joint Code of Ethics (The " Code "). If the Code requires you to complete this form because a member of your Family/Household 1 is subject to the Code, questions that refer to “You” also refer to that member of your Family/Household .

 

Name:    

 

Date received by Compliance Officer 2 :  

 

Security:    (“ Company ”)
  Company Name  

 

Type:      
  (common, preferred, bond, etc.)    

 

Ticker Symbol or CUSIP Number (if applicable):  

 

Type of transaction (Circle one): Buy Sell Gift  

 

Number of shares, units or face amount, or dollar amount of proposed trade:  

 

    Yes   No
Do you or, to the best of your knowledge, does anyone at the Firm, possess material, nonpublic information about the Company?   [  ]   [  ]
To the best of your knowledge, is the requested transaction consistent with the letter and spirit of the Code?   [  ]   [  ]
To the best of your knowledge, is the security or a closely-related security held by a Fund?   [  ]   [  ]
To the best of your knowledge, is the Firm or a Fund actively considering a transaction in the security or a closely-related security?   [  ]   [  ]

 

I hereby certify that the information above is accurate and complete.

 

     
Employee Signature   Date  

 

You may attached this completed form to an email to Compliance@audaxgroup.com. The email must certify that the firm is accurate and complete.

 

 
1 For purposes of this policy, members of your Family/Household include: (i) your spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), (ii) your children under the age of 18, (iii) your children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support), and (iv) any of your stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law (including in each case adoptive relationships) who live in your household.

2 compliance@audaxgroup.com

- 32 -

 

TO BE COMPLETED BY CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER

 

    Yes   No
Is the security on the Restricted List?   [  ]   [  ]
Is the security or a closely-related security held by a Fund or another account managed by the Firm?   [  ]   [  ]
Does the Firm or a Fund have a buy or sell order pending for, or is the Firm or a Fund actively considering a transaction in, the security or a closely-related security?   [  ]   [  ]

 

 

APPROVED   [  ] DENIED    [  ]  

 

BY:     Date:    

 

Signature:    

 

Date and Time of Final Approval:    

 

If preclearance is obtained, the approval is valid for the day on which it is granted and the immediately following business day (except in the case of private placements, in which case approval is valid until the private placement transaction closes).

 

-33-

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

CODE OF ETHICS

 

2018

 

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 1

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

Table of Contents Page
Introduction 1
Personal Investment Transactions Policy 1
Avoidance of Insider Trading 9
Anti-Bribery Policy 9
Gifts, Meals, Entertainment and Political Activity 10
Outside Activities 13
Other Employee Conduct 15
Confidentiality and Data Protection 16
Exemptive Relief 16
Reporting of Violations and Sanctions 17
Annual Compliance Certification 17

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 2

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

Introduction

 

This Code of Ethics and the provisions contained herein (this “Code”, as amended from time to time) apply to all employees, partners and officers (referred to herein collectively as “employees”) of Beach Point Capital Management LP and its affiliate, Beach Point Capital Europe LLP (collectively, “Beach Point”). Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer has been designated as the individual with responsibility to explain and implement this Code for Beach Point and all Beach Point employees.

 

A. Standards of Conduct and Potential Conflicts of Interests

 

Beach Point employees owe a fiduciary duty to our clients. This duty of care, integrity, honesty and good faith is expressed in the general guiding principles detailed below. As an employee, you should conduct yourself in all circumstances in accordance with such general guiding principles.

 

1. You must at all times place the interests of our clients before your own interests.

 

2. You must pay strict attention to potential conflicts of interests, avoiding them if possible and disclosing them promptly and dealing with them appropriately when the conflict is unavoidable or inherent in our business.

 

3. All of your personal investment transactions, and those of your Related Persons (as defined in Article II below), must be conducted in compliance, and consistent, with this Code so as to avoid actual or potential conflicts of interest or abuse of your position of trust and responsibility.

 

4. You must adhere to the fundamental standard that investment advisory personnel should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions for their personal benefit.

 

Although it is sometimes difficult to determine what behavior is necessary or appropriate in order to adhere to these general principles, this Code contains several guidelines for proper conduct. However, the effectiveness of Beach Point’s policies regarding ethics depends on the judgment and integrity of its employees rather than on any set of written rules. Accordingly, you must be sensitive to the general principles involved and to the purposes of the Code in addition to the specific guidelines and examples set forth below. If you are uncertain as to whether a real or apparent conflict exists in any particular situation between your interests and the interests of Beach Point and/or those of its clients, you should consult with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer immediately. Honesty at all times and in all things is an essential part of your responsibility to Beach Point. A lack of integrity in dealing with Beach Point or with its clients will not be tolerated.

 

B. Compliance with Laws and Regulations

 

All employees are expected to be familiar and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to their day-to-day responsibilities, including the relevant securities laws and regulations applicable to their activities. In some cases, this may involve the securities laws and regulations of multiple jurisdictions. If you have any questions with respect to any such law or regulation, you should consult with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer. If you become aware of any violations of this Code, you must report them. See Article X of this Code for further discussion.

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 3

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

Personal Investment Transaction Policy

 

Laws, including the insider trading laws described in Article III of this Code, and ethical standards impose duties on Beach Point and its employees to avoid conflicts of interest between their personal investment transactions and investment transactions Beach Point makes on behalf of clients. In view of the sensitivity of this issue, it is important to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. This policy governs your investments in securities as well as those of your Related Persons.

 

Except as otherwise noted, the restrictions on personal investment transactions apply to all “Access Persons” and their “Related Persons” as defined below.

 

A. Defined Terms

 

“Access Persons” include all Beach Point employees, except certain persons that may be specified by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer who (i) do not devote substantially all working time to the activities of Beach Point, and (ii) do not have access to information about the day-to-day investment activities of Beach Point. Every employee should consider himself or herself an Access Person unless otherwise specifically exempted pursuant to Article IX of this Code by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer.

 

The term “Related Person” of an Access Person for purposes of this Code includes the following:

 

1. An immediate family member, relative or dependent of the Access Person sharing the same household.

 

2. Any other person or entity if the Access Person: (i) obtains benefits substantially equivalent to ownership of the securities (“beneficial ownership”); (ii) can obtain ownership of the securities immediately or within 60 days; or (iii) can vote or dispose of the securities.

 

3. If you act as a fiduciary or otherwise make investment decisions with respect to an account (for example, if you act as the executor of an estate for which you make investment decisions or manage a relative’s brokerage account), any securities transactions you make on behalf of that account will be subject to the trading restrictions set forth herein. You should review the restrictions on your ability to act as a fiduciary outside of your employment with Beach Point, which are set forth under Article VI “Outside Activities — Fiduciary Appointments.”

 

When we refer to an Access Person having “beneficial ownership” of a security, we mean an Access Person or any Related Person to the Access Person who directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise, has or shares a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in the security, even though title is in another name (i.e., has opportunity, directly or indirectly, to profit or share in any profit derived from a transaction in such security).

 

“Securities” include any interest or instrument commonly known as a security, including stocks, bonds, options, warrants, financial commodities, futures, other derivative products and interests in privately placed offerings, limited partnerships or other entities.

 

B. General Principles Regarding Securities Transactions of Access Persons and their Related Persons

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 4

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

As mentioned under in Article I of this Code, Access Persons and their Related Persons must conduct their personal investment transactions in a manner so as to avoid any actual or potential conflict of interest with Beach Point’s clients or any abuse of their position of trust and responsibility. In keeping with this general principle, the below outlined personal investment transaction policies are designed to reduce the possibilities for such conflicts and/or appearances of impropriety, while at the same time preserve reasonable flexibility and privacy.

 

C. Preclearance Procedures

 

Each Access Person must obtain, for himself or herself and on behalf of his or her Related Persons, preclearance for any personal investment transaction in a security (other than an Exempt or Partially Exempt Security) if such Access Person or his or her Related Persons has, or as a result of the transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the security. “Exempt Securities” and “Partially Exempt Securities” are securities (or securities obtained in transactions) described under “Securities or Transactions not subject to certain Personal Investment Transactions Policies” below.

 

You must obtain preclearance for all securities transactions (except those in Exempt and Partially Exempt Securities), including the writing of an option to purchase or sell a security, by completing and submitting a preclearance request via Beach Point’s on-line personal trading compliance management system, StarCompliance (the “Star System” ). When a request is submitted via the Star System, the Star System will promptly return an approved or denied message to the Access Person. Alternatively, a securities transaction can be precleared through Beach Point’s Compliance Department. Approval, if granted via the Star System or the Compliance Department, will be valid only for the business day on which you receive it, plus the following business day. This means that an approval will be valid for a maximum of two business days (for example: if you receive approval on a Friday, and the following Monday is a holiday, you have until the close of business on Tuesday to execute the transaction). If the transaction is not completed within the approval window, you must obtain a new preclearance, including one for any portion of the personal investment transaction that is not completed within the approval window. Post-approval is not permitted under this Code. Completing a personal trade before receiving approval or after the approval window expires constitutes a violation of this Code. After the first such violation, you will typically receive a warning. Upon the second such violation, a 30-day trading suspension may be imposed on your personal trading privileges. If any additional violations occur, the sanctions to be imposed will be determined by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer and other members of senior management as considered necessary at that time.

 

You should be aware that the Compliance Department has the right to withdraw previously approved personal trade requests if information is received or events occur subsequent to the approval that would cause the approved personal trade to then present a conflict.

 

Contributions to, and withdrawals from, private funds, including funds advised by Beach Point, require prior approval from the Chief Compliance Officer or his designee.

 

D. Trading Restrictions

 

In addition to the more general principles discussed above, the additional restrictions on personal investment transactions detailed below must be followed.

 

No Access Person or his or her Related Persons may:

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 5

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

1. Purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security of an issuer that is on the Beach Point’s restricted securities list.

 

2. Purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, any security of an issuer if any security (or loan) of such issuer is held in a client portfolio (e.g., you may not buy ABC Co. common stock if ABC Co. bonds are held in a client portfolio).

 

3. Purchase and sell, or sell and purchase, the same security at a gain within 60 calendar days. The 60 calendar day holding period applies to all security types which require preclearance in order to trade (i.e., all non-Exempt and non-Partially Exempt securities). This means, for example, that you may not i) purchase shares of common stock and then sell those shares at a gain within 60 calendar days; and ii) sell short shares of common stock and then enter into a buy-to-cover transaction at a lower price for those shares within 60 calendar days. In addition, any options purchased or sold must have an expiration date which is at least 60 calendar days from the date purchased or sold. Exceptions to this prohibition will be granted on a case-by-case basis for hardship or communicated more broadly in the event of a significant market disruption or downturn.

 

4. Purchase or sell any security for a period of 5 business days before or 5 business days after that security is bought or sold on behalf of any Beach Point client.

 

5. Acquire any security in an initial public offering (IPO). (Moreover, under FINRA Rules and staff interpretations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), Access Persons may also be prohibited from participating in any public offering that is a “new issue.”) Employees may, however, in special circumstances, seek permission to purchase securities in an IPO by submitting to the Chief Compliance Officer a written request for approval of the purchase that includes a description of the special circumstances.

 

6. Purchase securities offered in a private placement (including investments in Beach Point’s funds) except with the prior approval of Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer. In considering approval, Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer will take into consideration, among other factors, whether the investment opportunity should be reserved for the benefit of Beach Point’s clients.

 

7. Do anything indirectly that would be prohibited if done directly (i.e., use a derivative instrument to enter into an otherwise prohibited transaction).

 

8. Engage in personal trading activity that interferes, competes, or conflicts with the interests of Beach Point or its clients or encroaches on normal working time or otherwise impairs employee performance.

 

E. Violations

 

Violations of the trading restrictions set forth in the Code may result in sanctions which may include, among others, a warning, suspension of personal trading privileges, reversal of a transaction and disgorgement of any resulting profits and other sanctions as determined by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer and other members of senior management as considered necessary at that time.

 

F. Securities or Transactions not Subject to Certain Personal Investment Transaction Policies

 

1. Fully Exempt Securities

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 6

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

The following securities and any associated transactions are exempt from both the preclearance and reporting requirements of the personal investment transactions policy (“Fully Exempt Securities”):

 

a. Direct obligations of the U.S. Government (i.e., treasury securities)

 

b. Bank certificates of deposit

 

c. Bankers’ acceptances

 

d. Commercial paper

 

e. High-quality, short-term debt obligations, including repurchase agreements

 

f. Shares issued by money market funds

 

g. Shares issued by open-end mutual funds, except those open-end mutual funds for which Beach Point acts as investment manager or subadviser, which are considered Partially Exempt Securities

 

h. Shares issued by unit investments trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more open end mutual funds, except those open-end mutual funds for which Beach Point acts as investment manager or sub-adviser, which are considered Partially Exempt Securities

 

i. Securities purchased on behalf of an Access Person for an account over which the Access Person has no direct or indirect influence or control (e.g., those done through a managed account or blind trust)

 

2. Partially Exempt Securities (Reporting Required)

 

The following securities and any associated transactions are exempt from the preclearance procedures but not the reporting requirements (“Partially Exempt Securities”) as the likelihood of a conflict of interest with any of Beach Point’s investment activities is considered low:

 

(a) Municipal bonds

 

(b) U.S. government agency obligations (i.e., FNMA, FHLMC, GNMA)

 

(c) Debt obligations issued by foreign governments

 

(d) Auction-rate money market instruments

 

(e) Exchange Traded Funds and Exchange Traded Notes

 

(f) Open-end investment companies not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (i.e., non-U.S. funds)

 

(g) Closed-end Investment Companies

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 7

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

(h) Security purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by the issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights so acquired

 

(i) Non-volitionary transactions (i.e., assignment of an option position or exercise of an option at expiration, tender offers when participation is mandatory)

 

(j) Securities purchases effected through an automatic investment program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation (an automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan) – Note the account and securities holdings should be reported in the employee’s annual holdings certificate, but the transactions do not need to be reported in the quarterly transaction certification

 

(k) Shares issued by open-end mutual funds for which Beach Point acts as investment manager or sub-adviser

 

(l) Shares issued by unit investments trusts that are invested exclusively in shares issued by open-end mutual funds for which Beach Point acts as investment manager or sub-adviser

 

It is not necessary to preclear personal transactions for any Fully Exempt Securities or Partially Exempt Securities. However, it still is necessary to include Partially Exempt Securities positions and transactions in the quarterly transaction reports and annual securities holdings list, as applicable. Personal investment transactions in Fully Exempt Securities and Partially Exempt Securities are still subject to Beach Point’s policy on inside information.

 

G. Reporting of Transactions

 

1. Quarterly Reports All Access Persons must file with the Compliance Department via the Star System quarterly reports of personal investment transactions by the 30th day of January, April, July and October (i.e., by the 30th day following the end of the quarter). In each quarterly report, the Access Person must report all personal investment transactions (providing all the information required by the form in the Star System), including those of their Related Persons, that were transacted during the quarter other than those in Exempt Securities. Every Access Person must file a quarterly report when due even if such person made no purchases or sales of securities during the period covered by the report. You are charged with the responsibility for making your quarterly reports. The Compliance Department’s effort to facilitate the reporting process via the PTA System does not change or alter that responsibility.

 

2. Annual Reports All Access Persons must also complete via the Star System an Annual Holdings Report along with the quarterly report due by the 30th day in January. This report must include a listing of all securities, other than Exempt Securities, held in your brokerage accounts and the brokerage accounts of your Related Persons or held elsewhere (i.e., physical securities, private placements, partnership interests, etc.) as of a date no more than 45 days preceding the filing date of the report. All new Beach Point employees must also provide a listing of all securities holdings within 10 days of the commencement of employment.

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 8

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

3. Broker Statements and Trade Confirmations All Access Persons are required to direct brokers of accounts in which they or a Related Person has a beneficial interest to supply to the Compliance Department, on a timely basis, duplicate copies of trade confirmations and periodic broker account statements stating the name in which the account(s) is held and the account number(s). You must provide a list of all your brokerage accounts (including those of your Related Persons) to the Compliance Department and report to the Compliance Department any new brokerage account(s) (including those of your Related Persons) at the time they are opened. If you have any questions about the Personal Investment Transactions Policy, call or see a member of the Compliance Department.

 

H. Reviewing of Transactions

 

The Compliance Department is charged with the responsibility of reviewing requests for approval to trade in securities (which review and approval / denial may occur via the Star System) and for performing reconciliations between such approvals and the broker confirmations and statements.

 

Policy on Avoidance of Insider Trading

 

The prohibition against insider trading in the United States stems from the general antifraud provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Securities Exchange Act”), and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”). Both the Securities Exchange Act and the Advisers Act contain specific provisions designed to detect and deter insider trading and to impose sanctions upon violators and persons who “control” violators, such as their employers.

 

Section 204A of the Advisers Act requires all registered investment advisers to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the misuse of material, nonpublic information by their employees or associated persons. In addition, liability may be imposed upon “controlling persons” (i.e., employers and individual supervisors) if the controlling person knew of or recklessly disregarded the fact that the “controlled person” (i.e., employee or associated person) was likely to engage in the misuse of material inside information and failed to take appropriate steps to prevent it.

 

In addition to regulations in the U.S. covering prohibitions against insider trading, there are also regulations in other jurisdictions in which Beach Point conducts business. Beach Point employees should be familiar with such local regulations and seek information from Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel when any questions related to insider trading arise.

 

Beach Point employees occasionally come into possession of material, non-public information (often called “inside information”). Various laws, regulations and court decisions, as well as general ethical and moral standards, impose certain duties with respect to the use of inside information. The violation of those duties could subject Beach Point and its employees to serious civil and criminal penalties and the resulting damage to reputation.

 

Moreover, within an organization or affiliated group of organizations, courts may attribute one employee’s knowledge of inside information to any other employee or group that later trades in the affected security, even if there had been no communication of actual knowledge. Thus, by buying or selling a particular security in the normal course of business, Beach Point employees who have no actual knowledge of inside information could inadvertently subject Beach Point to liability.

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 9

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

The civil and criminal liabilities for misuse of inside information can be substantial and can end your career. These penalties apply both to trading while in possession of such information and to “tipping” others who trade.

 

Beach Point has developed an Insider Trading Policy which has been designed to prevent the misuse of inside information by Beach Point and its employees. Beach Point expects all employees to adhere to the Insider Trading Policy and all procedures related thereto. Each year, employees are required to certify as to their compliance with the Insider Trading Policy and to affirm their obligation to continue to comply with the Insider Trading Policy. A violation of the Insider Trading Policy or procedures related thereto constitutes grounds for disciplinary action, including dismissal.

 

Anti-Bribery Policy Statement

 

A. General

The U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), among other things, makes it unlawful to corruptly offer, pay, promise to pay, or authorize the payment of any money, or offer, gift, promise to give, or authorize the giving of anything of value, to a “Non-U.S. Official” for the purpose of obtaining, directing or retaining business or to secure an improper advantage. A payment or promise of payment of money or anything of value is made “corruptly” if it is for the purpose of improperly influencing an official action. There is no materiality requirement or de minimis exception to the FCPA, making it illegal to offer anything of value as a bribe, including cash or non-cash items.

 

In addition to the FCPA, Beach Point and Beach Point employees are also subject to the applicable anti-bribery laws of all jurisdictions in which they do business and any jurisdictions involved in Beach Point’s cross-border transactions. Beach Point employees that are not U.S. citizens or U.S. residents may also be subject to applicable anti-bribery laws of their countries of citizenship or residency, as applicable. Certain non-U.S. anti-bribery laws have particularly wide scope. For instance, the United Kingdom Bribery Act prohibits both domestic and international bribery, as well as bribery across both private and public sectors.

 

Prior to transacting business in any non-U.S. jurisdiction, you should consult with the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel to obtain the applicable policies, requirements and procedures pertinent to complying with the applicable anti-bribery laws of such jurisdictions.

 

B. Anti-Bribery Policy

 

Beach Point’s policy is to prohibit Beach Point employees from offering, promising, making, authorizing or providing (directly or indirectly, including through third parties) any payments, gifts or transfers of anything of value to any Non-U.S. Official, including a person actually known to be an immediate family member of a Non-U.S. Official and a former Non-U.S. Official, in order to improperly influence or reward any official action or decision by such person for Beach Point’s benefit. Neither funds from Beach Point nor funds from any other source may be used to make any such payment or gift on behalf of or for Beach Point’s benefit.

 

Beach Point’s policy is to comply with the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA and all other applicable international anti-corruption laws that relate to the prohibition of payments to government officials (and non-governmental officials, as the case may be). Beach Point may adopt from time to time procedures (“Anti-Bribery Procedures”) to comply with applicable anti-bribery laws and to prevent Beach Point employees from promising, paying or providing, or authorizing the promising, paying or providing of any amount of money or anything of value to a Non-U.S. Official (or any other person) for the purposes of improperly obtaining, directing or retaining business or securing an improper advantage for Beach Point. Failing to abide by Beach Point’s Anti-Bribery Policy or Procedures may result in serious financial and criminal penalties for Beach Point and Beach Point employees. In addition, violation of Beach Point’s Anti-Bribery Policy or Procedures may subject the involved Beach Point employees to disciplinary action as set forth in this Code and the Anti-Bribery Policy or Procedures. It is therefore imperative that all Beach Point employees comply with the Beach Point Anti-Bribery Policy and Procedures and consult with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel if there is any doubt about whether an activity is permitted. If any Beach Point employee knows or learns of a violation of applicable anti-bribery laws or of the Beach Point Anti-Bribery Policy or Procedures, he or she must promptly report the facts to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel.

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 10

  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

Gifts, Meals, Entertainment and Political Activity Policy

 

A. Gifts, Meals, Entertainment, Travel and Lodging

 

No employee may accept a gift, or allow himself or herself to be entertained in a manner, that might reasonably be expected to improperly influence his or her behavior or judgment or interfere with his or her responsibilities to Beach Point and its clients. While business gifts, meals and entertainment are not prohibited altogether, each employee must exercise good judgment to assure that no gift, meal or entertainment that is excessive in value or frequency is accepted. You should immediately report any offer of an improper gift, meal or entertainment to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer.

 

Employees may not solicit gifts, favors, accommodations or other valuable items from anyone doing business or seeking to do business with Beach Point. In addition, no employee may receive or participate in any arrangement leading to an inappropriate gift to himself or herself, relatives, or any business in which any of them have a substantial interest, in consideration of past, present or prospective business conducted with Beach Point.

 

1. Gifts, Meals, Entertainment, Travel and Lodging Received by Employees

 

You may accept unsolicited gifts from anyone with which Beach Point has dealings only if the gift is reasonable and customary and not of excessive value. Similarly, you may not allow yourself to be entertained or receive meals in a manner that is unreasonably lavish or frequent. In applying the foregoing standards, you should be conservative in your judgments and decline any gift, meal or entertainment that might reasonably be deemed questionable.

 

The term “gift” includes, but is not limited to, personal gifts, substantial favors, tickets (e.g., tickets to sporting or entertainment events that an employee attends without his or her broker/vendor host), special discounts on goods or services, free services, loans of goods or money, trips or anything else of value. Gifts to an employee’s immediate family are included in this policy. The receipt of cash gifts or gifts of securities is absolutely prohibited.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, you should understand that if you are given tickets to an event to do with as you please, you will be deemed to have received a “gift” in the amount of the value of the tickets. In contrast, if you attend an event with a host, you are deemed to have been entertained, but not to have received a “gift.”

 

In general, expenses for lodging and travel of Beach Point personnel, for example in connection with conferences, should be borne by Beach Point and not an outside third party.

 

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2. Gifts, Meals, Entertainment, Travel and Lodging Given by Employees

 

It is acceptable for you to give gifts of nominal value to clients and/or business associates to the extent they are appropriate and suitable under the circumstances, meet the standards of ethical business conduct, and involve no element of concealment. Providing meals and entertainment to clients and/or business associates that is reasonable and appropriate for the circumstances is also acceptable. Be aware, however, that many organizations, including government entities and agencies, and employee benefit plans have their own rules prohibiting or limiting the type and amount of gifts, meals and entertainment that their employees can receive. You must be careful to observe any of those restrictions of which you are aware.

 

The provision of all gifts, meals, entertainment, travel and lodging to any government official (i.e., foreign, U.S., state, local, etc.), public pension fund official, union official or individual who is a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan subject to ERISA must be pre-approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel. Employees should also refer to Section IV “Anti-Bribery Policy” above and the subsection titled “Political Activity” below.

 

3. Reporting of Gifts, Meals, Entertainment, Travel and Lodging

 

All employees are required to report the receipt of gifts valued at $50.00 or more and their attendance at any entertainment event (other than normal and customary business meals). In addition, employees are required to report their attendance at a conference if all or a portion of the employee’s travel or lodging was paid for by the sponsor of the conference or any other third party. Reporting of such items can be done through the Star System.

 

Any gifts, meals, entertainment, travel and lodging to be provided by an employee to a government official, public pension fund official, union official or an individual who is a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan subject to ERISA must be pre-approved by the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel.

 

B. Political Activity

 

It is Beach Point’s policy to comply fully with campaign finance and other "pay-to-play" laws. Various jurisdictions and government agencies have enacted pay-to-play laws, which are intended to limit investment advisers and their employees from making contributions to, or soliciting contributions for, a government official who can influence the governmental entity’s selection of investment advisers. These pay-to-play-laws may prohibit the investment adviser from receiving compensation from a government entity after the investment adviser or certain of its employees engage in political activity. Some of these restrictions are triggered by political contributions made as long as five years prior to the award of an investment management mandate. In addition, some public pension plans have more restrictive rules regarding political activity. Because Beach Point maintains and seeks to develop relationships with these types of entities, failure to comply with the laws could result in a loss of client investment management mandates and/or possible sanctions and penalties.

 

As a general matter, employees are not permitted to engage in Political Activity (as defined below) for the purpose of obtaining new business or retaining existing business, including in connection with potential or existing investors or transactions.

 

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In order to ensure compliance with the various pay-to-play laws, all campaign contributions, political campaign-related solicitation activity, monetary or in-kind benefits, to, or for the benefit of, among others, any government official, candidate running for office, political party, or legislative leadership, politically active non-profit organizations, or political action committee (collectively, "Political Activity"), by a Beach Point entity or any employee or Related Person of such employee (refer to Article II for the definition of a “Related Person”) must be pre-approved by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer. In order to obtain pre-approval of proposed Political Activity, the request should be submitted to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer via the Star System.

 

All employees are also required to certify on a quarterly basis (and as may be requested from time to time) that they received approval from the Chief Compliance Officer for any Political Activity in which they engaged during the quarter. In the case of providing any non-U.S. Officials with any such items, you should also refer to Article IV “Anti-Bribery Policy” above.

 

Each employee is responsible for monitoring his or her Political Activity (in consultation with the Compliance Department) to be certain that it complies with their jurisdictional rules limiting individual contributions.

 

Outside Activities

 

A. Outside Employment

 

Each Beach Point employee is expected to devote his or her full time and ability to Beach Point’s interests during regular working hours and such additional time as may be properly required. Beach Point discourages employees from holding outside employment, including consulting. If you are considering taking outside employment, you must submit a written request to your Department Head. The request must include the name of the business, type of business, type of work to be performed, and the days and hours that the work will be performed. If your Department Head approves your request, it will be submitted to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer for final approval.

 

An employee may not engage in outside employment that: (a) interferes, competes, or conflicts with Beach Point’s interests; (b) encroaches on normal working time or otherwise impairs performance; (c) implies sponsorship or support of an outside organization by Beach Point; or (d) reflects directly or indirectly adversely on Beach Point. This policy also prohibits outside employment in the securities brokerage industry. Employees must abstain from negotiating, approving or voting on any transaction between Beach Point and any outside organization with which they are affiliated, whether as a representative of Beach Point or the outside organization, except in the ordinary course of their providing services for Beach Point and on a fully disclosed basis.

 

B. Service as Director

 

Each employee needs to obtain approval of (a) one of the Co-Chief Investment Officers and the Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel to serve as a director, or in a similar capacity, of a portfolio company of a fund or account managed by Beach Point and (b) Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel to serve as a director, or in similar capacity, in all other circumstances. If you receive approval, it will be subject to the implementation of procedures to safeguard against potential conflicts of interest, such as placing securities of the company on a watch and restricted list. Approval may be withdrawn if it is concluded that withdrawal is in the interest of Beach Point or its clients.

 

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You do not need approval to serve on the board of a private family corporation or any charitable, professional, civic or nonprofit entities that are not clients of Beach Point and have no business relations with Beach Point, however, you must report such activity to the Compliance Department. In addition, you should note that if you are involved with the investment activities of such an entity, that entity may become your Related Person and be subject to the policies concerning securities transaction set forth above. Also, if you serve in a director capacity which does not require advance approval but circumstances later change which would require such approval (e.g., the company enters into business relations with Beach Point or becomes a client), you must then obtain approval.

 

A request for approval to serve as a director can be submitted via the Star System. You should consult with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer to determine whether your activities will trigger our policies concerning the reporting of securities transactions.

 

C. Fiduciary Appointments

 

No employee may accept appointments as executor, trustee, guardian, conservator, general partner or other fiduciary, or any appointment as a consultant in connection with active money management matters, without the prior approval of Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer. This policy does not apply to appointments involving personal or family estate planning or service on the board of a charitable, civic, or nonprofit company where the Access Person does not act as an investment adviser for the entity’s assets and has no control or limited input in the investment decision for such entity’s assets. Securities traded by you as a fiduciary will be subject to Beach Point’s Personal Investment Transactions Policy.

 

D. Compensation, Consulting Fees and Honorariums

 

If you have received proper approval to serve in an outside organization or to engage in other outside employment, you may retain all compensation paid for such service unless otherwise provided by the terms of the approval. You may not retain compensation (whether in the form of cash, stock options, shares of restricted stock or other non-cash compensation) received for services on boards of directors or as officers of corporations where you serve in the course of your employment activities with Beach Point and in such instances, it is your responsibility to inform Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer of your receipt of any such compensation and the terms thereof. However, you may retain honorariums received by you for publications, public speaking appearances, instructional courses at educational institutions, and similar activities. You should direct any questions concerning the permissible retention of compensation to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer.

 

E. Participation in Public Affairs

 

Beach Point employees are encouraged to support community activities and political processes. Normally, voluntary efforts must take place outside of regular business hours. If voluntary efforts require corporate time, you should obtain prior approval from your Department Head. Should the voluntary efforts involve fundraising or solicitation activity in connection with a campaign for a government official, you must follow the policies and procedures outlined under Article V above and seek prior approval of such activity. If you wish to accept an appointive office, or run for elective office, you must first obtain approval from your Department Head and then Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer. You must campaign for an office on your own time and may not use Beach Point’s property or services for such purpose without proper reimbursement to Beach Point.

 

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  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

In all cases, employees participating in political activities do so as individuals and not as representatives of Beach Point. To prevent any interpretation of sponsorship or endorsement by Beach Point, you should not use either Beach Point’s name or address in material you mail or funds you collect, nor, except as necessary in biographical information, should Beach Point be identified in any advertisements or literature.

 

F. Serving as Treasurer of Clubs, Churches, Lodges, or Similar Organizations

 

An employee may act as treasurer of clubs, churches, lodges, or similar organizations. However, you should keep funds belonging to such organizations in separate accounts and not commingle them in any way with your personal funds or Beach Point’s funds. You should consult with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer to determine whether your activities will trigger our policies concerning the reporting of securities transactions.

 

Any other outside activity or venture that is not covered by the foregoing, but that may raise questions, should be cleared with Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer.

 

Other Employee Conduct

 

A. Personal Financial Responsibility

 

It is important that employees properly manage their personal finances, particularly in matters of credit. Imprudent personal financial management may affect job performance and lead to more serious consequences for employees in positions of trust. In particular, you are not permitted to borrow from clients, or from providers of goods or services with whom Beach Point deals, except those who engage in lending in the usual course of their business and then only on terms offered to others in similar circumstances, without special treatment. This prohibition does not preclude borrowing from individuals related to you by blood or marriage.

 

B. Taking Advantage of a Business Opportunity that Rightfully Belongs to Beach Point

 

Employees must not take for their own advantage an opportunity that rightfully belongs to Beach Point or its clients. Whenever Beach Point has been actively soliciting a business opportunity, or the opportunity has been offered to it or the funds or accounts which are managed by Beach Point, or Beach Point facilities or personnel have been used in pursuing the opportunity, that opportunity rightfully belongs to Beach Point or its clients and not to employees who may be in a position to divert the opportunity for their own benefits.

 

Examples of improperly taking advantage of a corporate opportunity include:

 

1. Selling information to which an employee has access because of his/her position with Beach Point.

 

2. Acquiring an asset that Beach Point is known to be considering or that should first be offered to Beach Point clients.

 

3. Receiving a commission or fee on a transaction which would otherwise accrue to Beach Point.

 

4. Diverting business or personnel from Beach Point.

 

C. Corporate Property or Services

 

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Employees are not permitted to act as principal for either themselves or their immediate families in the supply of goods, properties, or services to Beach Point, unless approved by Beach Point’s General Counsel or Chief Compliance Officer.

 

D. Electronic Communications and Social Media

 

Electronic communications conducted on Beach Point provided and/or authorized systems and equipment should be used primarily for the conduct of Beach Point business and may not be used in any illegal, improper, discriminatory, offensive or unethical manner. Employees may not use these tools for conducting non-Beach Point related business and for excessive personal use. In addition, all Beach Point business or client communications conducted via electronic communications must be conducted solely through an employee’s authorized Beach Point email account or Bloomberg account. For example, employees may not use text messaging or personal email addresses such as “Gmail” accounts to conduct Beach Point business or communicate with Beach Point clients or fund investors.

 

Beach Point reserves the right to access any employee’s electronic communications for any business or compliance purpose. All electronic communications conducted via an employee’s Beach Point email account or Bloomberg account, whether business related or personal, are retained in accordance with the Beach Point’s Books and Records Policy and Procedures and are subject to review. Employees should be aware that even if electronic communications are deleted, the information is not destroyed or lost. Employees should not expect that their electronic communications are private.

 

Beach Point recognizes that employees may wish to post content on the Internet via various social media sites, blogs and tools such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc. (collectively referred to as “social media sites”). However, because Beach Point is subject to the rules and regulations of the securities industry, certain postings may be considered to be “investment advice,” “correspondence” or “advertising.” Additionally, postings may reflect poorly on the employee, and, by implication, may negatively impact Beach Point’s reputation. In order to address the potential risks inherent in using social media sites, Beach Point prohibits employees from posting any information about Beach Point, its clients, its business activities or investments. Employees are solely permitted to indicate their employment at Beach Point and provide a brief description of their job function.

 

Beach Point’s Electronic Communications and Social Media policy is incorporated by reference as if fully set out within this Code.

 

Confidentiality and Data Protection

 

All information relating to past, current and prospective clients is highly confidential and is not to be disclosed or discussed with anyone other than Beach Point employees under any circumstance, unless as expressly permitted by Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer or General Counsel or as outlined in Beach Point’s Compliance Manual. Additionally, Beach Point employees will come into possession of, or otherwise have access to, trade secrets and other confidential and/or proprietary information pertaining to Beach Point’s business which has commercial value to Beach Point’s business. Consequently, all employees will be required to sign and adhere to a confidentiality agreement at the time they commence their employment with Beach Point.

 

Exemptive Relief

 

Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer will review and consider any proper request of an employee for relief or exemption from any restriction, limitation or procedure contained in this Code which is claimed to cause a hardship for such employee or which may involve an unforeseen or involuntary situation where no abuse is involved. Exemptions of any nature may be given on a specific basis or a class basis, as determined by the Chief Compliance Officer. An exemption from Access Person status may also be granted to any person (or class of persons) that the Chief Compliance Officer determines does not warrant such status. Under appropriate circumstances, Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer may authorize a personal transaction involving a security held in a client portfolio or subject to actual or prospective purchase or sale for a client portfolio, where the personal transaction would be very unlikely to affect the market for such security, where the Beach Point employee is not in possession of inside information, or for other reasons sufficient to satisfy the Chief Compliance Officer that the transaction does not represent a conflict of interest, involve the misuse of inside information or convey the appearance of impropriety. Any employee’s request for relief should be in writing and should state the basis for his or her request. Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer may meet with the employee, as deemed necessary, to discuss any such written request. Any approval for relief shall be appropriately documented and maintained by Beach Point’s Compliance Department.

 

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  CODE OF ETHICS

 

 

Reporting of Violations and Sanctions

 

Beach Point maintains a strong culture of compliance and a commitment to addressing compliance violations. Any known or suspected violation of this Code, the Compliance Manual (including if applicable, the U.K. Compliance Manual), U.S. or foreign securities laws or other unethical or improper conduct must be promptly reported to Beach Point’s Chief Compliance Officer (or another member of the Beach Point’s management team if appropriate based on the circumstances). If you are unsure whether a violation has occurred, you should discuss the matter with the Chief Compliance Officer (or another member of the management team if appropriate based on the circumstances). A violation or other improper conduct may be reported anonymously and all such reports will be treated confidentially and investigated promptly.

 

Beach Point has a non-retaliation policy that protects employees who report violations or other improper conduct to the Chief Compliance Officer in good faith or who otherwise cooperate in any related investigation. Failure to report a violation to the Chief Compliance Officer could result in disciplinary action against any non-reporting employee, which may include termination of employment.

 

All employees are encouraged to seek advice from the Chief Compliance Officer prior to engaging in any action or entering any transaction which may violate this Code or the Compliance Manual (including if applicable, the U.K. Compliance Manual). In addition, employees should refrain from any action, conduct or transaction which constitutes, or may appear to constitute, improper or unethical conduct.

 

Upon discovering a violation of this Code or the Compliance Manual (including if applicable, the U.K. Compliance Manual), the Chief Compliance Officer, in consultation with other members of Beach Point’s management team, may impose disciplinary action on the offending employee. Such disciplinary action may include, without limitation, a reprimand (oral and/or written), additional training sessions regarding the policies and procedures violated, suspension of personal trading privileges, a reversal of any improper transaction, monetary penalties, demotion, suspension or termination of employment and forfeiture of benefits.

 

Annual Compliance Certification

 

Employees are required to certify annually that they (i) have received, have read and understand the terms of the Code, (ii) recognize the responsibilities and obligations to which they are subject under the Code, (iii) are in compliance with the requirements of the Code, and (iv) will continue to observe and comply with the Code.

 

CODE OF ETHICS | APPENDIX B   BEACH POINT 17

 

I. CODE OF ETHICS

 

Benefit Street Partners L.L.C. (together with its affiliated management companies and its and their subsidiaries, “Benefit Street” or the “Firm”), 1 has adopted the policies and procedures (as they may be amended from time to time, the “Policies”) set forth in this policies and procedures manual (the “Manual”) and implemented a compliance program intended to ensure that all Supervised Persons of the Firm obey the law and conduct themselves ethically. 2

 

The Firm, as a registered investment adviser with the SEC and as investment manager or sub-adviser to BDCs and/or the Registered Funds, has adopted this code of ethics (“Code of Ethics”) as required by Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act and Rule 17j-1 under the Investment Company Act, respectively, to set forth standards of business conduct that the Firm expects of persons employed by, working with the Firm and others designated by the Chief Compliance Officer. The Firm, as an investment adviser, has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of its Clients. The Firm’s reputation for integrity, honesty and openness is essential to its continued business success.

 

All Firm personnel are required to comply with applicable Federal Securities Laws and report violations of the rules set out in the Code of Ethics promptly to the Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer shall provide you with a copy of this Code of Ethics which is contained in the Firm’s Manual and any amendments. You are expected to read and understand all requirements and procedures of the Code of Ethics. In fact, you will be required to sign and return a certification acknowledging your receipt of the Code of Ethics (and any amendment thereto). A form of Certification of Receipt of Compliance Policies and Procedures Manual (including the Personal Transaction Policies) and Compliance Acknowledgement Form is attached as Item 1 at the end of the Manual. The Management of the Firm and the Chief Compliance Officer will review the terms and provisions of the Code of Ethics at least annually and make amendments as necessary.

 

We expect our Supervised Persons to put the interest of Clients first and foremost in their business dealings and day-to-day activities. Each Supervised Person is expected to conduct himself or herself in accordance with such standards at all times, and to deal honestly and fairly with all persons with whom he or she has contact. It is generally improper for the Firm or persons covered by the Code of Ethics to (i) use for their own benefit (or the benefit of anyone other than a Client) information about the Firm’s trading or investment recommendations for a Client or (ii) take advantage of investment opportunities that would otherwise be available for a Client.

 

 

 

5 “Benefit Street” or the “Firm” shall not include the Firm Advisory Affiliates for purposes of this Manual but shall include, without limitation, BDCA Adviser, LLC. Employees of the Firm Advisory Affiliates should refer to the applicable firm’s Compliance Policies and Procedures Manual.

 

6 A “Supervised Person” means the Firm’s partners, officers, directors (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions) and employees, as well as any other persons who provide advice on behalf of the adviser and are subject to the adviser’s supervision and control. The partners, officers, directors (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions) and employees of Benefit Street Partners CRE Conduit Company L.P. (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) (the “Conduit”), as well as any other persons who provide advice on behalf of the Conduit and are subject to the Conduit’s supervision and control, are also deemed to be Supervised Persons under this Manual. Except where otherwise indicated, for all purposes of this Manual the term “employee” and the term “supervised person” shall be deemed to include consultants to the Firm or the Conduit and any other non-employees of the Firm or the Conduit stationed in the Firm’s offices to whom copies of this Manual have been provided. Except where otherwise indicated, the Policies set forth in this Manual extend to all employees of Benefit Street or the Conduit: both investment and administrative personnel, both full-time and part-time employees, and both U.S. and non-U.S. employees.

 

If you have any doubt or uncertainty about how to react to a particular circumstance or concern, contact Alexander H. McMillan who is designated as the Chief Compliance Officer of the Firm. 3 Please do not guess at the answer. Mr. McMillan is based in New York and can be reached by telephone at extension 76712, (212) 588-6712 or by e-mail at a.mcmillan@benefitstreetpartners.com .

 

Additionally, you should be aware that the Firm expects all persons covered by the Code of Ethics to comply with the spirit of the Code of Ethics, as well as the specific rules contained in the Code of Ethics. Technical compliance with the requirements set forth in this Code of Ethics and the Manual will not insulate you from scrutiny for any actions that create the appearance of a violation. You should also be aware that violations of either the letter or the spirit of the policies and procedures in this Code of Ethics and the Manual will be treated with the utmost seriousness and may result in penalties being imposed at the discretion of the Firm, including but not limited to cancellation of an offending trade (with any resulting loss charged to you and any profits forfeited to the Firm, a charity or our Clients), imposition of penalties or fines, reduction of your compensation, a letter of censure or reprimand, referrals to regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, suspension, substantial changes in duties and responsibilities, suspension and dismissal, or any combination of the foregoing. Violations may also result in civil or criminal proceedings and penalties. In addition, the Firm may, in its sole and absolute discretion, suspend or revoke your personal trading privileges. Supervised Persons may also be placed on paid or unpaid leave pending any investigation into whether these policies and procedures have been violated.

 

Improper trading activity can constitute a violation of the Code of Ethics. You can also violate the Code of Ethics by failing to file required reports, or by making inaccurate or misleading reports or statements concerning trading activity or securities accounts. Your conduct can violate the Code of Ethics even if neither any Client nor the Firm is harmed by your conduct.

 

A. Definitions

 

All capitalized terms used in this Code of Ethics have the meanings set forth in this Code of Ethics and below. You should note that some of these terms (such as “beneficial interest”) are sometimes used in other contexts, not related to codes of ethics, where they have different meanings.

 

1. “Automatic Investment Plan”

 

Automatic investment plan means a program in which regular periodic purchases (or withdrawals) are made automatically in (or from) investment accounts in accordance with a predetermined schedule and allocation. An automatic investment plan includes a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

 

 

3 References herein to the “Chief Compliance Officer” refer to either Mr. McMillan in his capacity as the Firm’s Chief Compliance Officer or his designee for such purpose.

 

2. “Beneficial Interest”

 

The term “Beneficial Interest” is interpreted in the same manner as it would be in determining whether a person has beneficial ownership pursuant to the provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations thereunder. Beneficial Interest is a very broad concept. This definition means that a Supervised Person should consider himself or herself to have a Beneficial Interest in any Covered Securities in which he or she, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise has a direct or indirect economic or pecuniary interest. 4 In addition to any of the foregoing, a Supervised Person should consider himself or herself to have a Beneficial Interest in Covered Securities held by members of his/her Family/Household. Beneficial Interest also includes any interest that arises as a result of:

 

Covered Securities being held in such a person’s own name, or that are held for the person’s benefit in nominee, custodial or “street name” accounts;

 

a partnership interest in a general or limited partnership (whether the ownership is under the name of that partner, another partner or the partnership or through a nominee, custodial or “street name” account);

 

a right to dividends that is separated or separable from the underlying Covered Security;

 

a right to acquire equity securities through the exercise or conversion of any derivative on a Covered Security (whether or not presently exercisable or convertible);

 

Covered Securities in a person’s individual retirement account;

 

Covered Securities in a person’s account in a 401(k) or similar retirement plan, even if the person has chosen to give someone else investment discretion over the account;

 

Covered Securities owned by a trust of which the person is (i) a beneficiary and has investment control over the assets of the trust or (ii) the trustee of a trust and his or her family members are beneficiaries of such trust;

 

Covered Securities owned by a corporation, partnership or other entity that the person controls (whether the ownership is under the name of that person, under the name of the entity or through a nominee, custodial or “street name” account);

 

Covered Securities owned by an investment club in which the person participates;

 

Covered Securities that are being managed for a person’s benefit by an investment adviser, broker, bank, trust company or other manager, unless (i) the securities are held in a “blind trust” or similar arrangement under which the person is prohibited by contract from communicating with the manager of the account and the manager is prohibited from disclosing to the person what investments are held in the account, or (ii) the securities are held in a Discretionary Account; and

 

 

 

8 Pecuniary interest includes the opportunity, directly or indirectly, to share in any profit derived from a transaction in the securities.

 

Certain performance related advisory fees (other than an asset based fee).

 

Please note that you are not deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in portfolio securities held by an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act or in a public utility holding company registered under the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. You also are not deemed to have a Beneficial Interest in qualified tuition programs established pursuant to Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code (“529 Plans”) if neither the Firm nor a control affiliate of the Firm manages, distributes, markets, or underwrites the 529 Plan or the investments and strategies underlying the 529 Plan.

 

This is not a complete list of the forms of ownership that could constitute a Beneficial Interest for purposes of the Code of Ethics. Supervised Persons should ask the Chief Compliance Officer if they have any questions or doubts at all about whether they or any member of their Family/Household would be considered to have a Beneficial Interest in any particular situation.

 

3. “Client”

 

Any person or entity that the Firm provides investment advisory services to, including the Funds, any BDCs, the REIT, the Registered Funds and any separately managed accounts.

 

4. “Covered Security”

 

A “Covered Security” means anything that is considered a “security” under Section 202(a)(18) of the Advisers Act and Section 2(a)(36) of the Investment Company Act 5 , except :

 

Direct obligations of the U.S. Government;

 

Bankers’ acceptances, bank certificates of deposit, commercial paper and high quality short-term debt instruments, including repurchase agreements;

 

Shares of money market investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act;

 

Shares of open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act (other than Reportable Funds and shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) registered as open-end investment companies, which are Covered Securities); and

 

 

 

5

“Security” means any note, stock, treasury stock, security future, bond, debenture, evidence of indebtedness, certificate of interest or participation in any profit-sharing agreement, collateral-trust certificate, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, voting-trust certificate, certificate of deposit for a security, fractional undivided interest in oil, gas, or other mineral rights, any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege on any security (including a certificate of deposit) or on any group or index of securities (including any interest therein or based on the value thereof), or any put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency, or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a ‘‘security’’, or any certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guaranty of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing.

 

Shares of unit investment trusts that invest exclusively in one or more open-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act, none of which are Reportable Funds.

 

The term “security” is extremely broad. It includes most kinds of investment instruments, including things that you might not ordinarily think of as “securities,” such as:

 

options and futures on securities, on indexes and on currencies;

 

investments in all kinds of limited partnerships;

 

shares of closed-end investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act and BDCs;

 

investments in foreign unit trusts and foreign mutual funds; and

 

investments in hedge funds and private investment funds (including a Fund).

 

If you have any question or doubt about whether an investment is considered a Covered Security under the Code of Ethics, assume that the investment is a Covered Security and seek guidance from the Chief Compliance Officer. Do not guess .

 

5. “Direct or Indirect Influence or Control” includes

 

Suggesting purchases or sales of investments to the trustee or third-party discretionary manager;

 

Directing purchases or sales of investments;

 

Consulting with the trustee or third-party discretionary manager as to the particular allocation of investments to be made in the account; and

 

Discussions with the trustee or third-party discretionary manager concerning account holdings.

 

NOTE: Discussions about broad asset allocations that would not reasonably be expected to result in the purchase or sale of a particular security and discussions in which a trustee or third-party discretionary manager simply summarizes, describes or explains account activity to an access person would not indicate “direct or indirect influence or control.”

 

6. “Discretionary Account” means

 

A “Discretionary Account” is any trust or account over which a Supervised Person (or members of their Family/Household) does not exercise any Direct or Indirect Influence or Control, as explained in more detail below.

 

7. “Family/Household”, includes :

 

A Supervised Person’s spouse or domestic partner (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support);

 

A Supervised Person’s children under the age of 18;

 

A Supervised Person’s children who are 18 or older (unless they do not live in the same household as you and you do not contribute in any way to their support); and

 

Any of these people who live in a Supervised Person’s household: a Supervised Person’s stepchildren, grandchildren, parents, stepparents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, including adoptive relationships.

 

8. “Federal Securities Laws”

 

The term “Federal Securities Laws” means the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Advisers Act, Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, any rules adopted by the SEC under any of these statutes, the Bank Secrecy Act as it applies to funds and investment advisers, and any rules adopted thereunder by the SEC or the Department of the Treasury.

 

9. “Funds”

 

The term “Fund” shall mean private investment partnerships, investment companies or the foreign investment vehicles advised by the Firm.

 

10. “Initial Public Offering”

 

The term “Initial Public Offering” (or “IPO”) means an offering of securities registered under the Securities Act of 1933, the issuer of which, immediately before the registration, was not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

11. “Personal Account”

 

The term “Personal Account” refers to any account (including any custody account, safekeeping account and any account maintained by an entity that may act as a broker or principal) in which a Supervised Person has any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest, including personal accounts and trusts for the benefit of such persons. Thus, the term “Personal Accounts” also includes among others:

 

(a) Trusts for which the Supervised Person acts as trustee, executor or custodian;

 

(b) Accounts of or for the benefit of the Supervised Person’s Family/Household; and

 

(c) Accounts of or for the benefit of a person who receives material financial support from the Supervised Person.

 

12. “Private Placement or Limited Offering”

 

The term “Private Placement or Limited Offering” means an offering of securities that is exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant to Sections 4(a)(2) or 4(a)(6) or pursuant to Rule 504, Rule 505, or Rule 506 under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

13. “Reportable Fund”

 

Reportable Fund means (i) any fund (including a business development company) for which the Firm serves as an investment adviser as defined in Section 2(a)(20) of the Investment Company Act (i.e., an adviser or sub-adviser of a registered investment company); or (ii) any such fund whose investment adviser or principal underwriter controls the Firm, is controlled by the Firm, or is under common control with the Firm. For purposes of this section, control has the same meaning as it does in section 2(a)(9) of the Investment Company Act (see Appendix B of Section XXXV (Compliance with Affiliate Transaction Restrictions) for the complete definition).

 

14. “Supervised Person”

 

The term “Supervised Person” means the Firm’s and the Conduit’s partners, officers, directors (or other persons occupying a similar status or performing similar functions) and employees, as well as any other persons who provide advice on behalf of the Firm and are subject to the Firm’s supervision and control. Except where otherwise indicated, for all purposes of this Code of Ethics the term “employee” and the term “Supervised Person” shall be deemed to include consultants to the Firm or the Conduit and any other non-employees of the Firm or the Conduit stationed in the Firm’s offices to whom copies of this Code of Ethics have been provided.

 

B. Personal Securities Transaction Reporting Obligations

 

These policies and procedures apply to all Personal Accounts and Discretionary Accounts of a Supervised Person. The Firm requires that the Chief Compliance Officer regularly monitor all trading activity in a Supervised Person’s Personal Account or Discretionary Account. The Chief Compliance Officer of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C., or a designee, will monitor the activity in any Personal Account or Discretionary Account of the Chief Compliance Officer. The Chief Compliance Officer will review the Reports described in items B(1) and B(2) below submitted by persons other than the Chief Compliance Officer (the Reports described in items B(1) and B(2) of the Chief Compliance Officer will be submitted to and reviewed by the Chief Operating Officer). The Chief Compliance Officer will undertake to conduct the review and monitoring on a strictly confidential and carefully controlled basis (except to the extent disclosure is required under the Advisers Act or other applicable laws or regulations or any court order or other legal process). It is a condition of your employment or association with the Firm, however, that you disclose all of your Personal Accounts and Discretionary Accounts to the Chief Compliance Officer. This includes Personal Accounts that do not trade in Covered Securities (for example, IRA accounts that currently hold mutual fund investments), with the exception of personal savings or checking accounts that are not able to hold securities of any type. For purposes of these procedures where the activity involves the Personal Account, Discretionary Account, or trading of the Chief Compliance Officer, copies of any notice or report will be given to the Chief Compliance Officer of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C. and any permission or approval will be obtained from the Chief Compliance Officer of Providence Equity Partners L.L.C., or a designee.

 

NOTE : One of the most complicated parts of complying with this Code of Ethics is understanding what holdings, transactions and accounts a Supervised Person must report and what accounts are subject to trading restrictions. For example, accounts of certain members of a Supervised Person’s Family/Household are covered, as are certain categories of trust accounts, certain investment pools in which a Supervised Person might participate, and certain accounts that others may be managing for a Supervised Person. To be sure a Supervised Person understands what holdings, transactions and accounts are covered, it is essential that all Supervised Person’s carefully review the definitions of Covered Securities, Personal Account, Discretionary Account, Family/Household, and Beneficial Interest in the “Definitions” section of the Code of Ethics.

 

ALSO NOTE: A Supervised Person must file the reports described below, even if he/she has no holdings, transactions or accounts to list in the reports.

 

ALSO NOTE: Compliance with the following reporting requirements does not relieve you of any of your other obligations under the Code of Ethics, including the requirement that you seek pre-clearance of Private Placements or Limited Offerings and IPO transactions.

 

1. Discretionary Accounts

 

If a Supervised Person (or any members of such Supervised Person’s Family/Household) has a Discretionary Account, such Supervised Person must complete the Discretionary Account Certification, attached hereto as Exhibit K, no later than 30 calendar days after such Supervised Person joins the Firm or otherwise becomes covered by the Code of Ethics, and annually thereafter. If a Supervised Person (or any members of such Supervised Person’s Family/Household) opens a Discretionary Account after such Supervised Person joins the Firm or otherwise becomes covered by the Code of Ethics, such Supervised Person must complete the Discretionary Account Certification no later than 30 calendar days after such Discretionary Account is opened. In addition, such Supervised Person must provide the Chief Compliance Officer with a copy of the agreement governing the Discretionary Account and obtain or facilitate the Firm’s obtaining of a certification from such Discretionary Account’s third party manager.

 

Based on the information received, the Chief Compliance Officer will determine initially and annually that such Supervised Person and members of his or her Family/Household do not have Direct or Indirect Influence or Control over the Discretionary Account.

 

Unless otherwise waived by the Chief Compliance Officer, until the requirements set forth in this section are complied with by a Supervised Person with regards to any of his or her accounts, such accounts will not be treated as Discretionary Accounts and will instead be treated as Personal Accounts.

 

2. Reporting of Personal Accounts

 

The Initial and Annual Supervised Person Holdings Report and Account Disclosure Form attached to this Manual as Item 2 must be submitted to the Chief Compliance Officer. The Initial and Annual Supervised Person Holdings Report and Account Disclosure Form must be completed within 10 days of a person becoming a Supervised Person subject to this Code of Ethics (and annually thereafter on such date determined by the Chief Compliance Officer) and the information must be current as of a date no more than 45 days prior to the person becoming a Supervised Person or the date of any subsequent Annual Supervised Person Holdings Report and Account Disclosure Form.

 

The Initial and Annual Supervised Person Holdings Report and Account Disclosure Form should contain:

 

(a) A list of or statements reflecting all Covered Securities (including, for example title and type of security, and as applicable the exchange ticker symbol or CUSIP number, interest rate and maturity date, the number of shares or securities, and principal amount) in which the Supervised Person (or members of his/her Family/Household) has any direct or indirect Beneficial Interest;

 

(b) The name of any broker, dealer or bank with which the Supervised Person or a member of his/her Family/Household maintains an account in which any securities (not just Covered Securities) are held for the direct or indirect benefit of the Supervised Person or a member of his/her Family/Household; and

 

(c) The date the Supervised Person Holding Report and Account Disclosure Form is submitted by the Supervised Person.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, Supervised Persons are required to disclose all Personal Accounts regardless of whether such Personal Accounts currently contain or are expected to contain Covered Securities. The only exception to this rule is personal savings or checking accounts that are not able to hold securities of any type.

 

3. Reporting of Transactions in Personal Accounts and Discretionary Accounts

 

Every Supervised Person must arrange for duplicate copies of all brokerage statements for his or her Personal Accounts and Discretionary Accounts to be sent at least once every three months at the end of each calendar year quarter (March 31 st , June 30 th , September 30 th and December 31 st ) to the Chief Compliance Officer. It is the responsibility of each Supervised Person to ensure such duplicate copies are sent to the Chief Compliance Officer by mail, email or via PTCC; Compliance does not automatically receive duplicate statements without the Supervised Person initiating the process. The quarterly brokerage statements must be received by the Chief Compliance Officer within 30 days after the end of each quarter and must disclose the following information with respect to each transaction, to the extent applicable:

 

The title, type and amount of the Covered Security involved;

 

The ticker symbol or CUSIP number, as applicable, interest rate and maturity date, as applicable, the number of shares or securities, and principal amount of each Covered Security;

 

The date and nature of the transaction (i.e., purchase, sale or other acquisition or disposition);

 

The price of the Covered Security at which the transaction was effected; and

 

The name of broker, dealer, or bank with or through which the transaction was effected.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer will review the brokerage statement or statements.

 

In addition, for each Covered Securities transaction in which a Supervised Person had or as a result of the transaction acquired a direct or indirect Beneficial Interest but which does not appear on a trade confirmation or brokerage statement submitted to the Chief Compliance Officer, or if the brokerage statement does not provide all the information required, the Supervised Person must provide to the Chief Compliance Officer the same information enumerated above (and the dates the Supervised Person submits the reports) within 30 days after the end of the calendar quarter during which the transaction occurred (a “Transaction Report”). You must attach to the Transaction Report copies of the transaction confirmation statements sent by the broker, dealer or bank, if any.

 

In addition, every Supervised Person must promptly (and in no event later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter) report to the Chief Compliance Officer the opening of any new Personal Account or Discretionary Account. Such report must contain, at a minimum, the following information:

 

The name of the broker, dealer or bank with whom the Supervised Person established the account;

 

The date the account was established; and

 

The date that the report is submitted by the Access Person.

 

Every calendar quarter, Supervised Persons must make certain certifications, the forms of which are attached hereto as Items 3 and 4.

 

A trade confirmation, brokerage statement or quarterly Transaction Report need not be filed for transactions effected pursuant to an Automatic Investment Plan.

 

NOTE: Merely furnishing a brokerage statement does not constitute compliance with the Code of Ethics’ transaction restrictions and prohibitions.

 

C. Personal Investment Restrictions and Prohibitions

 

Supervised Persons and their Family/Household members may not purchase or sell for their Beneficial Interest, or otherwise cause another person or entity to purchase or sell, any Covered Securities or loans related to Covered Securities (excluding personal loans) without first obtaining the written or electronic approval of the Firm’s Chief Compliance Officer. Moreover, Supervised Persons may only engage in four trades of Covered Securities, or loans related thereto, per month absent a waiver from the Chief Compliance Officer. Subject to the limitations set forth in Section III.D regarding investments in a Private Placement or Limited Offering, the preclearance and number of trades per month requirements in this Section III.C shall not apply to (i) shares of ETFs that are not Reportable Funds, and (ii) index or currency options; provided, however, that shares of ETFs and index and currency options are otherwise considered “Covered Securities,” and the other requirements of this Code of Ethics, including the reporting requirements in Sections III.A and III.B, apply to shares of ETFs and index and currency options. These requirements are discussed further in Section XIV (Policy on Confidential and Other Non-Public Information and Personal Securities Transactions). In addition, Supervised Persons may only invest in BDCs, the REIT and/or closed-end funds advised by the Firm as a long-term investment. With respect to purchases or sales of shares of BDCs, the REIT or closed-end funds advised by the Firm, Supervised Persons are subject to a minimum six-month holding period, which means Supervised Persons may not sell any such shares within six months of purchasing them, or purchase such shares within six months of selling them. Any violation of this six-month holding period will require disgorgement of any profits. All such investments must be pre-approved by the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

Transactions that occur by operation of law or under any other circumstance in which neither Supervised Persons nor any member of their Family/Household exercises any Direct or Indirect Influence or Control over the account for which such transactions are made do not require pre-clearance. To qualify for an exemption from the pre-clearance requirement for transactions in accounts in which neither a Supervised Person nor any member of such Supervised Person’s Family/Household has any Direct or Indirect Influence or Control, Supervised Persons must comply with the requirements of Section III.B.1 above.

 

D. Private Placement or Limited Offering Prohibition

 

Neither Supervised Persons nor any member of their Family/Household may directly or indirectly acquire any Beneficial Interest in any security in a Private Placement or Limited Offering, including the purchase of an interest in any Fund, except with the specific, advance written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer, which the Chief Compliance Officer may deny for any reason. For the avoidance of doubt, the Chief Compliance Officer will be deemed to have approved any Supervised Person’s acquisition of a Beneficial Interest in a Fund if the Chief Compliance Officer has been consulted about and has approved such acquisition in advance. If pre-clearance is obtained, it is valid until the private placement transaction closes.

 

E. Initial Public Offering Prohibition

 

Neither Supervised Persons nor any member of their Family/Household may directly or indirectly acquire any Beneficial Ownership of any security issued in an Initial Public Offering, except with the specific, advance written approval of the Chief Compliance Officer, which the Chief Compliance Officer may deny for any reason.

 

F. Reporting Violations

 

Supervised Persons are required to report any violation of the Code of Ethics to the Chief Compliance Officer. Any question concerning the applicability of the provisions of the Code of Ethics to a particular situation should be addressed to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

G. Client Accounts

 

By way of clarification, no Client account is prohibited by the Code of Ethics from purchasing or selling a Covered Security in which certain persons covered by the Code of Ethics might be deemed to have a Beneficial Interest.

 

H. Additional Investment Restrictions

 

Supervised Persons should in particular refer to Section XIV (Policy on Confidential and Other Non-Public Information and Personal Securities Transactions) for additional investment restrictions and confidentiality requirements.

 

I. Recordkeeping

 

Recordkeeping under the Code of Ethics requires that reports presented to the trustees/directors of a Fund pursuant to Rule 17j-1(c)(2)(ii) of the Investment Company Act that describe issues arising under the Code of Ethics and certify that procedures have been adopted to prevent Access Persons from violating the Code of Ethics must be maintained for a period of five years after the end of the fiscal year in which such report is made, provided that for the first two years such reports must be preserved in an easily accessible place.

 

J. Summary Guide to Common Questions

 

The below is intended to provide a quick guide to common questions that have arisen with respect to the types of accounts and investment instruments that must be reported or pre-cleared, as the case may be. Please refer to the entirety of the Code of Ethics for a more complete explanation of reporting, pre-approval and related requirements.

 

Account Type Account Reporting Required? Timing of Reporting Statements Required? Pre-Approval Required? Additional Requirements
Checking account that cannot hold securities of any type No No N/A
Savings account that cannot hold securities of any type No No N/A  
Discretionary Yes; report within 30 days of (x) joining the firm or (y) opening the account Yes No

1. Employee certification

 

2. Broker certification

 

3. Copy of agreement with broker

Brokerage Yes; report within 10 days of joining the firm or promptly upon opening the account Yes Depends on assets traded

Transaction reporting required if not through Automatic Investment Plan

 

Duplicate brokerage statements must be provided to CCO at least every 3 months within 30 days of quarter end

Individual Retirement Account

Yes; report within 10 days of joining the firm or promptly upon opening the account

 

Yes Depends on assets traded

Transaction reporting required if not through Automatic Investment Plan

 

Duplicate brokerage statements must be provided to CCO at least every 3 months within 30 days of quarter end

 

Instrument Type Account Reporting Required? Timing of Reporting Statements Required? Pre-Approval Required? Additional Requirements
Unaffiliated ETF (e.g. SPDR) Yes Yes No  
Index options Yes Yes No  
Currency options Yes Yes No  
Commodities Yes Yes No  
Currency spreads Yes Yes No  
Security spreads Yes Yes Yes  
Hedge fund or private investment fund interests Yes Yes Yes Note – if a transaction does not appear on a brokerage statement, Supervised Person must provide transaction reporting information to CCO directly, within 30 days of quarter end in calendar quarter in which transaction occurred.
BDC or closed end fund Yes Yes Yes If advised by affiliate, may be held for long term investment only; 6 month minimum hold
IPO Yes Yes Yes  
US Mutual Fund Interests that are not affiliated with the Adviser Yes Yes No  

 

Introduction

 

 

 

This Regulatory Compliance Manual (the “Manual”) is intended to give Supervised Persons a general understanding of the regulatory rules and requirements that apply to CRESCENT.

 

All Supervised Persons must abide by all applicable policies and procedures contained in this Manual. For the avoidance of any doubt, Supervised Persons include all individuals who provide services to clients of TCW-WLA JV Venture LLC (“TCW JV”). TCW JV is an affiliated joint venture with TCW Asset Management Company that is responsible for providing investment management services to certain legacy clients of the CRESCENT team while they were employed by TCW Asset Management Company. The Manual should accurately reflect CRESCENT’s business practices. Supervised Persons should speak to the CCO, or in his absence, the Compliance Officers regarding any questions about the Manual, or if the Manual should be changed or updated. In addition, please contact the CCO or the Compliance Officers if CRESCENT’s disclosure documents, advisory contracts, or marketing materials appear inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date.

 

In developing this Manual, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with its operations. This risk evaluation process is ongoing, and the CCO will periodically review this Manual to ensure that CRESCENT’s policies and procedures adequately address all applicable risks. Any material amendments to this Manual will be distributed to all Supervised Persons. New policies, guidance, and amendments may be issued by CRESCENT’s CCO or other supervisory personnel by email or orally before being formally incorporated into the Manual. Such communications are as valid and binding as the Manual’s written guidance.

 

Supervised Persons will be asked to acknowledge in writing that they have received, understand, and will abide by the policies and procedures contained in this Manual, upon commencement of employment, annually, and upon any material change to the Manual.

 

This Manual includes certain forms that Supervised Persons can use to make disclosures or seek pre-clearance. In some situations it may be impractical for a Supervised Person to print, execute, and submit a paper form or access CRESCENT’s StarCompliance system. In these instances Supervised Persons may generally complete, sign, and submit the form electronically, inserting “/s/ NAME” in the signature line. Alternately, Supervised Persons may call or email the CCO and/or one of the Compliance Officers and ask one of these individuals to complete and submit the form on the Supervised Person’s behalf. The completion of the form by another person should be referenced on the form.

 

Supervised Persons should be aware that CRESCENT will consider all forms to be binding, irrespective of the way in which they are submitted. Also, on a case-by-case basis the CCO may require Supervised Persons to print, manually sign, and submit paper forms.

 

Capitalized terms are defined at page 219 of the Manual.

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Code of Ethics: Personal Transactions

 

 

 

Background 

 

Investment advisers are fiduciaries that owe their undivided loyalty to their clients. Investment advisers are trusted to represent clients’ interests in many matters, and advisers must hold themselves to the highest standard of fairness in all such matters.

 

Rule 2 04A-1 under the Advisers Act requires each registered investment adviser to adopt and implement a written code of ethics that contains provisions regarding:

 

The adviser’s fiduciary duty to its clients;

 

Compliance with all applicable Federal Securities Laws;

 

Reporting and review of personal Securities transactions and holdings;

 

Reporting of violations of the code; and

 

The distribution of the code to all Supervised Persons.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with administering the Code of Ethics . This analysis includes risks such as:

 

Supervised Persons do not understand the fiduciary duty that they, and CRESCENT, owe to Clients and Investors;

 

Supervised Persons and/or CRESCENT fail to identify and comply with all applicable Federal Securities Laws;

 

Supervised Persons do not report personal Securities transactions;

 

Supervised Persons trade personal accounts ahead of Client accounts;

 

Supervised Persons allocate profitable trades to personal accounts or unprofitable trades to Client accounts;

 

Violations of the Federal Securities Laws, the Code of Ethics , or the policies and procedures set forth in this Manual, are not reported to the CCO and/or appropriate supervisory personnel;

 

CRESCENT does not provide its Code of Ethics and any amendments to all Supervised Persons; and
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CRESCENT does not retain Supervised Persons’ written acknowledgements that they received the Code of Ethics and any amendments.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Fiduciary Standards and Compliance with the Federal Securities Laws

 

This Code of Ethics is based on the principle that the officers, directors and employees of CRESCENT owe a fiduciary duty to, among others, CRESCENT’s Clients and Investors. In consideration of this fiduciary duty, Supervised Persons should conduct themselves in all circumstances in accordance with the following general principles:

 

You must at all times place the interests of CRESCENT’s clients before your own interests.

 

You must conduct all of your personal investment transactions consistent with this Code of Ethics and in such a manner that avoids any actual or potential conflict of interest or any abuse of your position of trust and responsibility.

 

You must adhere to the fundamental standard that investment advisory personnel should not take inappropriate advantage of their positions for their personal benefit.

 

You must adhere to the principle that information concerning the identity of security holding and financial circumstance of Clients and Investors is confidential.

 

You must comply with those applicable federal securities laws and Firm policies that are issued from time to time and are applicable to your group.

 

Communications with clients or prospective clients should be candid and thorough. They should be true and complete and not mislead or misrepresent. This applies to all marketing and promotional materials.

 

Independence in investment-decision making should be paramount.

 

Decisions affecting clients are to be made with the goal of providing equitable and fair treatment among clients.

 

The effectiveness of CRESCENT’s policies regarding ethics depends on the judgment and integrity of its employees rather than on any set of written rules.

 

Although determining what behavior is necessary or appropriate sometimes is difficult when adhering to these general principles, this Code of Ethics contains several guidelines for proper conduct. CRESCENT values its reputation for integrity and professionalism. CRESCENT’s reputation is its most valuable asset. The actions of Supervised Persons should be consistent with and in furtherance of this reputation.

 

Accordingly, you must be sensitive to the general principles involved and to the purposes of the Code of Ethics , in addition to the specific guidelines and examples set forth below. If you are uncertain about whether a real or apparent conflict exists between your interests and those of CRESCENT’s clients in any particular situation, you should consult the CCO immediately. Violations of this Code of Ethics constitute grounds for disciplinary actions, including dismissal.

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Because no set of rules can anticipate every possible situation, it is essential that you follow these rules not just in letter, but in spirit as well. Any activity that comprises CRESCENT’s integrity, even if it does not expressly violate a rule, has the potential to harm CRESCENT’s reputation and may result in scrutiny and disciplinary action.

 

In any situation in which an approval is required for an individual designated under this Code of Ethics to give approvals, such individual may not be one of the approving persons.

 

Each Supervised Person has received this Code of Ethics and any amendments thereto.

 

Personal Securities Transactions

 

Laws and ethical standards impose on CRESCENT, its employees and its directors, duties to avoid conflicts of interest between their personal investment transactions and transactions CRESCENT makes on behalf of its clients. In view of the sensitivity of this issue, avoiding even the appearance of impropriety is important. The following personal investment transaction policies are designed to reduce the possibilities of such conflicts and inappropriate appearances, while at the same time preserving reasonable flexibility and privacy in personal securities transactions.

 

Any questions about this Personal Securities Transactions policy should be addressed to the CCO unless otherwise indicated.

 

Who Is Covered

 

Except as otherwise noted, CRESCENT’s restrictions on personal investment transactions apply to all Access Persons. Every Supervised Person should consider himself or herself an Access Person unless otherwise specifically exempted by the CCO. Additionally, a consultant, temporary employee, or other person may be considered an Access Person depending on various factors, including length of service, nature of duties and access to Firm information. Such person will be notified when he or she is considered an Access Person.

 

Accounts Covered

 

All accounts in which an Access Person may conduct Securities transactions are covered by this policy. This includes all accounts in which the Access Person may have a “beneficial interest.”

 

The term “beneficial interest” is defined by rules of the SEC. Generally, under the SEC rules, a person is regarded as having a beneficial interest in Securities held in the name of:

 

a husband, wife, or domestic partner,

 

a minor child,

 

a relative or significant other sharing the same house, and

 

anyone else if the Access Person:

 

obtains benefits substantially equivalent to ownership of the Securities,
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can obtain ownership of the Securities immediately or within 60 days, or

 

can vote or dispose of the Securities.

 

An example of an Access Person having a “beneficial interest” includes trades in a relative’s brokerage account if the Access Person is authorized to trade for that brokerage account, regardless of whether the Access Person actually does trade. Whether you have beneficial interest in the Securities of a relative or significant other sharing the same house can be rebutted only under very limited facts and circumstances. If you believe your situation is unique and therefore rebuts the presumption of beneficial interest, you must contact the CCO.

 

Under the definition of “beneficial interest,” persons other than CRESCENT Supervised Persons may have to comply with this Code of Ethics including, but not limited to spouses, domestic partners, and significant others sharing the same households. The pertinent CRESCENT Access Person must make sure that the outside person is familiar with the requirements of this Code of Ethics . Violations by the outside person constitute violations by the related CRESCENT Access Person. If you want the outside person to receive a copy of this Code of Ethics or to attend a Code of Ethics orientation, contact Compliance.

 

If you act as a fiduciary with respect to funds and accounts managed outside of CRESCENT (e.g., if you act as the executor of an estate for which you make investment decision), you will have a beneficial interest in the assets of that fund or account. Accordingly, any Securities transactions you make on behalf of that fund or account will be subject to the general trading restrictions set forth below. You should review the Outside Business Activities section of this Code of Ethics , including the restrictions on your ability to act as a fiduciary outside of CRESCENT.

 

Note that while the trades in a Non-Discretionary Account do not have to be reported, the existence of the Non-Discretionary Account must be reported to Compliance. Access Persons will be required to provide satisfactory evidence of its non-discretionary nature as described in the Exempt Securities chart below.

 

Account Opening, Changes or Closings

 

Because CRESCENT must receive duplicate confirmation and broker statements for all accounts of an Access Person and any account in which an Access Person has a beneficial interest as defined above, CRESCENT must be made aware immediately of all account opening, changes, or closures.

 

Opening an Account

 

New Access Persons or Access Persons wishing to open a new brokerage account may do so, but must immediately:

 

Notify Compliance;

 

Ensure that CRESCENT receives duplicate copies of trade confirmations and broker account statements. If your broker requires delivery instructions (a letter from CRESCENT to receive duplicate confirms and statements) please contact Compliance.

 

Changes to an Account

 

If the account set up information of an account changes, (for example, a change to the name on the account, the account number, or similar change), the Access Person must notify Compliance immediately, and the Access Person must ensure that duplicate confirmations and broker statements continue to be sent to CRESCENT.

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Closing an Account

 

Once an account has been closed, the Access Person must immediately notify compliance and supply compliance with evidence of account closure on the brokerage firm’s letterhead.

 

Exceptions

 

The requirements for account openings, changes or closures do not apply to:

 

Outside Fiduciary Accounts; and

 

Accounts that hold only third-party, open-end mutual funds in which only those exempted mutual fund securities are traded;

 

Preclearance Procedures

 

General Principles Regarding Securities Transactions

 

Each Access Person must obtain preclearance for any personal investment transaction in a Security if such Access Person has, or as a result of the transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the Security.

 

Access Persons must obtain preclearance for all non-exempt Securities transactions by filing a Personal Transaction Authorization Form (“PTAF”). Access Persons will be required to supply certain key information and to make certain certification each time you trade a Security, such as that you have no knowledge that the Security is under active consideration for purchase or sale by CRESCENT for its clients.

 

Access Persons must complete an approved Securities transaction by 1PM Los Angeles time (4PM New York time) the business day following the day that you obtain preclearance. If the transaction is not completed within these time constraints, Access Persons must obtain a new preclearance, including one for any unexecuted portion of the transaction, or you must cancel the unexecuted portion of the transaction.

 

The defined approval window may significantly impede the use of limit orders, which if used, must be structured in adherence with the preclearance time limits. Post approval is not permitted under this Code of Ethics . If CRESCENT determines that an Access Person completed a trade before approval or after the clearance expires, you will be considered to be in violation of the Code of Ethics .

 

Note that preclearance ordinarily will be given on the day you request it if it is received before the daily processing cutoffs of 6:30AM, 9:30AM, and 12PM Los Angeles Time and 9:30AM, 12:30PM, and 3PM New York time.

 

Exceptions

 

Preclearance is not necessary for Exempt Securities and Non-Discretionary Accounts. Note that while preclearance is not required for Non-Discretionary Accounts, certain Non-Discretionary Accounts are subject to certain of the reporting requirements specified below. Separate certification procedures will apply for Securities executed on behalf of Outside Fiduciary Accounts in lieu of preclearance.

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Trading Restrictions

 

This policy governs your investments in Securities. No Access Person or CRESCENT director may purchase or sell, directly or indirectly, for his or her own account, or any account in which he or she may have beneficial interest including:

 

Any Security that CRESCENT is buying or selling for its clients, until such buying or selling is completed or cancelled.

 

Any Security that to his or her knowledge is under active consideration for purchase or sale by CRESCENT for its clients.

 

CRESCENT has adopted other restrictions on personal investment transactions.

 

Remember these are limits on what you can do directly or indirectly, for your own account or for any account in which you may have a “beneficial interest.” Except as otherwise noted below, the trading restrictions do not apply to Outside Fiduciary Accounts.

 

For any securities transaction in which an Access Person has a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest, he or she may not:

 

Enter into an uncovered short sale.

 

Write an uncovered option.

 

Acquire any non-exempt Security in an IPO.

 

Transact in Securities offered in a hedge fund, other Private Placements, or other Limited Offering (other than those sponsored by CRESCENT) without the prior approval.

 

Requests for purchases are made by submitting a PTAF to Compliance. When considering approval, the CCO will take into consideration whether the investment opportunity you have been offered should be reserved for CRESCENT’s clients and whether the opportunity is being offered to you by virtue of your position with CRESCENT. If you or your department wants to purchase on behalf of a Firm client the Security of an issuer or its affiliate where you have a beneficial interest (including through an Outside Fiduciary Account) in the Securities of that issuer through Private Placements, you must first disclose your interest to the CCO. In such an event, the CCO will independently review the proposed investment decision. Written records of any such circumstance will be maintained by the CCO.

 

Requests for transfers of interest in Firm sponsored Private Placements, other than estate planning or those that are court-mandated, require preapproval from the CCO.

 

Requests for sales are made by submitting a PTAF to Compliance.

 

Purchase or sell any Security that is subject to a Firm wide restriction or a department restriction by his or her department. An exemption to trading a restricted list security may be granted under certain conditions, such as when the request occurs outside of a restricted time window person or is confirmed not to violate an Information Barrier, or when the purchase will not violate agreements with issuers or not exceed regulations relating to quantities of the Security that may be held by CRESCENT.
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Trade excessively in violation of the prospectuses to mutual funds advised or sub-advised by CRESCENT.

 

Additional Restrictions for Investment Personnel

 

Investment Personnel are subject to the additional trading restrictions listed below unless they have received specific confirmation to the contrary from the CCO. Note that an individual’s status or duties may change, which could result in him or her becoming subject to the same trading restrictions as the Investment Personnel. If you have any questions resulting from such a change, you should contact Compliance.

 

Investment Personnel may not:

 

Profit from the purchase and sale, or sale and purchase, of the same (or equivalent) Securities other than Exempt Securities within 60 calendar days. This applies to any Security, whether or not it is held in any client portfolio at CRESCENT. A LIFO system will be used to match transactions (meaning most recent purchases will be matched against a given sale or that the most recent sales will be matched against a given purchase). You also should note that this prohibition would effectively limit the utility of options trading and short sales of Securities and could make legitimate hedging activities less available. Any profits realized on such short-term trades will be subject to disgorgement.

 

Additionally, no Portfolio Manager may:

 

Purchase or sell any Security for his or her own account or any Outside Fiduciary Account for a period of 10 calendar days BEFORE that Security is bought or sold on behalf of any Firm client for which the portfolio manager serves as portfolio manager. Violation of this prohibition will require reversal of the transaction, and any resulting profits will be subject to disgorgement.

 

Purchase any Security for his or her own account or any Outside Fiduciary Account for a period of 10 calendar days AFTER that Security is sold on behalf of any Firm client for which the Portfolio Manager serves as portfolio manager.

 

Sell any Security for his or her own account or any Outside Fiduciary Account for a period of 10 calendar days AFTER that Security is bought on behalf of any Firm client for which the Portfolio Manager serves as portfolio manager.

 

Any profits required to be disgorged will be given to a charity under CRESCENT’s direction.

 

Securities or Transactions Exempt From Personal Investment Transactions Policy

 

Personal investment transactions in Exempt Securities are still subject to CRESCENT’s policy on inside information and may be subject to reporting requirements as described below.

 

Exempt Securities Chart

 

The following table summarizes the preclearance and reporting requirements for Securities or transactions that are exempt from some aspects of the personal investment transactions policy.

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Type of Exempt Securities or Transactions

Preclearance

Reporting on Quarterly Reports Reporting on Initial or Annual Report
U.S. Government Securities (defined only as direct obligations of the U.S. Government, not as agency, state, municipal, or other local obligations). No No No
Bank Certificates of Deposit. No No No
Bankers’ Acceptances. No No No
High quality short-term debt instruments (investment grade, maturity not greater than 13 months) including commercial paper, repurchase agreements, variable rate municipal bonds and other securities that are cash equivalents determined by the Chief Compliance Officer. No No No

Shares in money market mutual funds.

 

Note that other types of securities that are sold as money market equivalents are subject to all aspects of the policy unless an exemption is granted by Compliance.

No

 

No No
Mutual Fund Shares in open-end investment companies. No No No
Exchange Traded Funds No Yes Yes
Shares issued by unit investment trusts that are invested exclusively in one or more mutual funds not advised by CRESCENT. No No No
Stock index futures and nonfinancial commodities (e.g., pork belly contracts). No No No

Securities purchased on behalf of an Access Person in a Non-Discretionary Account. 

(i) which you, your spouse, your domestic partner, or your significant other established,

 

No preclearance of trades required but when the account is opened it must be reported and acceptable evidence of its non-discretionary nature must be provided to Compliance.

Yes, but only report the existence of the brokerage account and not the trades done in it. Yes, but only report the existence of the brokerage account and not the trades done in it.
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Type of Exempt Securities or Transactions

Preclearance

Reporting on Quarterly Reports Reporting on Initial or Annual Report
(ii) which you, your spouse, your domestic partner, or your significant other did not establish. No No No
Securities purchased or sold through an Auto-Trade No Yes Yes
Security purchases effected upon the exercise of rights issued by the issuer pro rata to all holders of a class of its securities, to the extent that such rights were acquired from such issuer, and sales of such rights were so acquired. No Yes Yes
Interests in Firm-sponsored limited partnerships or other Firm -sponsored private placements. No, unless a transfer. Yes Yes
Securities acquired in connection with the exercise of an option. No, unless cash is received in connection with exercise of the option (a simultaneous sale of the security upon exercise of the option). Yes, security received must be reported. Yes
Rule 10b5-1 Plans must be approved prior to being entered into.  Once approval for the Rule 10b5-1 Plan is received, transactions pursuant to the plan will not require preclearance. Yes, prior to approval of the Rule 10b5-1 Plan. Yes Yes

 

Reporting of Transactions

 

Access Persons must file all reports in a complete and accurate manner to ensure their accuracy and completeness. Transactions include purchases, sales and corporate actions such as mergers, spin-offs and dividend issuance. Your failure to do so may result in your trade requests being denied.

 

You are charged with the responsibility for the timely submission of reports. Any effort by CRESCENT to facilitate the reporting process does not change or alter that responsibility.

 

Initial Holdings Reports

 

All Access Persons are required to file online an Initial Holdings Report listing all Securities (other than holdings in Non-Discretionary Accounts) and all accounts in which the person has a beneficial interest within 10 calendar days of becoming an Access Person. All information in Initial Holdings Reports must be current as of a date not more than 45 days prior to the date the person became an Access Person.

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Quarterly Reports

 

All Access Persons must submit quarterly reports of personal investment transactions by the 10th calendar day of January, April, July, and October or, if that day is not a business day, then the first business day thereafter. Transactions include purchases, sales and corporate actions such as mergers, spin-offs, stock splits and stock dividend issuance. No reporting of cash dividends is required. Every Access Person must file a quarterly report when due even if such person made no purchases or sales of Securities during the period covered by the report.

 

Annual Holdings Reports

 

All Access Persons are required to submit on or before January 31 an Annual Holdings Report that provides a listing of all accounts and Securities that the person has a beneficial interest in as of December 31 of the preceding year (other than holdings in Non-Discretionary Accounts). See the chart above for the list of Exempt Securities which do not have to be reported. All information in Annual Holdings Reports must be current as of a date not more than 45 calendar days prior to the date the report was submitted.

 

Annual Compliance Certification

 

All Access Persons are required to submit an Annual Compliance Certification containing a certification regarding compliance with the Code of Ethics on or before January 31 of the subsequent year.

 

If you are an Access Person you must submit:

 

Report Name When Due
Initial Holdings Report 10 days of becoming an Access Person
Quarterly Reports First 10 days of January, April, July, October
Annual Holdings Report First 31 days of each year
Annual Compliance Certification First 31 days of each year

 

Other Employee Conduct

 

Personal Financial Responsibility

 

Properly managing your personal finances is important, particularly in matters of credit. Imprudent personal financial management may affect job performance and lead to more serious consequences for employees in positions of trust.

 

Personal Loans

 

You are not permitted to borrow from clients or from providers of goods or services with whom CRESCENT deals, except those who engage in lending in the usual course of their business and then only on terms offered to others in similar circumstances, without special treatment. This prohibition does not preclude borrowing from individuals related to you by blood or marriage.

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Taking Advantage of a Business Opportunity That Rightfully Belongs To CRESCENT

 

Employees must not take for their own advantage a business opportunity that rightfully belongs to CRESCENT. Whenever CRESCENT has been actively soliciting a business opportunity, or the opportunity has been offered to it, or CRESCENT’s funds, facilities, or personnel have been used in pursuing the opportunity, that opportunity rightfully belongs to CRESCENT and not to employees who may be in a position to divert the opportunity for their own benefits.

 

Examples of improperly taking advantage of a corporate opportunity include:

 

selling information to which an employee has access because of his/her position,

 

acquiring any real or personal property interest or right when CRESCENT is known to be interested in the property in question,

 

receiving a commission or fee on a transaction that would otherwise accrue to CRESCENT, and

 

diverting business or personnel from CRESCENT.

 

Disclosure of a Direct or Indirect Interest in a Transaction

 

If you or any family member have any interest in a transaction (whether the transaction is on behalf of a client or on behalf of CRESCENT), that interest must be disclosed, in writing, to the Chief Compliance Officer. Disclosure will allow assessment of potential conflicts of interest and how they should be addressed. You do not need to report any interest that is otherwise reported in accordance with the Personal Securities Transactions policy. For example, conducting business with a vendor or service provider who is related to you or your family, or with a vendor or service provider for which a parent, spouse, or child is an officer should be disclosed.

 

Corporate Property or Services

 

Employees are not permitted to act as principal for either themselves or their immediate families in the supply of goods, properties, or services to CRESCENT, unless approved, in writing, by the Chief Compliance Officer. The purchase or acceptance of corporate property or use of the services of other employees in the course of their duties at CRESCENT for personal purposes also is prohibited.

 

Use of CRESCENT Stationery

 

Using official corporate stationery for either personal correspondence or other non-job-related purposes is inappropriate.

 

Giving Advice to Clients

 

CRESCENT cannot practice law or provide legal advice. You should avoid statements that might be interpreted as legal advice. You should refer questions in this area to the Chief Compliance Officer. You also should avoid giving clients advice on tax matters, the preparation of tax returns, or investment decisions, with the exception of situations that may be appropriate in the performance of an official fiduciary or advisory responsibility, or as otherwise required in the ordinary course of your duties.

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Exemptive Relief

 

The CCO will review and consider any proper request of an Access Person for relief or exemption from any remedy, restriction, limitation or procedure contained in this Code of Ethics that is claimed to cause a hardship for such an Access Person or that may involve an unforeseen or involuntary situation where no abuse is involved. Exemptions of any nature may be given on a specific basis or a class basis determined by the CCO. The CCO also may grant exemption from Access Person status to any person or class of persons it determines does not warrant such status. Under appropriate circumstances, the CCO may authorize a personal transaction involving a security subject to actual or prospective purchase or sale for clients, where the personal transaction would be very unlikely to affect a highly institutional market, where a CRESCENT officer or employee is not in possession of inside information, or for other reasons sufficient to satisfy the CCO that the transaction does not represent a conflict of interest, involve the misuse of inside information or convey the appearance of impropriety. The CCO shall meet on an ad hoc basis, as deemed necessary upon written request by an Access Person, stating the basis for his or her request for relief. A grant of exemptive relief is in the sole discretion of the CCO.

 

Reporting Illegal or Suspicious Activity - “Whistleblower Policy”

 

CRESCENT is committed to high ethical standards and compliance with the law in all of its operations. CRESCENT believes that its employees are in the best position to provide early identification of significant issues that may arise with compliance with these standards and the law. CRESCENT’s policy is to create an environment in which its employees can report these issues in good faith without fear of reprisal.

 

CRESCENT’s practice is that all employees report illegal activity or activities that are not in compliance with CRESCENT’s formal written policies and procedures, including our Code of Ethics , to assist CRESCENT in detecting and putting an end to fraud and unlawful conduct. To that end, the Whistleblower procedures below have been adopted. Reports under the Whistleblower procedures will not be anonymous, but these reports by a reporting employee will be held confidentially by CRESCENT except in extraordinary and limited circumstances.

 

CRESCENT expects the exercise of the Whistleblower Policy to be used responsibly. If an employee believes that a policy is not being followed because it is merely being overlooked, the normal first recourse should be to bring the issue to the attention of the party charged with the operation of the policy.

 

In most cases, an employee should be able to resolve issues or concerns with his or her manager or, if appropriate, other line management senior to their manager. However, instances may occur when this recourse fails or you have legitimate reasons to choose not to notify management. Examples include, but are not limited to, circumstances in which the report involves your manager or the manager fails to respond. In such cases, CRESCENT has established a system for employees to report illegal activities or non-compliance with CRESCENT’s formal written policies and procedures.

 

An employee who has a good faith belief that a violation of law or failure of compliance may occur or is occurring has a right to come forward and report under this Whistleblower Policy. “Good faith” does not mean that a reported concern must be correct, but it does require that the reporting employee believe that he or she is fully disclosing information that is truthful.

 

Reports may be oral, by telephone or interview, or in writing by letter, memorandum, or e-mail. The employee making the report must identify himself or herself. The employee also should clearly identify that the report is being made pursuant to this Reporting of Illegal or Suspicious Activity Policy. The report should be made to the Chief Compliance Officer.

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The Chief Compliance Officer will consult about the investigation as required. Depending on the nature of the matters covered by the report, an officer or manager may conduct the investigation, or it may be conducted by the Chief Compliance Officer, or by an external party.

 

The investigation will be conducted diligently by any appropriate action.

 

CRESCENT understands the importance of maintaining confidentiality of the reporting employee to make the Whistleblower right effective. Therefore, the identity of the employee making the report will be kept confidential, except to the extent that disclosure may be required by law, a governmental agency, or self-regulatory organization, or as an essential part of completing the investigation determined by the Chief Compliance Officer. Any disclosure shall be limited to the minimum required. The employee making the report will be advised if confidentiality cannot be maintained.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer will follow up on the investigation to make sure that it is completed, that any non-compliance issues are addressed, and that no acts of retribution or retaliation occur against the person(s) reporting violations or cooperating in an investigation in good faith.

 

The Chief Compliance Officer will report to CRESCENT’s Managing Partners concerning the findings of any investigation they determine involved a significant non-compliance issue.

 

If an employee elects not to report suspected unlawful activity to CRESCENT, the employee may contact the California Office of the Attorney General’s whistleblower hotline at (800) 952-5225. The Attorney General shall refer calls received on its whistleblower hotline to the appropriate governmental authority for review and possible investigation.

 

Note that submitting a report that is known to be false is a violation of this Reporting of Illegal or Suspicious Activity Policy.

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Code of Ethics: Insider Trading

 

 

 

Background 

 

Section 204A of the Advisers Act requires every investment adviser to establish, maintain, and enforce written policies and procedures reasonably designed, taking into consideration the nature of such investment adviser’s business, to prevent the misuse of Material Non-Public Information by such investment adviser or any associated person. In the past, the Federal Securities Laws have been interpreted to prohibit the following activities:

 

Trading by an insider while in possession of Material Non-Public Information;

 

Trading by a non-insider while in possession of Material Non-Public Information, where the information was disclosed to the non-insider in violation of an insider’s duty to keep it confidential;

 

Trading by a non-insider who obtained Material Non-Public Information through unlawful means such as computer hacking; and

 

Communicating Material Non-Public Information to others in breach of a fiduciary duty.

 

What Information is Material?

 

Many types of information may be considered material, including, without limitation, knowledge of:

 

Dividend or earnings announcements;

 

Asset write-downs or write-offs;

 

Additions to reserves for bad debts or contingent liabilities;

 

Expansion or curtailment of company or major division operations;

 

Merger, joint venture announcements;

 

New product/service announcements;

 

Discovery or research developments;

 

Criminal, civil and government investigations and indictments;

 

Pending labor disputes;

 

Debt service or liquidity problems;

 

Bankruptcy or insolvency;

 

Tender offers and stock repurchase plans; and

 

Recapitalization plans.
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Information provided by a company could be material because of its expected effect on a particular class of securities, all of a company’s securities, the securities of another company, or the securities of several companies. The prohibition against misusing Material Non-Public Information applies to all types of financial instruments including, but not limited to, stocks, bonds, warrants, options, futures, forwards, swaps, commercial paper, and government-issued securities. Material information need not relate to a company’s business. For example, information about the contents of an upcoming newspaper column may affect the price of a security, and therefore be considered material. Advance notice of forthcoming secondary market transactions could also be material.

 

Supervised Persons should consult with the General Counsel (GC) or the Compliance Group, if there is any question as to whether non-public information is material.

 

What Information is Non-Public?

 

Once information has been effectively distributed to the investing public, it is no longer non-public. However, the distribution of Material Non-Public Information must occur through commonly recognized channels for the classification to change. In addition, there must be adequate time for the public to receive and digest the information. Non-public information does not change to public information solely by selective dissemination. The confirmation by an insider of unconfirmed rumors, even if the information in question was reported as rumors in a public form, may be non-public information. Examples of the ways in which non-public information might be transmitted include, but are not limited to:

 

In person;

 

In writing;

 

By telephone;

 

During a presentation;

 

By email, instant messaging, or Bloomberg messaging;

 

By text message or through Twitter; or

 

On a social networking site such as Facebook or LinkedIn.

 

Supervised Persons must be aware that even where there is no expectation of confidentiality, a person may become an insider upon receiving Material Non-Public Information. Supervised Persons should consult with the GC or Compliance if there is any question as to whether material information is non-public.

 

Penalties for Trading on Material Non-Public Information

 

Severe penalties exist for firms and individuals that engage in Insider Trading, including civil injunctions, disgorgement of profits and jail sentences. Further, fines for Insider Trading may be levied against individuals and companies in amounts up to three times the profit gained or loss avoided. CRESCENT will self-supervise employees trading on insider trading.

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Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with insider trading. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

Supervised Persons place trades in personal and/or Client accounts based on Material Non-Public Information;

 

Supervised Persons pass Material Non-Public Information on to others;

 

Supervised Persons are not aware of what constitutes Material Non-Public Information;

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Supervised Persons are strictly forbidden from engaging in Insider Trading, either personally or on behalf of CRESCENT’s Clients. CRESCENT’s Insider Trading Policies and Procedures apply to all Supervised Persons, as well as any transactions in any securities by family members, trusts, or corporations, directly or indirectly controlled by such persons. The policy also applies to transactions by corporations in which the Supervised Person is an officer, director, or 10% or greater stockholder, as well as transactions by partnerships of which the Supervised Person is a partner unless the Supervised Person has no direct or indirect control over the partnership.

 

Procedures for Recipients of Material Non-Public Information

 

If a Supervised Person has questions as to whether they are in possession of Material Non-Public Information, they should speak to no one about the matter except to inform the GC or Compliance as soon as possible. The GC or Compliance will conduct research to determine if the information is likely to be considered material, and whether the information has been publicly disseminated.

 

Given the severe penalties imposed on individuals and firms engaging in Insider Trading, a Supervised Person:

 

Must immediately report the potential receipt of Material Non-Public Information to;

 

Must not trade the securities of any company about which they may possess Material Non-Public Information, or derivatives related to the issuer in question;

 

Must not discuss any potentially Material Non-Public Information with colleagues, except as specifically required by their position; and

 

Must not conduct research, trading, or other investment activities regarding a security for which they may have Material Non-Public Information until the GC or Compliance prescribes an appropriate course of action.

 

If the GC or Compliance determines that the information is material and non-public, the GC or Compliance will include any affected securities on the CRESCENT Restricted List, including a description of the information, its source, and the date that the information was received. The Restricted List will be promptly circulated to the relevant Product Groups upon any changes and the CRESCENT Restricted List will be updated in StarCompliance and Everest for monitoring purposes. CRESCENT Product Groups and their Supervised Persons will not place any trades in securities for which they have Material Non-Public Information. Depending on the relevant facts and circumstances, the GC or Compliance may also take some or all of the following steps:

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Review the emails of the affected Supervised Persons more frequently;

 

Forbid other Supervised Persons from seeking to obtain the information; and

 

Conduct key word searches of all Supervised Persons’ emails for the information in question.

 

Trading in affected securities may resume when the GC or Compliance determines that the information has become public and/or immaterial. At such time, the GC or Compliance will remove it from the CRESCENT Restricted List and indicate the date that trading was allowed to resume, the reason for the resumption. Please see the Information Barriers policy below for further details.

 

Selective Disclosure

 

Non-public information about CRESCENT’s investment strategies, trading, and Client holdings may not be shared with third parties except as is necessary to implement investment decisions and conduct other legitimate business. Supervised Persons must never disclose proposed or pending trades or other sensitive information to any third party without the prior approval of the GC or Compliance. Federal Securities Laws may prohibit the dissemination of such information, and doing so may be considered a violation of the fiduciary duty that CRESCENT owes to its Clients.

 

Relationships with Potential Insiders

 

CRESCENT’s Clients, Investors, third-party research providers, portfolio companies, and advisory board members may possess Material Non-Public Information. Access to such information could come as a result of, among other things:

 

Being employed by an issuer (or sitting on the issuer’s board of directors);

 

Working for an investment bank, consulting firm, supplier, or customer of an issuer;

 

Accessing an Alpha-capture system that receives information from insiders;

 

Sitting on an issuer’s creditors committee;

 

Serving as an elected official, or otherwise being involved in non-public political processes;

 

Meetings or idea dinners with investment bankers or other connected individuals;

 

Personal relationships with connected individuals; and

 

A significant other’s involvement in any of the preceding activities.

 

Individuals with access to Material Non-Public Information may have an incentive to disclose the information to CRESCENT due to the potential for personal gain. Supervised Persons should be extremely cautious about investment recommendations or information about issuers received from Clients, Investors, third-party research providers, and advisory board members. Supervised Persons should inquire about the basis for any such recommendations or information, and should consult with the GC or Compliance if there is any appearance that the recommendations or information are based on Material Non-Public Information.

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If a Supervised Person expects that discussions with an outsider might involve the transmission of Material Non-Public Information, the Supervised Person should disclose whether or not CRESCENT is an insider, and should seek a representation regarding the counterparty’s status as a potential insider. When practicable, this disclosure and representation should be communicated by email. Supervised Persons should consult with the GC or Compliance if there is any question regarding the appropriate types of information that can be provided to, or received from, an outside individual or entity.

 

Intentional Receipt of Non-Public Information about Issuers

 

In certain circumstances CRESCENT may intentionally obtain non-public information about issuers. For example, the Company might be provided with non-public information in connection with certain types of debt investments. CRESCENT’s receipt of non-public information about an issuer may limit the Company’s ability to trade in that issuer’s public securities, so CRESCENT must carefully consider the benefits and limitations before non-public information is received.

 

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements

 

Only the authorized signatories within each CRESCENT Product Group are permitted to sign confidentiality agreements on CRESCENT’s behalf in connection with the potential receipt of non-public information. Each executed confidentiality agreement must include the Compliance Group copied on the communication. The GC or Compliance will include the name of any affected securities to the CRESCENT Restricted List.

 

Intralinks

 

Supervised Persons may wish to gain access to documents or databases that are expected to yield non-public information on the private side of Intralinks. In those instances, Supervised Persons must immediately notify the GC or Compliance and any affected securities will be included on the CRESCENT Restricted List.

 

Information Barriers

 

CRESCENT has implemented Information Barrier procedures designed to “quarantine” or “isolate” one or more Product Groups from one another. While the Mezzanine, Direct Lending, and Special Situations Product Groups primarily transact in private securities, the Capital Markets Product Group is most likely to transact in public securities and, therefore, CRESCENT has implemented physical controls by locating the members on a separate floor of CRESCENT’s principal office building. Furthermore, each Product Group maintains a separate secured drive on the CRESCENT network to ensure that investment research is only shared with the members of that relevant Product Group.

 

The Capital Markets Restricted List and Private Product Groups Restricted List are maintained separately and distributed only to members of the relevant Product Group. Additionally, a global CRESCENT Restricted List is compiled and uploaded to StarCompliance and Everest and CDO Suite upon any changes.

 

Supervised Persons must be mindful not to conduct conversations regarding inside information in public areas where it may be overheard.

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Pre-Set 10b5-1Trading Plans

 

Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act may permit pre-planned trading in Securities about which an individual or entity possesses Material Non-Public Information. By documenting a 10b5-1 plan prior to the receipt of Material Non-Public Information, CRESCENT or its Supervised Persons may be able to show that trades were not made based on the Material Non-Public Information. A 10b5-1 plan must be established in good faith prior to the receipt of Material Non-Public Information, must define specific trading parameters that will be followed consistently, and must be implemented by a third party.

 

Neither CRESCENT nor any Supervised Person may establish or trade on a 10b5-1 plan without written pre-approval from the CCO.

 

Rumors

 

Creating or passing false rumors with the intent to manipulate securities prices or markets may violate the antifraud provisions of Federal Securities Laws. Such conduct is contradictory to CRESCENT’s Code of Ethics , as well as the Company’s expectations regarding appropriate behavior of its Supervised Persons. Supervised Persons are prohibited from knowingly circulating false rumors or sensational information that might reasonably be expected to affect market conditions for one or more securities, sectors, or markets, or improperly influencing any person or entity.

 

This policy is not intended to discourage or prohibit appropriate communications between Supervised Persons of CRESCENT and other market participants and trading counterparties. Supervised Persons should consult with the GC or Compliance regarding questions about the appropriateness of any communications.

 

Expert Networks

 

CRESCENT’s Supervised Persons may consult with paid industry experts as part of the Company’s research process. CRESCENT typically contacts such consultants through Magellan Research Group and/or other sources.

 

Supervised Persons who wish to speak with a paid industry expert must:

 

Provide biographical information about the expert to the CCO;

 

Provide a description of the topics to be discussed with the expert to the CCO;

 

Obtain written pre-clearance from the CCO;

 

Tell the expert at the beginning of the meeting about the topics that are likely to be discussed and confirm that the expert is allowed to discuss such topics;

 

Tell the expert at the beginning of the meeting that CRESCENT does not want to receive any information:

 

about the expert’s employer or affiliated entities,

 

about prior employers, or affiliated entities, of the expert during the past six months;

 

that the expert is prohibited from disclosing; or
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that may be Material Non-Public Information.

 

Ask the expert whether he or she is permitted by his or her employer to engage in paid consultations; and

 

Immediately report the receipt of any potentially Material Non-Public Information to the CCO.

 

CRESCENT anticipates that the CCO will not approve any conversations about an issuer with an expert who worked for the issuer during the past 12 months.

 

Before approving use of an expert network provider such as Magellan Research Group, the CCO will obtain and review the relevant company’s policies prohibiting experts from disclosing Material Non-Public Information. The CCO may also periodically attend meetings with paid industry experts in order to understand the types of information that are discussed, review sampled email correspondence involving paid industry experts, monitor the frequency with which various experts are being used, and/or compare particularly profitable trading to CRESCENT’s past contacts with industry experts.

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Code of Ethics: Gifts and Entertainment

 

 

 

Background

 

Supervised Persons may generally give and receive gifts and entertainment, so long as such gifts and entertainment are not lavish or excessive, and do not give the appearance of being designed to improperly influence the recipient.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the risk that Supervised Persons would be improperly influenced by excessive gifts or entertainment. CRESCENT also considered the risk that Supervised Persons would try to use gifts or entertainment to exert improper influence on another individual or entity. CRESCENT established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Guiding Principles

 

CRESCENT holds its Supervised Persons to high ethical standards and strictly prohibits any giving or receipt of things of value that are designed to improperly influence the recipient. Anti-bribery and anti-corruption statues in the U.S. and the U.K. are broadly written, so Supervised Persons should consult with the CCO if there is even an appearance of impropriety associated with the giving or receipt of anything of value.

 

Specific Policies and Procedures

 

Supervised Persons’ Receipt of Entertainment –Supervised Persons may attend business meals, sporting events and other entertainment events at the expense of a giver, provided that the entertainment is not lavish or extravagant in nature and the business partner providing the business entertainment attends the event. If the estimated cost or value of the Supervised Person’s portion of the entertainment is greater than $250, then the Supervised Person must report his/her attendance to the Compliance Group through StarCompliance. Supervised Persons must request pre-approval from Compliance to receive business entertainment with an estimated value greater than $750 per person.

 

Supervised Persons’ Receipt of Gifts – Supervised Persons must report their receipt of gifts over $100 to the Compliance Group through StarCompliance. Supervised Persons should not circumvent the reporting policy by accepting numerous gifts below the de minimis threshold. The CCO may determine that a gift over $100 is excessive and require the Supervised Person to return the gift or take other appropriate steps to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

 

CRESCENT expects that it will bear the costs of employee travel and lodging associated with conferences, research trips, and other business-related travel. If these costs are borne by a person or entity other than CRESCENT they should be treated as a gift to the employee for purposes of this policy and must be pre-approved by Compliance.

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Shared gifts such as holiday baskets or lunches delivered to CRESCENT’s offices, which are received on behalf of the Company and do not have any estimated per person cost greater than $100, do not require reporting. Also, promotional items valued at less than $100 that clearly display the giver’s company logo also need not be reported. Examples of promotional gifts include mugs, hats and umbrellas.

 

CRESCENT’s Gift and Entertainment Giving Policy – CRESCENT and its Supervised Persons are prohibited from giving gifts or entertainment that may appear lavish or excessive, and must:

 

report giving gifts greater than $100;
request pre-approval for gifts greater than $750 in value; and
request pre-approval for entertainment more costly than $750 per person

 

to any Client, Investor, prospect, or individual or entity that CRESCENT does, or is seeking to do, business with.

 

Supervised Persons should seek approval through StarCompliance.

 

A CRESCENT representative must attend the business entertainment provided; otherwise it will be considered a gift to the recipient.

 

Gifts and Entertainment Given to Union Officials – The aggregated value of all gifts and entertainment provided by CRESCENT to a labor union or a union official in excess of $250 per fiscal year must be reported on Department Labor Form LM-10 within 90 days following the end of CRESCENT’s fiscal year. Consequently, all gifts and entertainment provided to labor unions or union officials must be reported to the Compliance Group through StarCompliance.

 

Gifts and Entertainment Given to Foreign Governments and “Government Instrumentalities” – The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) prohibits the direct or indirect giving of, or a promise to give, “things of value” in order to corruptly obtain a business benefit from an officer, employee, or other “instrumentality” of a foreign government. Companies that are owned, even partly, by a foreign government may be considered an “instrumentality” of that government. In particular, government investments in foreign financial institutions may make the FCPA applicable to those institutions. Individuals acting in an official capacity on behalf of a foreign government or a foreign political party may also be “instrumentalities” of a foreign government.

 

The FCPA includes provisions that may permit the giving of gifts and entertainment under certain circumstances, including certain gifts and entertainment that are lawful under the written laws and regulations of the recipient’s country, as well as bona-fide travel costs for certain legitimate business purposes. However the availability of these exceptions is limited and is dependent on the relevant facts and circumstances.

 

Civil and criminal penalties for violating the FCPA can be severe. CRESCENT and its Supervised Persons must comply with the spirit and the letter of the FCPA at all times. Supervised Persons must obtain written pre-clearance from the CCO prior to giving anything of value that might be subject to the FCPA except food and beverages that are provided during a legitimate business meeting and that are clearly not lavish or excessive.

 

Supervised Persons should use StarCompliance to disclose all gifts and entertainment to foreign government officials or a government instrumentality, irrespective of value and including food and beverages provided during a legitimate business meeting.

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Supervised Persons must consult with the CCO if there is any question as to whether gifts or entertainment need to be pre-cleared and/or reported in connection with this policy.

 

Gifts and Entertainment Given to ERISA Plan Fiduciaries CRESCENT is prohibited from giving gifts or entertainment with an aggregate value exceeding $250 per year to any ERISA plan fiduciary. Consequently, all gifts and entertainment provided to ERISA plan fiduciaries must be reported to the Compliance Group through StarCompliance.

 

Gifts and Entertainment in Connection with Lobbying Activities – Because of the strict limits on and reporting requirements applicable to gifts and entertainment involving state officials and other persons covered by state lobbying laws, CRESCENT prohibits the giving of gifts or entertainment, including campaign contributions, to any such person. Employees involved in lobbying activities should carefully review the California Lobbying Procedures contained herein under Marketing and Advertising.

 

Internal Controls

 

Monitoring Third Parties – The CCO is responsible for assessing whether agreements with third parties should include anti-bribery representations, and for ensuring that any necessary representations are included in executed agreements. The CCO may also require that third parties acting on behalf of CRESCENT attend the Company’s anti-bribery training sessions. Supervised Persons may not execute agreements with third parties that are reasonably expected to interact with government officials, union representatives or ERISA plan fiduciaries without the GC or CCO’s approval.

 

If a third party is reasonably expected to interact with government officials, union representatives or ERISA plan fiduciaries, the CCO will review any expense claims submitted by the third party and may require explanations and supplemental documentation to ensure that the third party has not provided improper gifts or entertainment on CRESCENT’s behalf.

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Code of Ethics: Political and Charitable Contributions

 

 

 

Background

 

Individuals may have important personal reasons for seeking public office, supporting candidates for public office, or making charitable contributions. However, such activities could pose risks to an investment adviser. For example, federal and state “pay-to-play” laws have the potential to significantly limit an adviser’s ability to manage assets and provide other services to government-related clients or investors.

 

Rule 206(4)-5 (the “Pay-to-Play Rule”) limits political contributions to state and local government officials, candidates, and political parties by:

 

Registered investment advisers;

 

Advisers that would be required to register with the SEC but for the “foreign private advisor” exemption provided by Section 203(b)(3) of the Advisers Act, or that are exempt reporting advisers;

 

Firms that solicit clients or investors on behalf of the types of advisers described above; and

 

“Covered associates” (as defined below) of the entities listed above.

 

The Pay-to-Play Rule defines “contributions” broadly to include gifts, loans, the payment of debts, and the provision of any other thing of value. The SEC’s enforcement staff has interpreted contributions to include substantive donations of an adviser’s communications networks and other resources. Rule 206(4)-5 also includes a provision that prohibits any indirect action that would be prohibited if the same action was done directly.

 

Restrictions on the Receipt of Advisory Fees

 

The Pay-to-Play Rule prohibits the receipt of compensation from a government entity for advisory services for two years following a contribution to any official of that “government entity”. 1 This prohibition also applies to “covered associates” of the adviser.

 

A “covered associate” of an adviser is defined to include:

 

Any general partner, managing member or executive officer, or other individual with a similar status or function;

 

Any employee that solicits a government entity for the adviser, as well as any direct or indirect supervisor of that employee; and

 

 
1 A government entity means any state or political subdivision of a state, including (i) any agency, authority, or instrumentality of the state or political subdivision, (ii) a pool of assets sponsored or established by the state or political subdivision or agency, (iii) a plan or program of a government entity; and (iv) officers, agents or employees of the state or political subdivision or agency.
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Any political action committee controlled by the adviser or by any person that meets the definition of a “covered associate.”

 

However, there is an exception available for contributions from natural persons of $150 per election, or $350 per election if the contributor is eligible to vote in the election. An exception is also available for otherwise prohibited contributions that are returned, so long as the contribution in question is less than $350, is discovered within four months of being given, and is returned within 60 days of being discovered. The exception for returned contributions is available no more than twice per calendar year for advisers with 50 or fewer employees; advisers with more than 50 employees can rely on this exception three times per calendar year. However, an adviser cannot rely on the exception for returned contributions more than once for any particular employee, irrespective of the amount of time that passes between returned contributions.

 

The restrictions on contributions and payments imposed by Rule 206(4)-5 can apply to the activities of individuals for the two years before they became covered associates of an investment adviser. However, for covered associates who are not involved in soliciting clients or investors, the look-back period is six months instead of two years.

 

Restrictions on Payments for the Solicitation of Clients or Investors

 

The Pay-to-Play Rule prohibits the compensation of any person to solicit a government entity unless the solicitor is an officer or employee of the adviser, or unless the recipient of the compensation (i.e., solicitation fee) is another registered investment adviser or a registered broker/dealer.

 

However, a registered investment adviser will be ineligible to receive compensation for soliciting government entities if the adviser or its covered associates made, coordinated, or solicited contributions or payments to the government entity during the prior two years. 2

 

Restrictions on the Coordination or Solicitation of Contributions

 

The Pay-to-Play Rule prohibits an adviser and its covered associates from coordinating or soliciting any contribution or payment to an official of the government entity, or a related local or state political party where the adviser is providing or seeking to provide investment advisory services to the government entity.

 

Recordkeeping Obligations

 

The Advisers Act imposes recordkeeping requirements on registered investment advisers that have any clients or investors in private funds that fall within Rule 206(4)-5’s definition of a “government entity.” Among other things, advisers with “government entity” clients or investors must keep records showing political contributions by “covered associates” and a listing of all “government entity” clients and investors.

 

Guidance Regarding Bona-Fide Charitable Contributions

 

Charitable donations to legitimate not-for-profit organizations, even at the request of an official of a government entity, do not implicate Rule 206(4)-5.

 

Applicability of Rule 206(4)-5 to Different Types of Advisory Products and Services Being Offered

 

The Pay-to-Play Rule applies equally to:

 

 
2 Similar prohibitions are expected on broker/dealers pursuant to upcoming FINRA lawmaking.
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Advisers that provide advisory services to a government entity (including, among other things, through the management of a separate account or through an investment in a pooled private fund); and

 

Advisers that manage a registered investment company (such as a mutual fund) that is an investment option of a plan or program of a government entity.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with Supervised Persons’ political contributions. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

Supervised Persons make political contributions that limit CRESCENT’s ability to attract or retain government-related Clients or Investors;

 

CRESCENT hires or promotes an individual into a role that meets the definition of a “covered associate” without considering the individual’s past political contributions;

 

CRESCENT inadvertently violates “pay-to-play” regulations, or other applicable laws, because it is unaware of Supervised Persons’ political contributions, or of any solicitation or coordination of political contributions by others;

 

CRESCENT or its Supervised Persons make charitable contributions that pose actual or apparent conflicts of interest;

 

CRESCENT obtains referrals for government entity Clients or Investors from individuals or entities that are not eligible “regulated persons,” or that have made disqualifying contributions; and

 

Supervised Persons hold public offices that pose actual or apparent conflicts of interest.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Political Contributions

 

Political contributions by CRESCENT or Supervised Persons to politically connected individuals or entities with the intention of influencing such individuals or entities for business purposes are strictly prohibited. All Supervised Persons are subject to the Political Contributions policy, however, not all Supervised Persons are presumed to be covered associates as defined by Rule 206(4)-5. The Compliance Group will maintain a list of CRESCENT’s covered associates.

 

If a Supervised Person or any affiliated entity is considering making a political contribution to any government entity, official, candidate, political party, or political action committee, the potential contributor must seek pre-clearance from the CCO. Supervised Persons should be aware that political contributions that may require pre-clearance include cash donations, as well as substantive donations of CRESCENT’s resources, such as the use of conference rooms or communication systems or volunteering their time to aid a political campaign, political party committee, political action committee, or political organization. If pre-clearance is granted, it is valid for seven days before and after the intended contribution date. Any contributions outside of this date range require pre-approval. The CCO will consider whether the proposed contribution is consistent with restrictions imposed by Rule 206(4)-5 and applicable state laws, and to the extent practicable, the CCO will seek to protect the confidentiality of all information regarding each proposed contribution.

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A Compliance Officer will meet with all new hires to discuss their past political contributions. The review will address the prior six months for Supervised Persons who will have no involvement in the solicitation of Clients or Investors; contributions for covered associates will be reviewed for the past two years.

 

Any political contribution by CRESCENT, rather than its Supervised Persons, must be pre-cleared by the CCO. The Compliance Group will maintain a chronological list of contributions in accordance with the requirements of the Pay-to-Play Rule, as well as a list of all Clients and Investors that meet the definition of a “government entity” for purposes of Rule 206(4)-5.

 

The General Counsel is responsible for reviewing the CCO’s political contribution activities.

 

Solicitation Arrangements

 

CRESCENT will only compensate third parties for referrals of Clients or Investors that are affiliated with government entities if the solicitor is an eligible “regulated person,” as defined by Rule 206(4)-5 under the Advisers Act, and if the solicitor and its covered associates have not made any disqualifying contributions during the past two years.

 

The GC and the CCO are responsible for reviewing the eligibility of all solicitation arrangements that involve, or are expected to involve, government entities.

 

Public Office

 

Supervised Persons must obtain written pre-approval from the CCO prior to running for any public office. Supervised Persons may not hold a public office if it presents any actual or apparent conflict of interest with CRESCENT’s business activities.

 

Outside Business Activities

 

If a Supervised Person is associated with an outside business, such as by serving as an officer or director, the Supervised Person should recuse himself or herself from any decisions regarding that entity’s political contributions. If the Supervised Person believes that the outside business’ political contributions could give even the appearance of being related to CRESCENT’s advisory activities or marketing initiatives, the Supervised Person must discuss the matter with the CCO. Any outside business activities by the CCO will be reviewed by the General Counsel.

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Code of Ethics: Complaints

 

 

 

Background

 

From time-to-time, CRESCENT may receive complaints from Clients or Investors regarding CRESCENT’s investment advisory services or related matters. CRESCENT will strive to respond promptly and appropriately to all such complaints, and in the case of an error, CRESCENT will consider whether corrective actions should be taken in order to prevent it from reoccurring.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with its response to Client and Investor complaints. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

Complaints are not reported to supervisory personnel;

 

Oral complaints are not addressed with the same level of diligence as written complaints;

 

Complaints are not addressed appropriately or in a timely manner; and

 

CRESCENT does not document Client or Investor complaints, or its response to such complaints.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Any statement transmitted verbally or in writing that alleges CRESCENT has not fulfilled its responsibilities is a complaint. General expressions of dissatisfaction with performance are not. Supervised Persons should consult with the CCO if there is any question as to whether a communication is a complaint.

 

All Supervised Persons must promptly report any complaints to the General Counsel and/or CCO. Failure to report a complaint will be cause for corrective action, up to and including termination of such Supervised Person.

 

The General Counsel and/or CCO will investigate and respond to all Client and Investor complaints in a timely manner, will describe all complaints using the attached Complaint Log , and will retain copies of all documentation associated with each complaint in a Complaint File. The General Counsel and/or CCO may consult with Outside Counsel or other third party consultants regarding the appropriate resolution of a complaint. Offers of settlement may only be made with the written approval of the General Counsel.

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Complaint Log

 

Client/Investor Date Complaint was Received Oral or Written Complaint Nature of Complaint Supervised Person(s) Involved Potential $ Exposure Third Parties Contacted by Client/Investor (if known) CRESCENT's Course of Action for Follow-Up/Resolution
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
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Code of Ethics: Outside Business Activities

 

 

 

Background

 

Supervised Persons may, under certain circumstances, be granted permission to engage in outside business activities with public or private corporations, partnerships, not-for-profit institutions, and other entities. Supervised Persons may also be granted permission to participate in investment clubs. However, such activities can expose the participant to potentially Material Non-Public Information, and can create conflicts of interest.

 

Supervised Persons may be subject to compliance risks or conflicts of interest in connection with information or relationships associated with prior employment with other companies.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the risks posed by service with outside organizations and investment clubs, including potential conflicts of interest and access to Material Non-Public Information. CRESCENT also considered the risks posed by Supervised Persons’ past business relationships. CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Outside Business Activities, Directorships and Investment Clubs

 

Supervised Persons are prohibited from engaging in outside business activities, serving on boards of directors, making investment decisions on behalf of non-Clients without prior approval from the CCO. However, if position is in connection with a portfolio investment (e.g., accepting a board position in a “venture capital operating company”) notification of the outside activity is sufficient. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis, subject to careful consideration of potential conflicts of interest, disclosure obligations, and any other relevant regulatory issues.

 

No Supervised Person may utilize property of CRESCENT, or utilize the services of CRESCENT or its employees, for his or her personal benefit or the benefit of another person or entity, without approval of the CCO. For this purpose, “property” means both tangible and intangible property, including funds, premises, equipment, supplies, information, business plans, business opportunities, confidential research, intellectual property, proprietary processes, and ideas for new research or services.

 

A Supervised Person may not participate in any business opportunity that comes to his or her attention as a result of his or her association with CRESCENT and in which he or she knows that CRESCENT might be expected to participate or have an interest, without:

 

Disclosing in writing all necessary facts to the CCO;

 

Offering the particular opportunity to CRESCENT; and

 

Obtaining written authorization to participate from the CCO.
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Any personal or family interest in any of CRESCENT’s business activities or transactions must be immediately disclosed to the CCO. For example, if a transaction by CRESCENT may benefit that Supervised Person or a family member, either directly or indirectly, then the Supervised Person must immediately disclose this possibility to the CCO.

 

No Supervised Person may borrow from or become indebted to any person, business or company having business dealings or a relationship with CRESCENT, except with respect to customary personal loans (such as home mortgage loans, automobile loans, and lines of credit), unless the arrangement is disclosed in writing and receives prior approval from the CCO. No Supervised Person may use CRESCENT’s name, position in a particular market, or goodwill to receive any benefit on loan transactions without the prior express written consent of the CCO.

 

A Supervised Person who is granted approval to engage in an outside business activity must not transmit Material Non-Public Information between CRESCENT and the outside entity. If participation in the outside business activity results in the Supervised Person’s receipt of Material Non-Public Information the Supervised Person must discuss the scope and nature of the information flow with the GC or CCO. Similarly, if a Supervised Person receives approval to engage in an outside business activity and subsequently becomes aware of a material conflict of interest that was not disclosed when the approval was granted, the conflict must be promptly brought to the attention of the CCO.

 

Prior Employment Arrangements

 

Supervised Persons are expected to act with professionalism, to avoid any improper disclosure of proprietary information, and to satisfy all other obligations owed to CRESCENT and to any prior employers. Supervised Persons should discuss any concerns regarding their prior employment with the CCO. Such concerns may include, but are not limited to, possession of Material Non-Public Information from a prior employer, a non-solicitation and/or non-compete clause in the Supervised Persons’ previous employment agreement, and any prior political contributions made by the Supervised Person. 

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Request for Approval of Outside Business Activities, Directorships and Investment Clubs

 

Name and address of organization or group:

 

Organization’s or group’s primary business purpose:

 

Is the organization a publicly traded company?              If yes, list the stock symbol:

 

Describe your anticipated role with the organization or group:

 

Describe any compensation you will receive:

 

Describe any known relationships between CRESCENT and the organization in question, or any conflict(s) of interest you perceive regarding the outside business activity:

 

List any Supervised Persons of CRESCENT who you know to be involved with the organization or group:

 

If approval is granted, I agree to:

 

Notify the CCO of any change in the above information;

 

Seek approval to retain my position if a private organization offers securities to the public or if a not-for-profit organization ceases to maintain its not-for-profit status;

 

Adhere to the Insider Trading policies and procedures of CRESCENT and the organization or group, and not transfer any Non-public information between CRESCENT and the organization or group; and

 

Avoid involvement in any arrangement between CRESCENT and the entity, and recuse myself of voting on such matters.

 

       
Signature   Date  

 

Print Name  

 

Approval Granted by / Denied by:

 

Signature   Date  

 

Print Name  
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Outside Business Activity, Directorship and Investment Club Log

 

Supervised Person Name Requested Activity Approval Granted?
(Y or N)
Date Comments
(Including Applicable Conflicts of Interest and any Mitigating Factors)
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
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Duty to Supervise

 

 

 

Background

 

Pursuant to Section 203(e) of the Advisers Act, if an investment adviser fails to reasonably supervise an employee or any other person subject to the adviser’s supervision, and that person violates the Federal Securities Laws, then the SEC may censure, limit the activities of, or revoke the registration of the investment adviser. However, Section 203(e)(6) states that an investment adviser will not be deemed to have failed to reasonably supervise any person if the adviser:

 

Established procedures, and a system for applying such procedures, that would reasonably be expected to prevent and detect, insofar as practicable, any such violation by such other person; and

 

Reasonably discharged the duties and obligations incumbent upon it by reason of such procedures and system without reasonable cause to believe that such procedures and system were not being complied with.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered numerous risks associated with its duty to supervise. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

Supervised Persons engage in activities that violate the Federal Securities Laws;

 

Supervised Persons engage in activities that violate CRESCENT’s internal policies and procedures;

 

Supervised Persons engage in activities that could adversely affect CRESCENT’s reputation;

 

Supervised Persons’ activities are not adequately monitored;

 

Supervised Persons conduct business in languages that CRESCENT’s compliance professionals and supervisors do not understand;

 

As a result of its ownership or operational structure, CRESCENT does not establish an adequate separation of functions;

 

If applicable Supervised Persons working from locations other than CRESCENT’s headquarters are not subject to adequate supervision;

 

CRESCENT does not periodically evaluate the adequacy of its internal controls, policies, and procedures;

 

Violations of CRESCENT’s internal controls or the Federal Securities Laws are not documented, reported to senior management, or properly resolved; and
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Temporary workers or on-site service providers are not adequately supervised, or are unaware of critical aspects of CRESCENT’s compliance program.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

CRESCENT’s management recognizes its duty to supervise the actions of its Supervised Persons. Compliance with the policies and procedures contained in this Manual assists CRESCENT’s management in fulfilling its supervisory obligations. The policies and procedures included in this Manual are intended to prevent and detect violations of applicable laws, rules and regulations by Supervised Persons. As appropriate, this Manual identifies the individuals who have supervisory authority over CRESCENT’s various activities. Supervised Persons who are unfamiliar with any activities, or who require assistance carrying out their duties, are expected to consult with an appropriate supervisor.

 

All Supervised Persons must comply with the letter, and the spirit, of this Manual, which includes the Code of Ethics . Supervised Persons are expected to use good judgment, and to report any suspected violations of CRESCENT’s policies or the Federal Securities Laws to their supervisor and/or the CCO, as appropriate. CRESCENT’s management will include the CCO in the resolution of any issues that may involve a violation of the Federal Securities Laws or a weakness in CRESCENT’s compliance program.

 

Supervisory Responsibilities

 

CRESCENT’s Supervised Persons may have explicitly defined supervisory responsibilities because of a position or title, and/or de facto supervisory responsibilities because of activities, roles, abilities, or operational authority within the Company. All Supervised Persons with explicit or implicit supervisory authority have affirmative duties to:

 

Ensure that CRESCENT’s practices are consistent with the Company’s written policies and procedures, and are not inconsistent with disclosures to Clients or Investors;

 

Effectively monitor Supervised Persons over whom they have supervisory authority; and

 

Ensure that CRESCENT responds appropriately and in a timely manner to any actual or suspected wrongdoing, undisclosed conflicts of interest, ineffective internal controls or other compliance risks.

 

Escalating Perceived Risks

 

Supervised Persons are generally expected to discuss any perceived risks, or concerns about CRESCENT’s business practices, with their direct supervisor. Supervisors should act prudently and exercise good judgment when determining an appropriate response to any reported risks or concerns. The CCO should be informed of any potentially serious risks, material weaknesses in internal controls, or inappropriate business practices. Although each potential issue or risk will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, the CCO typically works with the affected Supervised Person’s direct supervisor, and may also involve other members of senior management, to achieve an appropriate resolution.

 

Investment and Trading Risk Monitoring

 

Each Client account has a designated CRESCENT Product Group. CRESCENT’s Portfolio Managers and Investment Committees, as applicable, for each CRESCENT Product Group are responsible for monitoring the risks associated with the Company’s investing and trading strategies on an ongoing basis. CRESCENT’s Trading Department, in association with others, monitors counterparty risk and other risks associated with the trading strategies employed by CRESCENT.

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The CRESCENT Product Groups and the Trading Department are responsible for managing Client portfolios in accordance with agreed upon objectives, restrictions, and guidelines established in the relevant written agreements. Before CRESCENT agrees to any amendments to such objectives, restrictions, and guidelines, the amendment must be approved by Legal, Compliance, and the relevant Portfolio Manager(s). Any amendment must be in writing. Copies of all final amendments should be sent to Compliance, Legal, and the Portfolio Manager(s). Please see the Portfolio Management and Reviews Policy for additional details on tracking any changes in investment restrictions.

 

Oversight Committees

 

In addition to Supervised Persons’ day-to-day supervisory responsibilities CRESCENT has established the following committees to provide an additional level of oversight. These oversight committees are primarily focused on strategic and policy-level issues, but they may investigate and take action with respect to specific operational issues as necessary.

 

Committee Members (Chair Listed First) Minimum Meeting Frequency Mandate
Management Committee

Mark Attanasio

Jean-Marc Chapus

Joe Viola

John Gauthier

Melissa Weiler

George Hawley

Mark DeVincentis

Chris Wright

John Fekete

Monthly

1.   Oversee day-to-day operations

2.   Evaluate and manage significant business issues

3.   Monitor key business metrics, including AUM, net flows, product and performance

 

Trading and Brokerage Committee

Brian McKeon

Scott Fukumoto

Joe Hanlon, Paul Douglas (alternate)

Joe Viola, Patrick McFarlane (alternate)

Gerhard Lombard, Irina Rudnitsky

(alternate)

Ross Slusser

Jonathan Insull

Melissa Weiler

Monthly

1.   Escalate matters (e.g., trends and insights in trading operations, execution quality, and fill rates) appropriate for Enterprise Risk Management Group supervision

2.   Approve Liquidity Determinations re: Restricted Securities

3.   Approve Reallocations

4.   Approve Broker List

Pricing Committee

Gerhard Lombard, Irina Rudnitsky (alternate)

Brian McKeon

Scott Fukumoto

Joe Hanlon, Paul Douglas (alternate)

Joe Viola, Patrick McFarlane (alternate)

Ross Slusser

Jonathan Insull

Melissa Weiler

Monthly

1.   Escalate matters appropriate for the Enterprise Risk Management Group (EMRG) supervision

2.   Approve all manager marks:

a.   Fair Valued Securities

b.   Overrides

3.   Oversee

a.   Price Challenges

b.   Broker Quotes (No Pricing Service Available)

c.   Pricing Services

d.   Auditors

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Branch Office Supervision

 

CRESCENT’s principal place of business is located in Los Angeles, CA. The Company also maintains locations in New York, NY, Boston, MA and has an affiliate in London. Additionally, certain CRESCENT employees work out of their home offices in various states. Generally, the activities occurring at locations outside of the headquarters consist of similar activities as the headquarters. Investment, trading, operations, and compliance personnel are based out of the various branch offices.

 

Temporary Workers and On-Site Service Providers

 

CRESCENT will take all reasonable steps to ensure that temporary workers and employees of service providers who spend extended periods working on-site (“onsite workers”) comply with the letter and the spirit of the Federal Securities Laws.

 

CRESCENT generally enters into a separate contract with the service provider governing the activities of the service providers’ employees while on-site. The supervising employee is responsible for ensuring that a contract with sufficient protections for CRESCENT has been signed when the worker first comes on site. In the event an onsite worker has access to CRESCENT trading activity and/or portfolio holdings, the onsite worker will be required to comply with the Code of Ethics for personal transactions.

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Maintenance and Review of the Compliance Program

 

 

 

Background

 

Rule 206(4)-7 under the Advisers Act requires each registered investment adviser to:

 

Adopt and implement written policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent violation, by the adviser and its supervised persons, of the Advisers Act and the rules thereunder;

 

Review the adequacy of these policies and procedures, and assess the effectiveness of their implementation, at least annually; and

 

Designate a chief compliance officer who is responsible for administering the policies and procedures.

 

Factors that investment advisers should consider when developing a compliance program include, among other things:

 

The complexity of the adviser’s business operations and investment strategies;

 

The presence or absence of material conflicts of interests;

 

The presence or absence of internal operational controls; and

 

The presence or absence of credible, independent gatekeepers.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered numerous risks associated with the maintenance and review of its compliance program. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

The Advisers Act or the rules thereunder impose obligations on CRESCENT that are not reflected in the Company’s written policies and procedures;

 

CRESCENT’s policies and procedures are not tailored to reflect the Company’s operations or compliance risks;

 

CRESCENT fails to conduct an annual review of its compliance program;

 

CRESCENT conducts an annual review of its written policies and procedures, but does not evaluate the implementation of those policies or procedures; and

 

CRESCENT’s CCO lacks the knowledge or authority to effectively administer the Company’s compliance program.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines as an attempt to mitigate these risks.

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Policies and Procedures

 

The Code of Ethics and Compliance Manual

 

CRESCENT has adopted this Manual, which includes the Code of Ethics , in order to reflect the Company’s obligations under the Federal Securities Laws, including the Advisers Act and associated rules. The CCO is responsible for maintaining the Manual; Supervised Persons should notify the CCO immediately if the Manual does not address a material compliance risk or is inconsistent with CRESCENT’s practices. Supervised Persons are prohibited from modifying the Manual without the CCO’s written approval.

 

Electronic Reporting

 

CRESCENT has implemented the StarCompliance electronic reporting system to centralize and automate many Supervised Person reporting obligations. Supervised Persons are expected to use the StarCompliance system to:

 

Acknowledge receipt, understanding, and compliance with compliance policies and procedures, including the Code of Ethics ;

 

Pre-clear personal trades;

 

Periodically report certain personal trades and holdings;

 

Pre-clear political contributions;

 

Pre-clear and report gifts and entertainment, as applicable; and

 

Request approval for Outside Business Activities.

 

Any questions about how to use the StarCompliance system should be directed to the Compliance Officers.

 

Annual Compliance Reviews

 

The CCO performs a comprehensive annual review of CRESCENT’s compliance program. This review incorporates any compliance matters that arose during the preceding year, any substantive changes in CRESCENT’s business activities, and any applicable regulatory developments. During each annual review, the CCO evaluates, and tests the implementation of, CRESCENT’s written policies and procedures. The annual review may take place all at once or throughout the year. Following each review, the CCO prepares a written report that identifies any substantive findings.

 

Ongoing Monitoring and Forensic Testing

 

CRESCENT’s CCO and other members of the Compliance Group will monitor and periodically test Supervised Persons’ compliance with the Company’s policies and procedures. In addition to contemporaneous monitoring of individual transactions and other activities, the CCO and the Compliance Group periodically analyze CRESCENT’s books and records to detect patterns that may be indicative of compliance breaches. These forensic tests seek to identify patterns showing potentially abusive activity. Examples of forensic tests that may be undertaken include:

 

Reviewing trades in a Client’s account over an extended period to determine whether that Client’s account was being managed in accordance with its stated objectives and restrictions;
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Comparing a Supervised Person’s personal securities transactions against CRESCENT’s Restricted List;

 

Using software to perform key-word searches of Supervised Persons’ emails or instant messages, particularly for monitoring breaches of information barriers;

 

Audit Intralinks activity and compare to Intralinks activity and compare to Restricted List and personal trading;

 

Evaluate performance dispersion activity portfolios with similar investment strategies;

 

Search third party databases for unreported political contributions;

 

Audit systems network to confirm internal barriers among Product Groups are maintained properly;

 

Evaluate personal trading for trends and patterns of potentially abusive activity; and

 

Monitor co-investment trends for compliance with client agreement and equitable treatment in the case of conflicts of interest.

 

This Manual does not describe all of CRESCENT’s forensic testing activities in order to preserve the effectiveness of such testing. Members of CRESCENT’s senior management must consult with the CCO prior to discussing the Company’s forensic testing practices with other Supervised Persons.

 

Training

 

CRESCENT’s CCO or one of the Compliance Officers will promptly review applicable compliance policies and procedures with all new Supervised Persons. The CCO will also conduct compliance training with Supervised Persons, either individually or in groups, as necessary but in any event at least annually.

 

The CCO

 

Mr. Joe Hanlon serves as CRESCENT’s CCO. The CCO reports directly to the Managing Partners and has full authority to implement CRESCENT’s compliance program. Supervised Persons should notify the CCO immediately if CRESCENT appears to have failed to identify or appropriately address any compliance issue.

 

The CCO is familiar with CRESCENT’s obligations under the Federal Securities Laws, including the Advisers Act and rules. The CCO uses the Compliance Calendar , maintained under separate cover, to track CRESCENT’s periodic compliance activities. As necessary, the CCO will consult with Third-Party Compliance Consultants and/or Outside Counsel regarding any compliance matters that may arise.

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Review of Third-Party Service Providers

 

 

 

Background

 

Unaffiliated third-parties help CRESCENT provide investment advisory services to Clients and Investors. The failure of a third-party service provider to meet its contractual obligations could damage CRESCENT’s reputation, cause violations of the Federal Securities Laws, and/or harm CRESCENT’s Clients or Investors.

 

Risks

 

In developing these policies and procedures, CRESCENT considered the material risks associated with its use of third-party service providers. This analysis includes risks such as:

 

CRESCENT does not conduct adequate due diligence on third-party service providers;

 

CRESCENT does not enter into written agreements that specify third-party service providers’ obligations in sufficient detail;

 

Clients pay for services selected by CRESCENT, but the cost of the services is not reasonable relative to their value;

 

Third-party service providers fail to meet their contractual obligations; and

 

The Supervised Persons who utilize services provided by third parties do not communicate with the Supervised Persons who assess or renew service contracts.

 

CRESCENT has established the following guidelines to mitigate these risks.

 

Policies and Procedures

 

Generally, CRESCENT conducts initial due diligence regarding service providers before selection and enters into written contracts with providers of major services, specifically those that are involved in CRESCENT’s provision of investment advisory services, or that have contact with Clients or Investors.

 

The nature and extent of the initial due diligence and the ongoing oversight vary based on factors such as the nature of the service provided, the risk exposure, the importance of the system to the operations, whether there are ready backups or alternatives, the terms of the contract, the experience with the service provider, the monitoring systems of the provider, the nature of any reporting that is received, the nature of any exceptions, CRESCENT’s knowledge and familiarity with the provider, the Company’s relationship with the provider, and whether its seed capital or client money at risk.

 

Service providers to the Private Funds are overseen by the Portfolio Administration Group and all third parties providing services to CRESCENT (e.g. Bloomberg) are overseen by the Risk Group. In managing CRESCENT’s third party service providers, the Portfolio Administration and Risk Groups will:

 

Ensure that they understand the specific services to be provided;
(CRESCENT LOGO) 42    

 

Ensure that the service provider’s obligations are described in detail in a written contract executed by the provider;

 

Ensure that the cost of services is reasonable relative to the value, particularly with respect to any services paid for by Clients;

 

Review the provider’s service levels at least annually. While such reviews may be informal, the responsible group should, at a minimum, elicit feedback from those Supervised Persons who actually use the services. More detailed reviews of service providers, including on-site visits or the review of due diligence questionnaires, may be conducted as necessary. Such reviews may address, as applicable,

 

The service provider’s satisfaction of contractual obligations;

 

The cost of the service;

 

The service provider’s responsiveness to CRESCENT;

 

Whether technology used by the service provider enhances or impedes the services being provided;

 

The service provider’s organizational structure;

 

The service provider’s institutional resources;

 

The service provider’s internal controls (e.g., review of SAS 70 or other control reports);

 

The service provider’s business continuity plans;

 

Conflicts of interest between the service provider and CRESCENT or Clients;

 

Any changes since the time of the last review affecting the provider or the services under consideration;

 

Any anticipated changes that will affect the provider or the services under consideration; and

 

Any other applicable considerations.

 

Notify the Compliance Group of adverse findings detected in the course their reviews.

 

Any significant issues raised to the Compliance Group should be escalated to the Managing Partners for discussion.

 

If a Supervised Person believes that a third-party service provider is not meeting its contractual obligations, or is otherwise providing inadequate services, he or she should promptly report the issue to a member of the Portfolio Administration or Risk Group as applicable.

 

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Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

May 8, 2017

 

"BLACKROCK??_PRINTED_1000PIX"

 

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics  
Effective Date: May 8, 2017  

 

1. Introduction

 

This global Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (“Code”) governs the general commitment by BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “BlackRock”) to conduct its business activities in the highest ethical and professional manner and to put client interests first. BlackRock’s reputation for integrity is one of its most important assets and is instrumental to its business success. While this Code covers a wide range of business activities, practices, and procedures, it does not cover every issue that may arise in the course of BlackRock’s many business activities. Rather, it sets out basic principles designed to guide BlackRock’s employees and directors. Consultants and contingent, contract, or temporary workers are expected to comply with the principles of this Code and policies applicable to their location, function, and status.

 

Every BlackRock employee and director — whatever his or her position — is responsible for upholding high ethical and professional standards and must seek to avoid even the appearance of improper behavior. Any violation of this Code may result in disciplinary action to the extent permitted by applicable law. Any employee who becomes aware of an actual or potential violation of this Code or other BlackRock policy is required to follow the reporting process described in the Global Policy for Reporting Illegal or Unethical Conduct and in Section 10 below.

 

2. Compliance with Laws and Regulations

 

BlackRock’s global business activities are subject to extensive governmental regulation and oversight and it is critical that BlackRock and its employees comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including those relating to insider trading. Employees are expected to refer to the guidance contained in the Compliance Manual and the various policies and procedures contained in the Policy Library in compliance with these laws and regulations and to seek advice from supervisors and Legal & Compliance (“L&C”) as necessary.

 

3. Conflicts of Interest

 

Conflicts of interest may arise when a person’s private interest interferes, or appears to interfere, with the interests of BlackRock, or where the interests of an employee or the firm are inconsistent with those of a client or potential client, resulting in the risk of damage to the interests of BlackRock or one or more of its clients. A conflict may arise, for example, if an employee or director, takes an action or has an interest that makes it difficult for that individual to conduct the individual’s responsibilities to BlackRock and/or the client objectively and effectively, or if such an individual receives an improper personal benefit, such as a loan or guarantee, as a result of the individual’s position at BlackRock. BlackRock has adopted policies, procedures, and controls designed to manage conflicts of interest, including the Global Conflicts of Interest Policy and the Global Outside Activity Policy . Employees are required to comply with these and other compliance related policies, procedures, and controls and to help mitigate potential conflicts of interest by adhering to the following standard of conduct:

 

Act solely in the best interests of clients;

 

Uphold BlackRock’s high ethical and professional standards;

 

 

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Identify, report, and manage actual, apparent, or potential conflicts of interest; and

 

Make full and fair disclosure of any conflicts of interests, as may be required.

 

Conflicts of interest may not always be clear-cut and it is not possible to describe every situation in which a conflict of interest may arise – any question with respect to whether a conflict of interest exists, together with any actual or potential conflict of interest, should be directed to managers and L&C.

 

4. Insider Trading and Personal Trading

 

Employees and directors who have access to confidential information about BlackRock, its clients, or issuers in which it invests client assets, are prohibited from using or sharing that information for security trading purposes or for any other purpose except in the proper conduct of our business. All non-public information about BlackRock or any of our clients or issuers should be considered "confidential information." Use of material, non-public information in connection with any investment decision or recommendation or to “tip” others who might make an investment decision on the basis of this information is unethical and illegal and could result in civil and/or criminal penalties. Under the Global Personal Trading Policy , BlackRock employees are required to pre-clear all transactions in securities (except for certain exempt securities). Please consult the Global Insider Trading Policy for additional information.

 

5. Gifts and Entertainment

 

The purpose of entertainment and gifts in a commercial setting is to create good will and sound working relationships, not to gain unfair advantage with clients or vendors. No gift or entertainment should be offered, given, provided, or accepted by any BlackRock employee or their immediate family members sharing the same household unless it:

 

is unsolicited;

 

is not a cash gift;

 

is consistent with customary business practices;

 

is not excessive in value;

 

cannot be construed as a bribe or payoff;

 

is given or accepted without obligation;

 

is not intended to solicit or retain business or an advantage in the conduct of business; and

 

does not violate applicable laws or regulations.

 

In addition, strict laws govern the provision of gifts and entertainment, including meals, transportation, and lodging, to public officials. Employees are prohibited from providing gifts or anything of value to public officials or their employees or family members in connection with BlackRock's business for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or a business advantage. Please consult the Global Gifts and Entertainment Policy for additional information. Regional specific regulatory restrictions also apply.

 

6. Political Contributions

 

Employees are required to pre-clear political contributions in accordance with the U.S. Political Contributions Policy - Global.

 

 

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7. Corporate Opportunities

 

Employees and directors:

 

are prohibited from taking personal opportunities for themselves that are discovered through the use of corporate property, information, or position without the consent of L&C;

 

are prohibited from using corporate property, information, or position for improper personal gain;

 

may not compete with BlackRock either directly or indirectly; and

 

owe a duty to BlackRock to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises.

 

8. Competition and Fair Dealing

 

BlackRock seeks to outperform its competition fairly and honestly by seeking competitive advantage through superior performance; BlackRock does not engage in illegal or unethical business practices. BlackRock and its employees and directors should endeavor to respect the rights of, and deal fairly with, BlackRock’s clients, vendors, and competitors. Specifically, the following conduct is prohibited:

 

misappropriating proprietary information;

 

possessing trade secret information obtained without the owner’s consent;

 

inducing disclosure of proprietary information or trade secret information by past or present employees of other companies; and

 

taking unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other intentional unfair-dealing practice.

 

9. Confidentiality

 

BlackRock’s employees and directors have an obligation of confidentiality to BlackRock and its clients. Confidential information includes non-public information that might be of use to competitors or that might harm BlackRock or its clients, if disclosed, and non-public information that clients and other parties have entrusted to BlackRock. The obligation to preserve confidential information continues even after employment ends. This obligation does not limit employees from reporting possible violations of law or regulation to a regulator or from making disclosures under whistleblower provisions, as discussed in greater detail in the Global Policy for Reporting Illegal or Unethical Conduct and relevant confidentiality policies and agreements.

 

10. Reporting Any Illegal or Unethical Behavior

 

Every employee is required to report any illegal or unethical conduct about which they become aware, including those concerning accounting or auditing matters. Employees may report concerns to L&C by contacting a Managing Director in L&C directly or by contacting the Employee Complaint Hotline, contact details for which are available via the intranet homepage. BlackRock will not retaliate or discriminate against any employee because of a good faith report. Employees have the right to report directly to a regulator and may do so anonymously; employees may provide protected disclosures under whistleblower laws and cooperate voluntarily with regulators, in each case without fear of retaliation by BlackRock. Please consult the Global Policy for Reporting Illegal or Unethical Conduct and local compliance manuals for additional detail.

 

 

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11. Protection and Proper Use of BlackRock Assets

 

Employees and directors should make every effort to protect BlackRock’s assets and use them efficiently. This obligation extends to BlackRock’s proprietary information, including intellectual property such as trade secrets, patents, trademarks, and copyrights, as well as business, marketing and service plans, engineering and manufacturing ideas, systems, software programs, designs, databases, records, salary information, and any unpublished financial data and reports. Unauthorized use or distribution of proprietary information constitutes a violation of BlackRock policy and could result in civil and/or criminal penalties. Employees should refer to the Intellectual Property Policy and the Corporate Information Security and Acceptable Use of Technology Policy for additional information on the obligation to protect BlackRock’s property.

 

12. Bribery and Corruption

 

BlackRock employees and directors are prohibited from making payments or offering or giving anything of value, directly or indirectly, to public officials of any country, or to persons in the private sector, if the intent is to influence such persons to perform (or reward them for performing) a relevant function or activity improperly or to obtain or retain business or an advantage in the course of business conduct. Employees should refer to the Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy for additional information.

 

13. Equal Employment Opportunity and Harassment

 

The diversity of BlackRock’s employees is a tremendous asset. BlackRock is firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment of any kind. In particular, it is BlackRock’s policy to afford equal opportunity to all qualified applicants and existing employees without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity/expression), sexual orientation, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, political affiliation, citizenship status, genetic information, employment status, or protected veteran status or any other basis that would be in violation of any applicable ordinance or law. In addition, BlackRock will not tolerate harassment, bias, or other inappropriate conduct on the basis of any of the above protected categories. BlackRock’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy and other employment policies are available in the Policy Library .

 

14. Recordkeeping

 

BlackRock requires honest and accurate recording and reporting of information in order to conduct its business and to make responsible business decisions. BlackRock, as a financial services provider and a public company, is subject to extensive regulations regarding maintenance and retention of books and records. BlackRock’s books, records, accounts, and financial statements must be maintained in reasonable detail, must appropriately reflect BlackRock’s transactions, and must conform both to applicable legal requirements and to BlackRock’s system of internal controls. Please consult the Global Records Management Policy and other record retention policies, available in the Policy Library , for additional information.

 

15. Waivers of the Code

 

Any waiver of this Code for an executive officer or director must be made only by BlackRock’s Board of Directors or a Board committee and must be promptly disclosed as required by law or stock exchange regulation.

 

 

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